Friday, February 12, 2016

Review: Eros Element by Cecilia Dominic + Giveaway


Welcome to my tour stop for the Aether Psychics Series by Cecilia Dominic! The tour runs Feb. 8-12 with reviews of both Eros Element and Light Fantastique.  This is a New Adult Steampunk with a sweet romance. Check out the tour page for more information and the full schedule.

ErosElement72lgAbout Eros Element by Cecilia Dominic

Series Name: Aether Psychics
ISBN13: 978-1-61923-000-2
Length: 90k
Genre: PAW: Steampunk, H: 19th Century Theme: Steampunk, Beta Hero, Suspense Elements, International, Psychics Publication Date: August 25th 2015

If love is the ivy, secrets are the poison.
Aether Psychics, Book 1 After enduring heartbreak at the hands of a dishonest woman, Edward Bailey lives according to scientific principles of structure and predictability. Just the thought of stepping outside his strict routine raises his anxiety.

Adding to his discomfort is Iris McTavish, who appears at his school’s faculty meeting in place of her world-famous archeologist father. Worse, the two of them are to pose as Grand Tourists while they search for an element that will help harness the power of aether. 

Iris jumps at the opportunity to prove her worth as a scholar—and avoid an unwanted marriage proposal—while hiding the truth of her father’s whereabouts. If her secret gets out, the house of McTavish will fall into ruin.

Quite unexpectedly, Edward and Iris discover a growing attraction as their journey takes them to Paris and Rome, where betrayal, blackmail and outright theft threaten to destroy what could be a revolutionary discovery—and break their hearts.


Warning: Allergen alert! This book was produced in a facility that handles copious amounts of wine, tea and baked goods. May contain one or more of the following: a spirited heroine, a quirky hero, clever banter, interesting facts both made-up and historical, and lots of secrets. It is, however, gluten free.




Review: I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

Eros Element is a sweeping steampunk adventure with a myriad of eclectic characters on a mission to find a way to stabilize aether to make it a reliable source of power.

What I Liked
The Characters-- So many interesting characters with intriguing personalities. I loved Edward and Iris, especially Edward. There was just something about his quirkiness that I found endearing.
The Adventure-- It was grand and sweeping once they got underway
The World-- The steampunk world was well-developed and the descriptions vivid enough to help the reader picture the fantasy.

Not as Much
Pacing-- The pacing, especially at the beginning was a tad slow for my tastes. Lots of preamble before they set out on the adventure
Time Jumps-- There were a few timeline jumps that caught me off guard. Had to go back and check the date at the beginning of the section to make sure I wasn't losing my mind.

If you like steampunk, this is definitely one to add to your TBR list.


LightFantastique72lgAbout Light Fantastique (Aether Psychics #2) by Cecilia Dominic

Digital ISBN13: 978-1-61923-329-4 
Print ISBN13: 978-1-61923-218-1 Length: 90k Categories: PAW: Steampunk, H: 19th Century Publication Date: December 15th 2015

At the Théâtre Bohème, danger decides who takes the final curtain call.

Aether Psychics, Book 2

Hailed as the most talented actress of her generation, Marie St. Jean has something more to her ability than mere talent. She loses a bit of her soul to each role. When the ghostly spirit of the theatre promises her an easy fix, she’s tempted by the chance to finally live a normal life.

Unfortunately, the man she’s drawn to is the last one to settle for normal. But with the Prussians surrounding Paris, there’s no escaping that temptation, either.

Violinist Johann Bledsoe thought he’d left his disgrace in England, but a murder outside the Théâtre Bohème makes him wonder if he’s been exposed. Another reason not to stick around once the siege ends, even if Marie fascinates him.

More murders, steam-powered ravens, and past and present secrets bring them closer to discovering just what lurks within the theatre, and who threatens from without. The only way to save themselves is to reveal their darkest shames—and use the Eros Element in a way that has already driven one man to the brink of madness.


Warning:  Processed in a facility where wine is used as currency and dessert is a reward. If you dislike French cooking and attitudes, move along. Things are cooking in this book, and it ain’t Julia Child. 

Amazon | B&N | Google Books | Kobo | Samhain Publishing

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Coming Soon!

Danger. Love. Lies. 

After tragedy hits and danger moves in, Pauline Donahue flees London, searching for sanctuary and a way to start over. A job at a small university provides the escape she needs. Keeping recalcitrant professor Edward Bailey on task after a shattered heart renders him broken and destroyed becomes her daily routine. But when the same vicious man from her past sets his malicious sights on Pauline, her safe haven comes crashing down. 

Duke of Waltham, Christopher Bailey, never counted on the gentle commoner, Miss Donahue, to save his brother--and himself--from broken pasts and a lifetime of mistakes. But she does just that. As their love blossoms, danger closes in, threatening Pauline and Christopher's lives. Together, they are forced to face their biggest fears, revealing secrets that could ruin them both.

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Anne_Bartolucci_20150819_0200Tsep-(ZF-6324-63043-1-004)About the Author:


Cecilia Dominic wrote her first story when she was two years old and has always had a much more interesting life inside her head than outside of it. She became a clinical psychologist because she's fascinated by people and their stories, but she couldn't stop writing fiction. The first draft of her dissertation, while not fiction, was still criticized by her major professor for being written in too entertaining a style. She made it through graduate school and got her PhD, started her own practice, and by day, she helps people cure their insomnia without using medication. By night, she blogs about wine and writes fiction she hopes will keep her readers turning the pages all night. Yes, she recognizes the conflict of interest between her two careers, so she writes and blogs under a pen name.  She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with one husband and two cats, which, she's been told, is a good number of each. She also enjoys putting her psychological expertise to good use helping other authors through her Characters on the Couch blog post series. 

  You can find her at:

Web page | Wine blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest |Instagram: @randomoenophile

To buy her books, you can get them in trade paper and all ebook formats from Samhain Publishing.
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GIVEAWAY:
$25 Amazon or B&N gift card (INT)
Ends Feb. 24th
Prizing is provided by the author, hosts are not responsible. Must be 13 or older to enter and have parental permission if under 17. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

20 comments:

  1. I enjoyed reading your reviews. Thanks.

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  2. Thanks for the review, and the giveaway.

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  3. Thank you so much for hosting a tour stop and sharing your thoughts!

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  4. Those covers are fabulous. I hope you're having a great weekend, Happy Valentin's Day.

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    Replies
    1. I'm hoping for a very relaxing weekend after a very hectic week!

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  5. This book looks amazing and the cover oh my gosh gorgeous!

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  6. I enjoyed learning about this book series and reading your review. These books sound quite interesting. Looking forward to checking them out!

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    1. Thanks! If you like steampunk, this series is definitely worth checking out.

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  7. Thanks for the great giveaway!
    The book sounds amazing!

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  8. Sounds like a great series. The covers are beautiful

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