A Clockwork Christmas: Far From Broken\Crime Wave in a Corset\Wanted: One Scoundrel\This Winter Heart [Kindle Edition]

Jenny Schwartz (Author), J.K. Coi (Author), PG Forte (Author), Stacy Gail (Author)

Book Description

We Wish You a Steampunk Christmas

Changed forever after tragedy, a woman must draw strength from her husband's love. A man learns that love isn't always what you expect. A thief steals the heart of a vengeful professor. And an American inventor finds love Down Under. Enjoy Victorian Christmas with a clockwork twist in these four steampunk novellas.

Anthology includes:

Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail
This Winter Heart by PG Forte
Wanted: One Scoundrel by Jenny Schwartz
Far From Broken by JK Coi

Stories also available for purchase separately.

117,000 words

Product Details

• File Size: 578 KB
• Print Length: 382 pages
• Publisher: Carina Press (December 5, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005Z1C47Q
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #656,030 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars A lot of steam in these steampunk holiday stories. December 25, 2011

By Tiffany A. Harkleroad TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Kindle Edition

A repentant thief who fall in love with her victim. A man in love with a very different
kind of woman. An Australian suffragette in need of a man, merely for political purposes allegedly. A woman who suffers from a tragic event. These are the themes of the short stories in this book, each set in an alternate reality with heavy steampunk overtones.

I have very mixed feelings on this book. Some of the stories were great, and some were quite weak. Some of the stories lived up to the Clockwork Christmas title, and some did not. As a collection of short stories dealing with the futuristic steampunk genre, I think the book certainly delivers. Each story has steampunk elements, some are subtle and some are bold, but each delivers. Where the book falls flat, in my opinion, is as a collection of holiday inspired or themed stories. I thought the first story in the book did the best job of blending the holiday and steampunk elements, but it went downhill from there.

As with all short stories, there was little time in the tales for detailed character development. Two of the stories did a great job developing both character and plot, but again the others fell flat. I greatly disliked the story set in a revisionist South, where the South won the Civil War; I felt that point added nothing to the story, and it just bothered me.

The book was also a lot more sexual than I anticipated; while this was intended to be steampunk romance, the additional holiday aspect somehow made me think the romance would be sweet. But there was quite a large dose of steam in these steampunk stories, and I am not sure the blend of clockworks, mechanical steam based inventions, Christmas, and sex was quite up my ally. However, I think fans of steampunk and romances, and especially steampunk romances, will probably greatly enjoy.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Loved the first two novelettes January 1, 2012

By Sanz

Format:Kindle Edition

I decided to try and read a few Christmas titles, so an anthology seemed a really good idea, and as I haven't read much Steampunk decided on this anthology.
I particularly enjoyed the Crime Wave In A Corset by Stacey Gail, In this novelette Roderick coddington has found out the identity of the person who stole a priceless Fabergé egg from his then dying sister. The thief is identitfied as Cornelia Peabody. Roderick believes that Cornelia is a heartless criminal......will his opinion change of her? Will Cornelia repeat her history to return the Fabergé Egg back to Roderick to try and please him and repent her awful deed and again steal the Fabergé egg from a youngster who is dying?
I really enjoyed this part of the Anthology, it was fast paced, kept you interested all the way through to the ending. Worth buying separately or within this anthology.
Next in the anthology was This Winter Heart by PG Forte. This novelette is again really good and keeps you reading and interested to the very end. the whole will they won't they reconcile, the question of is Ophelia capable of real feelings and emotions? Is Arthur really the son of her and her husband Dario? This one has you holding your breath and crossing your fingers, it also has your heart aching for Ophelia.....Is it a happy ending? Definitely buy this one too!
The third novelette in this anthology is Wanted: One Scounderel by Jenny Schwartz. This short novel is about a suffragette called Emily, who is in need of a man to front her organisation, sort of to act as the male face, and get her into the places females are still not allowed into. Sorry to say this one just didn't grab me and hold me as the first two did, it was okay, but I just didn't seem to "click" with it. I suppose you can't love every book you read then it would be really boring. don't let me put you off giving this one a go.
Finally the last novelette in the anthology is Far From Broken by JK Coi is about a deeply in love couples world being shattered when the woman (Callie) is kidnapped and tortured by the people her husband (Jasper) has been hunting. To be totally honest I tried a couple of times to get into this one and never seemed to get hooked into it...could have been because Of it being christmas and me being busy doing all those jobs you have to do at Christmas etc but ashamed to say i gave up in the end and decided to start reading another book. I will however keep this on my kindle and go back to it for another try in the future.
So on the whole I think this Christmas anthology is definitely worth buying even if you are relatively new to Steampunk as I am, you will find something you like within it's pages. I have certainly added another two author names to my list of authors I like to read!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Steamy, definitely steamy.... February 28, 2012

By Word Nerd

Format:Kindle Edition

I was SO excited when I received this anthology for review. Christmas! And Steampunk! Could it get any better?

Actually, yes, it could. What I failed to process at first glance is that this is a romance anthology. Undaunted, I forged ahead, thinking that surely the combination of Christmas and steampunk could overcome any downside created by the romance story.

I think you can see where this is going. These stories are "romance" first and foremost. Pert bums and throbbing members for everyone!

I must give credit where it is due- the stories are well told, they are just so far out of my comfort zone I could not enjoy them. I was really hoping for more nerdy Steampunk details and less burning of flesh and rending of garments.

I am also very conflicted about the second story, This Winter Heart. Overall, it was my favorite, but I found the main premise to be very disturbing. I can't really provide details without spoiling it for future readers, but it definitely had some ghoulish elements...which is probably why it ended up as my favorite, but it still leaves me conflicted.

My verdict: Read it with caution! If you enjoy the romance genre, particularly historical romance, this anthology is a good bet for a Christmas read. The stories are well told and engaging. If you are not a romance reader and are looking for nerdy Steampunk Christmas tales, you probably ought to keep looking.