The Dark Days Club

Took a little to get going but good. Nice new take on the other world, mixed in with an almost but not quite, historical romance.

I wanted this book to last longer, but found myself hurrying to the end. Thanks to this author, I now have another series to revel in!
My short review would be "a delightful mix of Georgette Heyer Regency romance and 'Rivers of London' darkness".
I want to write more about this, but I have a train to catch! More later :-)

Wow. That's good. I've been recommending it all over the place... The Regency details are fantastic; some of them disagree with what I "know" from reading Regency romances, but they work so smoothly that instead of doubting the author's research, I'm doubting all the previous Regencies I've read. It's not a period I've ever researched independently. The magic aspect is fascinating - and works smoothly with the Regency characters. Lady Helen is a perfectly ordinary young noblewoman, and when she discovers she has special powers and that she's needed to fight a terrible foe - her first thought is that fighting isn't appropriate for a lady. She's not a modern girl in Regency dress; she's been thoroughly taught manners and propriety of the period, and has to make her choices with that information and attitude. I was pretty sure Lord Carlston had bigger secrets than even Lady Helen attributed to him - but the short story at the end, from his point of view (the novel is entirely Lady Helen) gave me quite a bit of info I was not expecting. I started reading rather wincingly - I dislike horror, and this sounded (from the blurb) like it could slide too far in that direction. It doesn't, for me, because Helen always makes her own choices - she's never, or hardly ever, helpless. Actually, the only times she's helpless is in the face of her uncle and aunt - the Deceivers are easier to deal with. It's a very long book, but once I got into it I didn't notice - the story swept me up. And I am definitely looking forward to the next one.

I wasn't really expecting to enjoy this book based on reviews but it quickly drew me in. The novel is wordy and perhaps a little slow to start but it quickly sinks its hooks into you as you find yourself invested in Lady Helen's tale.The story is written rather straight faced, bringing to mind the feel of a Jane Austen novel through its lavish descriptions of the balls and social propriety of the Regency Period. While the descriptions and written style are very accurate for the period, this can occasionally make the novel a bit frustrating to read, both for the objectification of upperclass women (who existed in this period predominantly to look pretty so that wealthy men would desire to marry them) and the shear amount of descriptive text.However, the novel picks up pace rapidly as soon as Lord Carston enters the story. At first, intrigue grows as the reader learns about the sinister rumours that surround him but this comes to ahead as Helen learns about the Dark Days Club and their duties to protect England. After this, the novel becomes incredibly addictive to read as Helen learns more about the dark side of the country and has to face difficult decisions concerning how much she gets involved.The characters in the story all feel realistic for the period but Helen and her maid, Darby, are the ones that steal the show. They are both very strong and likeable protagonists and I found myself quickly drawn to them as they shine amongst the typically prim and proper ladies that surround them. I also loved Helen's two potential suitors - Selburn and Carlston. While there was no true love triangle, I thought that both of these character did make good counterparts for her and they were both capable and genuinely seemed to care for her well-being (which is more than can be said for some of the other men in the story).All in all, I really enjoyed this one and can't wait to pick up the sequel.

after which her entire future will depend on her finding a suitor soon before her uncle takes matters into his own hands. Compounding her anxiety are the constant reminders of her long dead mother's scandalous behavior; any hints of such behavior from Helen won't be tolerated. Still, she finds it impossible to walk the straight and narrow when a distant relative insists that her mother had supernatural powers and so does she. She finds herself resisting the pull of the mysterious Dark Days Club and its shady members. Who can she trust?

I didn't want this story to end, even as long as it is. There is less action that I was expecting but I guess there will be more in a sequel. The bulk of the story focuses on the period and setting (1812 London), particularly the limitations and inferior status that women faced as well as the political unrest. I like the way that the current events of that period are tied into the work of the Dark Days Club. I can tell that a lot of research went into the detailed setting. There's also a good amount of humor and the characters are complex, which keeps things interesting. I'm a little disappointed that the ending feels somewhat rushed. There is a cliffhanger, of course. I can't wait for the rest of the story! 4.5 stars.

If you take away nothing else from this review, know that The Dark Days Club is truly a great addition to both its supernatural and historical fiction genres. Once the story got going, I felt fully immersed in Lady Helen's world, and genuinely enjoyed the story, the characters (especially Lord Carlston), and the development of the heroine. In that respect, Goodman did a fantastic job developing Lady Helen both as a supernaturally-gifted character and as a flawed-but-confident, kickass female growing up in 17th Century London.

My enjoyment of the story and development of the characters makes me reluctant to criticize this book, but it must be said: Dark Days Club could (and should!) have been shorter by at least 150 pages, especially if it is being marketed as a first-in-series young adult novel. It's been my experience that series' are better when books in a series get progressively longer - as opposed to being tediously lengthy initially - as the audience has had time to be fully invested enough in the characters and world that they want the books to be that long.

As much as I enjoyed the setting and the historical context, there was much that could have been left out in favor of getting to the relevant (and obviously more exciting) part of the story much sooner. Instead, readers will have to trudge through 150-200 pages of scene-setting backstory concerning Regency London and the societal demands on a girl coming of age during that time period. While the historical context does make some of that information necessary, the majority of it could have been trimmed down to highlights. If we're being honest here, most readers are going to be drawn in more by the supernatural aspect than reading painstaking descriptions about the proper curtsy technique or how important it is to strategically respond to an invitation to tea.

Given how much I liked the book once I got to the middle, I would normally breeze through it within a day or two at most because, as mentioned earlier, the story is just as thrilling and consuming as any book you'd expect a seasoned best-selling author to pen. However, the unnecessary extra information and dialogue (particularly about the societal niceties and gossip that were ultimately irrelevant to the story as a whole) in the early chapters initially couldn't keep my interest for long, which made my total reading time increase by several weeks.

Having said all of that, I still recommend readers give this one a shot in spite of the duller descriptive chapters, because the story is well worth it. Lady Helen Wrexhall was an intriguing character right from the start, and the book as a whole genuinely delivered on the exciting premise... eventually.

Regency-set supernatural from the author of Eon and Eona? Yes. Please. Now. Thank you. While not as full of action as those other books, Goodman's fans won't be disappointed. Perfect for fans of Libba Bray or Gail Carriger who are looking for a new series to fill the time between those authors' books.

Lady Helen knows what her future will contain, marriage and presentation to the king. She lives with her uncle and aunt, her mother has a taint of treason and she has to try to live this down. She tries to keep her intelligence hidden and to behave as she is expected.Then Lord Carlston enters her life, he's surrounded by mystery and possibly killed his wife. Supernatural events conspire to bring the two of them together.I enjoyed it.

Lady Helen Wrexhall is getting ready for her presentation to Queen Charlotte and getting ready to take her place in society. She is an orphan being raised by her aunt and uncle after her mother's scandalous death. Her uncle is something of a religions bigot who rules his household with an iron fist and is determined that Helen be married off as soon as possible.Helen is developing some special powers as she comes into womanhood and it looks like Lord Carlston has some answers to questions that are plaguing her. Unfortunately, Lord Carlston also has a scandalous past. He has been convicted in the the court of public opinion of the murder of his wife since she disappeared and no one knows what happened to her. Helen has to court scandal to find out what she needs to know about her mother, about herself, and about a world that has existed around her all her life. Lord Carlston is a member of the Dark Days Club who have been tasked with ridding England of supernatural creatures who prey on innocents. There are only eight of the Reclaimers including Helen who is brand-new against 10,000 of the Deceivers.I really enjoyed this story which is set in Regency England with its stark contrast between the lives of the upper-crust and the lives of most others in England. The author brought in the politics of the day by talking about the Luddites who are protesting the industrialization of the country. She also allowed out heroine to attend balls and wear lovely dresses. I could understand Helen's conflict when she learns about her destiny and then learns that she might have a way to avoid it. She was drafted, she didn't volunteer to fight monsters. Deciding what the right thing to do is forms the essential conflict of the book for Helen. Also, she needs to decide if she should marry the very charming Duke of Selburn who is her brother's best friend and who likes her for herself or throw in her lot with Lord Carlston and become part of the Dark Days Club.This book begins a series. There are still secrets to be uncovered and decisions to be made. The book doesn't really have a cliffhanger ending though. Helen has made a decision though the consequences aren't clear.

In London 1812, Lady Helen Wrexhall lives with her aunt and uncle after the death of her parents. This would be fairly normal had her mother not been a traitor to England and caused a huge scandal. Very soon she will be presented to the court of King George III and into society, which needs to happen without mishap or scandal. Her uncle finds her deficient and prone to disobedience. He won't hesitate to disinherit and throw her out onto the streets should she bring any more shame to the family name. Then one of their maids goes missing. She suspects mysterious Lord Carlston, infamous for most likely murdering his wife. Following him and investigating him leads her to world of great evil, where creatures feed off of people's energy masquerading as aristocracy. Lady Helen discovers she has the power to fight them, but should she? There's danger on all sides and there's her reputation to think about as well.Regency era England isn't the typical setting for a horror novel, but it's one not seen very often. Supernatural creatures become much scarier when technology like cars, cell phones, and other things we view as necessities today aren't available. There's also the difference in culture. In the aristocracy, manners and social conventions must be followed to letter as to not offend or insult anyone or appear in any way untoward. The way women are treated is also completely different. They are expected to be decorative, learn appropriate subjects like sewing and dancing, and find a suitable husband to have children and run a household for. Ambitions beyond that are not possible. Women don't own anything and depend on their male relations to dole out their money, tell them what to do, and control their fates. Even marriage just transfers the ownership of a woman to someone else. Lady Helen's uncle epitomizes the worst of this part that society. He considers women frivolous and inferior in every way to men. The fortune left by her parents is controlled by him and he makes no secret that it will all be taken away if she doesn't comply with his demands. Although I find this horrific, this is simply regular aristocratic English society. The evil comes in when creatures like Deceivers (who consume others energy) infiltrate the upper echelons of this society to gain power and influence, hopping from body to body over generations. The good side comes in the form of Reclaimers, those able to kill Deceivers and the like with superhuman strength and speed, abilities of prediction, and the ability to purify the afflicted and drain energy from the evildoers. I like this world building. I thought that the view of the evil side was pretty limited, but maybe that's being saved for other books. The Reclaimers are not all as good as they claim. One of the older ones sees female Reclaimers as slaves and deposited into Lady Helen's mother all of the evil he had accumulated on his soul from saving people and killing the demons. The majority of Reclaimers simply stop before they go mad, but this one decided to do this without her consent or knowledge. When Lady Helen comes into this war, neither side looks honestly very good and I don't blame her for being conflicted.This brings us to Lady Helen. She is rebellious in her own small ways although she mostly follows the conventions of her oppressive society. Her refusal to condemn her mother as a traitor is the main point of rebellion. Remotely showing her true opinion would bring shame and scandal to her family, as would a huge laundry list of the other things that sound ridiculous. Her heart is good and she wants to help those less fortunate than her, leading her on the journey to discover the seedy underbelly of the aristocracy. As her abilities start to appear, Helen knows that her desire for other things and her abilities set her apart from what is expected of her. I found her relatable and easy enough to like, but one thing really bothered me. She views fairly normal sexuality like masturbation or looking at porn to be as much or even more evil then demonic energy eating creatures. Sexuality isn't a modern invention and it's disappointing to see such a negative view being set by a modern writer. It may be stereotypically accurate for the time, but it's honestly toxic for modern teen audiences to reaffirm that female sexuality is undesirable at best and unnatural at worst. Lady Helen's mind is changed a little bit, but she doesn't connect her own desires with the supposedly degenerate ones of others.The Dark Days Club is an interesting foray into horror and fantasy in a Regency era setting. The writing is engaging, but the book feels about a hundred pages too long. It starts out rather slow and doesn't pick up steam for a while. I appreciate that there aren't any lost story lines. I would read the next in the series especially considering the ending, but I hope my problems with this book are fixed in the next.

Oh Alison Goodman, how I love your beautiful, beautiful stories.

My biggest complaint about The Dark Days Club was the constant reminder that there was >>something curious<< about Helen's mother, it got to a point where I felt as though this little noodle of information was being whipped over my head so that I wouldn't forget because it might be significant soon.

However, once we got to the halfway mark, I found that I was very forgiving of the first 30% of the book. Things happened, and they started happening quickly. We're introduced to a secret world of demon hunters who are intent on saving 19th century London from demons who have found a way to blend within societies ranks.

I enjoyed that, intermingled within the plot, were actual people and places that existed during that era, with a little bit of the Dark Days Club twist. I also loved that, while there is that undertone of romance, it doesn't overwhelm the plot. For that matter, I can't say that the first installment of The Dark Days Club has a solid romance - though, perhaps, the intent of one. There was also a shadow of a love triangle, but nothing tangible - or unbelievable enough - for me to dislike it (it fit the era and fit the plot).

I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for book two!

I read EON earlier this year, and while I liked aspects of that book, I did have a few reservations that kept me from picking up the sequel, EONA. Still, Alison Goodman's writing and gift for storytelling compelled me to try her new series. And I loved it!I'm a huge fan of Gail Carriger's paranormal victorian novels (both the adult and YA series), and found THE DARK DAYS CLUB a lovely addition to that genre mashup (if a touch more Jane Austen than P.G. Woodhouse). The period details are rich and painstakingly researched, infusing the entire novel with effortless authenticity (and there tons of real historical events and figures sprinkled in for good measure). I was completely taken with Lady Helen and the realistically portrayed patriarchal society surrounding her (it wasn't overly inflated for effect, nor was Lady Helen modernized in her reactions to the gender roles of the time--that drives me nuts in many Regency novels where the heroine acts like a modern woman would). The limitations that Lady Helen has to navigate because of her sex, reveal just how resourceful and intelligent she is without disregarding the Regency era norms. There are only a couple things keeping this from recieving a 5 star rating. This is a long book (nearly 500 pages), a touch too long in places. I love all the details, but even I could have done with maybe a hundred pages less. Also, it doesn't feel YA at all. Lady Helen is eighteen, and ready for marriage for the time period. It feels very adult, which may disappoint some readers. Still, I loved this book and already have the next Lady Helen book (due for publication in 2017) on my wishlist.

Actual rating: 4.5If you cross a Georgette Heyer romance with the paranormal and kick-assery complete with an in-depth immersion in the Regency period and engaging characters.Oh gosh. Oh gosh. Oh gosh! I want the next book. NOW!

I didn't like this book as much as I thought I would. I really, really wanted to like it, and I did, but I didn't love it. Will I continue on with the series? I don't know. We'll see what happens when the next book comes out. It was well written and I'm glad I read it, but not for me. I would still recommend it though. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

I didn't expect to love this as much as I did. I worried that something set in the Regency Era might spend too much time explaining history and not enough on action. However, the author strikes an excellent balance and creates rich scenes without dwelling excessively on explanations. In fact Lady Helen's constraints as a single young woman provide further challenges for her to solve and navigate, which take this story a step above the stereotypical ~I just discovered superpowers~ teen novel. Lady Helen may be young, but propriety requires that she comport herself like a mature soon to be wed lady, and this struggle between social correctness and superpower discovery is well handled and feels genuine. I appreciated her emotional journey throughout the book, in terms of navigating newfound fears and confronting romance for the first time.

TL;DR read this because it's well written and exciting!

The story was interesting enough that I felt compelled to listen to the end. It was about a third of the way through that I remembered how frustrating true regency heroines can be. Because of my frustration with the wishy-washy nature of Lady Helen I don't see myself finishing this series. This is something of a shame because the plotline of the story is very engaging.

I enjoyed this book. I liked Lady Helen and followed her story with great interest!

I now need to read the next book in this series, because Lady Helen's story is certainly not done!

Amazing trilogy! A girl kicking ass in a turn of the century setting. Having to be concerned with the oppression that females endured while trying to hide her strength and abilities.

I'm not normally one for Regency-era books, but as soon as I head the narrator of this audiobook I knew I had to keep listening. Her voice was so soothing to listen to, and the story quickly swept me along as well. It never felt tedious or boring, with the descriptions of daily life only adding to how well the setting was portrayed. Everytime I turned it on I felt swept away to London in 1812. I thoroughly enjoyed Lady Helen and her character arc as well as the whole Deceiver/Reclaimed storyline. I think the part where that was explained was the only time when I felt like I was being given an infodump, but otherwise everything about this book was exquisite. Looking forward to the next one!

What could be more fun than a superpowers novel set in the Regency Era? That was a time when reality seemed much sillier and weirder even than the idea of select members of a population having superhuman abilities. The intersection of the two plot lines is very entertaining. (The author characterizes the book as a combination of historical fiction and paranormal adventure.)BackgroundThe story takes place in 1812 in London, a year after George, Prince of Wales (known by the public as “Prinny”) began his nine-year tenure as Regent of the British Monarchy. [A prince regent is a prince who rules a monarchy in the place of a monarch who is still the titular king but has been deemed unfit for any reason, such as age, or physical or mental incapacity. In this case, the Prince of Wales was standing in for his father George III, thought to be mad. On the death of his father in 1820, the Prince Regent became George IV.] The Georgian era is a period in British history from 1714 to 1830, named eponymously after kings George I, George II, George III and George IV. The sub-period that is the Regency era is defined by the regency of the future George IV. During this period, society was greatly stratified - the monied and shockingly idle upper class was preoccupied by birth, wealth, and parties, and was largely horrified by, and contemptuous of, the very large mass of the poor. Many of the desperate people in this latter group turned to begging, theft, or in the case of women, prostitution. The Church abjured them, excoriated their blatant practice of “immoral” behaviors (which the wealthy engaged in also, but in private so it didn’t count) and also preached that patriarchy and the servitude of women to men was God-given. This was also the time that the “Bow Street Runners” acted as a police force in London, but there weren’t many of them. In fact, not nearly enough to deal with the existence of, according to this novel, a demonic horde called Deceivers, who were hidden in plain sight across the cities, towns, and villages of the world. As one of the characters explains, “Only a small group of people stood in the way of this multitude and its insidious predation upon humankind” - i.e., The Dark Days Club. Henry Fielding, who in real life started the Runners, also, in this story, created a clandestine “brother organization” called the Dark Days Club to deal with the evil in the city not caused by human agency. Fortunately, there are some people born with special skills who can combat them and they are called Reclaimers. There are only eight such people in England, so they are assisted by a variety of helpers, who also swear fealty to the Dark Days Club. The Club is under the aegis of the Home Office, but unlike the Runners, not on the ledger; they do not officially exist.ReviewAs this story begins, we meet Lady Helen Wrexhall, who has just turned 18 and thus is coming into her Reclaimer powers. Helen has been alarmed at the recent changes in her - she feels a deep energy, an uncanny ability to intuit character by reading facial expressions, and more acute senses of hearing and smell. Her reflexes are faster and she can prognosticate. What was she? She certainly can’t ask her aunt and uncle, who raised her and her older brother Andrew after their parents died in an accident at sea ten years before. Helen’s mother Catherine was rumored to be a traitor to the Empire in some way. Her aunt and uncle refuse to discuss their parents with them. Helen’s uncle, mentally abusive and viciously misogynistic, seems particularly to loathe even the memory of Catherine's renegade mother. He is constantly exhorting Helen that “obedience is the cornerstone of femininity.” Any deviation from that path elicits verbal tirades and even physical violence from him, lest she turn out “like her mother.”Helen doesn’t know anything about either the Reclaimers or the Dark Days Club; she is informed surreptitiously by William Standfield, the 26-year-old Earl of Carlston, who is handsome, mysterious, and the most powerful Reclaimer in the country. It seems Carlson has the answers to all of her questions, but it’s very hard to arrange to get out of the clutches of her aunt and uncle in order to meet up with him. Yet she feels she must know why she is different. It also happens that he is a quintessential romance novel “bad boy” - strong, attractive, magnetic, and yet flawed; moody, dark, masterful, with a mysterious past that gives him much pain. Who can resist?Carlston has a reputation of being a possible murderer - his wife Elise went missing with a pool of blood in her wake. A body was never found, so Carlston was never charged, but the “ton” as the upper class was called then, is convinced he killed her. Thus he is regarded as scandalous and unwelcome in spite of his Earldom. Both Helen's brother Andrew and Andrew's best friend the Duke of Selburn loathe Carlston, apparently because Selburn was at one time in love with Elise but lost her to Carlston, and moreover she then met a grisly fate. Meeting up with Carlston seems hopeless, but thanks to the machinations of some well-placed Dark Days Club “helpers,” Helen and Carlston manage to rendezvous.Carlston explains to Helen about the Deceivers and their pervasiveness. They are evil spirits - some say from Hell, and others say they originated from our own hatreds and base natures. There are four types: Pavors: feeds on physical and mental suffering and our most primal desire to stay aliveCruors: feed on bloodlust and dominanceLuxures: seek out the climactic energy of sexHedons: seek to sustain themselves from the energy of art and creativityThey colonize human bodies and live at all levels of society, wherever their particular taste will be best satisfied. Worse yet, they look no different from “regular” people (without a special lens to detect them) so anyone could be a Deceiver. With a special device, however, one can see that they have different auras, and also they have feeder tentacles that grow from capturing energy from humans.It is the duty of the Dark Days Club to keep them in check. As to why they are called Reclaimers, Carlston explains: “There is another talent that is, perhaps, harder to believe…. We are able to reach inside a person’s soul and remove darkness.” Furthermore, the Dark Days Club and the Home Office have a pact with Deceivers:“We do not want the world to know that they exist - imagine the panic - and they do not want to be discovered. There are too many of them for us to kill outright, and we could not do so without serious repercussions: a number of them are in very high positions. So if they stay hidden and minimize their supernatural activities, we leave them in peace. But if any of them act in ways that could bring their kind to the notice of the public, then we are sent in to stop them.”It is, as Carlston explains, “a toleration of lesser evil to avoid an even greater evil.”Needless to say, Helen feels like her world has been turned upside down:“She stepped back. No, she was not built for battle. Nor was she some harbinger of evil. She was just a girl.”Carlston tells Helen further that not only are their special abilities unusual, but Helen is even a more rare case - she actually inherited her talents directly from her mother. Inheritance is not the usual way a Reclaimer comes to have powers. It may signal enhanced powers, or may even be a harbinger, according to lore, of the advent of "The Grand Deceiver," someone posing an even more horrific danger to mankind.When Helen’s aunt and uncle took her in, they let Helen keep two little miniature portraits - one each of her mother and father, - as long as she didn’t display them. This turned out to be fortunate, because the miniature of her mother, Helen found out thanks to Carlston, has alchemical properties important to Reclaimers. It can let her identify Deceivers just by holding it in her hand. It may have other powers as well; Carlston admonishes Helen not to let it out of her sight.Helen also learns that each Reclaimer must appoint a “Terrene” - a sort of dedicated helper. The Reclaimer bonds with the Terrene by blood, conferring some of the powers of the Reclaimer onto the Terrene. When a Reclaimer takes the energy from Deceivers having whips, it will stay within the Reclaimer’s body. The Terrene’s job is to get the Reclaimer in contact with bare earth in less than twenty seconds to discharge it, or it will render the Reclaimer insane. Meanwhile, the Duke of Selburn is interested in Helen and wants to court her. Helen finds him amenable, but he is nothing like Carlston, whom she thinks of as commanding, enigmatic, disturbing, and of course, charismatically attractive. Can she choose a life with Selburn now that she knows what she is? Can she resist the appeal of Carlston? Is he in fact a dangerous murderer? And will she accept the life she seems to be fated to live, one of danger, disguise, and huge responsibility? Evaluation: I loved this book, and can’t wait for the next in the series to see what happens!

Ok, so not actually a Steampunk book, but enough fantasy regency to have comfortable appeal in that genre. Some gadgets, too. On the whole, a pretty decent story involving suddenly acquiring mysterious powers and fun with upper class England. I appreciated and enjoyed that there are real social/familial consequences for this character, when she steps out of the rigidly controlled female role, and I like that she really grapples with her choices. Unfortunately, that also means that the book drags a bit -- and it was a pretty good read, so I'm not sure why I'm so meh about it in hindsight.

There's a great deal of unnecessary contemplating in this book. Really impedes the narrative after a while.

In the days leading up to her presentation ball, Lady Helen learns the truth about her late mother, her own abilities and the dark creatures she is apparently destined to devote her life to fighting.This blends Regency romance with dark fantasy. (I’m not exactly sure how “dark fantasy” is defined, but that’s what it said on the cover.) And really, dark fantasy is not my cup of tea. The Lady Helen books are possibly no darker than some other stories I've enjoyed, but I need something - like humorous dialogue, or the warm of supportive relationships - to lighten the darkness. Historical details about the London season, as fascinating as they are, don’t manage to do that (for me).Nevertheless, I liked the first book enough to finish it within a day and immediately pick up the second.

Finished for book club. I liked it a lot. Even the vagueness at the end. I think it was on purpose. There will probably be explanations in book 2. Like about her mom, and the Deceiver, etc. I wish she wasn’t a wimp at the end though. I think she should have stopped fighting like she wanted, but also been strong and went off and made a life for herself. And don't give me “it was how women were at that time” crap. Jane Austen is proof women were strong back then. She had an attitude. She was strong. She might have been girly and romance and naive, but she was strong. There have always been strong women. Just because they didn’t show the men that doesn’t mean they didn’t exist. She didn’t have to just want to give up and not fight for anything. She could have chosen something else to have and fight for. Something she wanted.

Regency England and Lady Helen Wrexhall life is about to change. Having to cope with the disgrace of her parents she is given hope by Queen Charlotte, and what of the information gleamed from a distant cousin Lord Carlston. Are there really demons in the world. And what are Reclaimers and the Dark Days Club.
I really enjoyed the story though not my usual genre and look forward to the next in the series.

ETA one week later: although I disliked this first book, I loved the second and third ones and am so glad I kept reading. (I wouldn't have if I didn't already own books two and three.) I stayed up hours past my bedtime to finish both book two and book three and I have NO regrets. I absolutely recommend this series as a whole, but readers should be ready for a slight shift between the first and second books. The pace of the story picks up, characters are fleshed out into real people, and the focus is more on balancing the monster fighting and Helen's public persona than just her quest to be a good society girl. Also, the further I read, the more obvious it became that Goodman planned this

I was telling a friend last night as I finished book three that I couldn't think of a trilogy that improved so much between the first and latter books. I still can't--The Dark Days Club is a slog if you don't enjoy the Regency intricacies, but The Dark Days Pact and The Dark Days Deceit are a real treat.

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The first half of this book is steeped in what it’s like to be part of Regency life. Moderately interesting, but the author was clearly more taken with the story’s window dressing than with the plot. The monster hunting finally begins after the midway point, but somehow even that was slow—everyone was standing around talking instead of fighting or even really reacting to a big scary monster killing a prostitute.

There were a number of other little things that bothered me. One of them, as an example, was the portrayal of all the other female characters around Helen. She ignores her best friend through much of the book and, instead of confiding in her, Helen instead enlists her lady’s maid. Darby, the maid, is a stereotypical sidekick in a number of ways. Although she’s clearly Helen’s friend and confidant, she is also portrayed as “lower” than Helen. Because Helen ignores her BFF, is Darby’s employer, and because the only other woman she interacts with is desperately in love with Carleton (and is therefore subtly positioned as either competition or a future adversary), Helen really has no significant and equal relationships with women her age.

However, the writing wasn’t bad, and this isn’t a bad book. I would have been a lot more patient with it, however, if there hadn’t been so many little things that annoyed me.

I got a copy of this book through the Amazon Vine program to review. Previous to this I had read Goodman’s Eon Dragoneye series and enjoyed it (loved the first book, the second was just okay). I ended up really enjoying this first book in the Lady Helen series...although it’s a bit slow in the beginning. Right now it looks like this is planned to be a trilogy.When we meet Lady Helen Wrexhall it is on the eve of her debut to presentation to the Queen. Helen’s life has been overshadowed by the fact that her mother was a traitor to the Crown and she is really hoping the Queen doesn’t remember this fact. However, contrary to expectation the Queen delivers a strange and confusing message to Helen about her mother during her presentation. Right around this time one of Lady Helen’s household maids disappears and Lady Helen herself starts to develop strange abilities. Then Helen meets the dark and shunned Lord Carlston who shows her some of the dark and demonic secrets haunting the streets of Regency era London. Despite her best efforts Helen starts finding herself drawn deep into the dark secrets of not-quite-human London.I enjoyed this book, my only complaint with it is that the story moves very slowly in the beginning. This whole story is set in the Regency Era and I love reading about this time period. I also enjoyed the main character a lot; Helen is an excellent blend of proper Victorian lady with some pluck. She is constantly struggling to rein in her more rebellious and adventurous urges and this was an interesting struggle to watch.There are a couple male leads as well. They are both decently done and of course involved in a love triangle with Helen (that was pretty typical for this type of book). Our main heroine is torn between a noble Duke (Duke of Selburn) who fits into her current life perfectly and a roughish lord (Lord Carlston) who is drawing her into the dark paranormal underbelly of the city. She must choose whether to forsake her new powers and try to cling to her old life or move down a new and dangerous path. The paranormal aspects to this novel are intriguing. I liked the idea of the Deceivers (with their demon-like qualities) and the Reclaimers (with their noble ideals yet tortured lot in life). I am not going to say much about these two since much of the book is dedicated to revealing their existence and abilities.Overall I thought the story was intriguing and interesting. It has that whole Victorian era/paranormal vibe to it. The story reminded me a lot of the Gardella Vampire Chronicles by Colleen Gleason; it definitely has a similar feel. While the premise of the story isn’t all that new and creative it did have some good twists. Also this is a type of story I really enjoy reading, so I ended up really enjoying it quite a bit. I would recommend to those who enjoy blends of Victorian and paranormal elements; just be aware that the story starts out very slowly.

WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN?

Goodman's research into Regency society really shines throughout the book. Attention is paid to "the ton", fashions, publications, etc. Important figures of the era appear: Lord Byron and his lover Caroline Lamb, Beau Brummell, quite a few artists.

Helen is a fabulous heroine because, even though she's curious about everything, fairly ballsy, and can throw a man to the floor, she remains firmly rooted in the period. For example, she doesn't sigh and whine about needlework, because it's simply a part of her life. And, of course, she's clever and all that other good stuff.

LORD CARLSTON *shrill yelling* I mean, he's pretty ok I guess. Dastardly and cinnamon roll-y at the same time. Damn him to hell. *more yelling, punctuated by crying* F%$&ing LORD CARLSTON

Also, a huge cast of excellent supporting characters.

I really loved the world-building (besides the well-researched historical bits I mean). It's pretty straightforward and uncluttered. Goodman doesn't suddenly throw a thousand kinds of magical creatures at you. "Oh there are demons. AND ALSO WITCHES AND VAMPIRES AND FAIRIES AND..." None of that (it's not always bad, but more often than not it feels overdone). The demonic classifications didn't come across as stupid-sounding, and they're pretty kick-ass/terrifying. Magical items, some alchemy....it's easy to follow and a delight.

The book starts off pretty slowly, but I didn't mind that at all. A good change from being 15 pages in and having your heroine already inducted into a secret society and battling the bloodthirsty hordes. There isn't a lot of touchy-feely romance (THERE IS SOME DEFINITE DEMON-KILLING-FUELED STEAM IN A FEW PLACES THOUGH), probably to stay true to the era, where almost everything was improper when within 2 feet of the opposite sex. Also fine. I NEED THE REST OF THE SERIES ASAP THOUGH BECAUSE THE SLOWBURN ROMANCE I CAN FEEL COMING IS KILLING ME. But it's fine.

So: well-researched and bursting with historical detail, a perfect (but not in the annoying way) heroine, a ridiculously villainous (tasty, not-so-villainous) lord, a wealth of other amazing characters, world-building to die for.

READ IT.

This book was a great start to a new series :) I really enjoyed the pacing and how we got to know the characters. I wish there had been a bit more action and more of Helen learning how to use her newfound skills, but overall I really liked it. There is so much mystery and I want to know the answers! I literally have more questions than answers now that I am done with this book.

The writing in this novel was great, the descriptions were vivid and I could clearly picture in my mind everything that was going on. I loved the character development and cannot wait to read more!

One of the first things I heard about this book after opting to read and review it was hearing it described as in the vein of Buffy the Vampire slayer in the Regency era. This description excited me and I was quick to add it to the top of my reading list anxious to get started on reading it.

When I sat down to read it, it didn't disappoint! Whilst I could see the Buffy comparison, I also enjoyed it for many other reasons.

Right from the beginning I was intrigued by Lady Helen and her life such as it was and I was eager to find out all about her special abilities. Right away I was able to connect with Lady Helen as she set out to find out more about her mother, Lord Carlsten and why she was different which drew me further into the story. I felt her frustration when answers were slow to come initially and felt like this may have been drawn out just a little too much. But what kept me going was characters I couldn't get enough of and writing that made me feel like I was being given my own little window to peek in on the higher society of Regency life. .

I loved the twists and turns in the plot line, which kept me on my toes trying to guess who lady Helen could trust, what she was going to do and how it would all turn out. I liked that nothing was as black and white as it might seem at first and that the more Lady helen and the reader discovered, the more questions were also raised. In this way, the story was well layered though as mentioned sometimes the pace of the layers being peeled away had me just a little impatient as i was desperate to know right away.

Ms Goodman's gentle writing style flowed well, which helped translate the feel of the era and her world building gave to book an authentic feel. This gentle seeming flow of words worked incredibly well as a counter point to the vivid imagery and action in the story and added to that feel of authenticity.

As all good books do, this left me wanting more. More of Lady Helen and Lord Carlsten, more about the dark Days Club and more paranormal Regency London. I am eagerly awaiting the next instalment.

So whilst in some ways Lady Helen could described as a Regency Buffy the Vampire, don't let appearances deceive you. This book is perfect for anyone that loves their paranormal sublimely balanced with a great story line and a regency feel

I give this book 4 stars

Sapphired Dragon xx