GRANDMOTHER'S LIBRARY: Blameless by Gail Carriger

I just finished the 3d of Gail Carriger's "Parasol Protectorate" novels in which poor Lady Maccon (Alexia Tarabotti) finds herself in more trouble.
 In this book, Alexia finds herself with child.  Her husband thinks that because he is a werewolf that he cannot sire children, so blames her of wanton behavior.  However, the rest of the supernatural sect believe her and are trying their best to kill her because they are afraid of the offspring of a preternatural (her 'soulless state) and a supernatural (her werewolf husband).
These are such a hoot to read because of the Victorian details to manners and speech. It is also fun to imagine some of the scientific inventions described -- things that one could imagine being really invented during this time period.
We follow Alexia's adventures from England to Italy and her husbands adventures as he goes from broken-hearted drunk (drinking formaldehyde and eating the pickled crunchy snacks contained in the specimen jars) to the realization that he was wrong in his accusations and his attempt to re-conciliate with his wife.  Her adventures include a run-in with Templar's, his include rescuing a vampire drone from the Thames.  All in all, it is a light hearted, fun book to read. I am looking forward to "HEARTLESS, The Parasol Protectorate: Book the Fourth" which is due out in July 2011.

GRANDMOTHER'S LIBRARY: Soulless by Gail Carriger

This is book of of the Parasol Protectorate series of books whose main character is a Victorian, prim and proper spinster, one Miss Tarabotti.  The book begins with the following paragraph:
"Miss Alexia Tarabotti was not enjoying her eveing. Private balls were never more than middling amusements for spinsters, and Miss Tarabotti was not the kind of spinster who could  garner even that much pleasure from the event.  To put the pudding in the puff: she had retreated to the library, her favorite sanctuary in any house, only to happen upon an unexpected vampire."  When the said vampire tried to attack her, she says, "I say! We have not properly been introduced."  Her prim and proper manners are too funny to read!  Miss Tarabotti is most upset by the vampire falling over the tea tray and ruining the treacle tart.
It seems that Miss Tarabotti has no soul, which negates any supernatural abilities in others: vampires teeth retract, werewolves cannot turn all hairy, and ghosts can be exorcised.  She seems to be very outspoken for a woman of these times, yet is always the picture of perfect etiquette!  This is absolutely a fun book to read!!