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The Last Necromancer (The Ministry of Curiosities, #1)

C.J. Archer

Start date: October 1, 2015

Finish date: October 31, 2015

Discussion: Book of the Month

Why we're reading this: Voted as our "Most Popular Books Published in August 2015" October BOM (two-book tie)…more
[close] Voted as our "Most Popular Books Published in August 2015" October BOM (two-book tie)

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What Members Thought

Apr 30, 2018 Sandra rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: pnr-uf, own, historical, kindle, free, aussie-author

Set in Victorian England, Charlie (Charlotte Holloway) was thrown out of home & lived on the streets for 5 yrs, as a 13 yr old boy.

This was a fairly complex plot regarding the world-building with Charlie being a Necromancer & her father a local vicar who thought she was possessed by the devil, hence her banishment to the streets.

Lincoln Fitzroy, a man raised to be the leader of a secret society dedicated to the welfare of the royal family, is searching for her to prevent her falling into the ha ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Jul 08, 2017 Delitealex rated it really liked it · review of another edition

3.5 stars

I enjoyed learning about Charlotte and her abilities. Her life was definitely rough and set a dark tone for the book. Can't wait to see what happens next. ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Aug 25, 2015 C.J. Anaya rated it it was amazing

C.J. Archer has become one of my most favorite authors. I first found her when I stumbled upon The Medium series. Couldn't get enough of her after that. This book was just as wonderful. It starts off with an immediate conflict for the heroine to overcome which serves to draw you in, easily convincing the reader that this is going to be a book worth delving into.

Something I've noticed about this author's work is her ability to stretch out the tension between the heroine and the love interest. Th C.J. Archer has become one of my most favorite authors. I first found her when I stumbled upon The Medium series. Couldn't get enough of her after that. This book was just as wonderful. It starts off with an immediate conflict for the heroine to overcome which serves to draw you in, easily convincing the reader that this is going to be a book worth delving into.

Something I've noticed about this author's work is her ability to stretch out the tension between the heroine and the love interest. This is especially true in The Last Necromancer. Charlotte, aka, Charlie, is so wonderfully unconventional due to her five years living on the streets. Lincoln is aloof, troubled, and difficult to emotionally access. These personalities really play nicely off of one another. Her unconventional behavior serves to disarm Lincoln rather than push him away. As Lincoln's character develops, we discover that he has never truly learned to love or care for others. That wasn't part of his tutoring or training for his eventual role as the leader of The Ministry of Curiosities. Though its obvious that he feels something for her, it takes Charlie's bold, guileless manner to really pull a reaction from him.

This is another aspect of C.J.'s writing that I find so compelling. She really knows how to describe facial expressions and physical movements to portray emotion, and with a character like Lincoln you have to be oh-so-subtle to show those emotions for Charlie to play off of. It's a really nice give and take between the two, and I keep turning those pages due to the romance alone, and that's only part of the story. Charlie is able to bring back the dead, and some nefarious doctor is intent upon using her gift for his own dark purposes. Just another compelling aspect of this wonderful book.

The plot and subplots are woven together in a wonderful blend of romance, intrigue, danger and suspense. There are always clear goals, external conflicts and inner conflicts, drawing that delicious tension out and furthering the story while giving the characters depth and dimension. All the while Charlie proves to be brave, honest, caring, kind and wonderfully flawed with a relentless curiosity, determined to find out all she can about Lincoln Fitzroy even when it isn't appropriate.

The secondary characters are simply fabulous. Gus, Seth, and Cook make up this unlikely family, but it is heartwarming to watch this unlikely group band together and care for one another. It is such an addictive series that I already bought the second book and read it in a single evening. My husband thinks I'm ignoring him. I told him it wasn't my fault that Archer's books are so damn good.

Bottom line, you need to read this book. Jump on the C.J. Archer bandwagon and start inhaling all of these yummy, paranormal, historical romances. You'll thank me later though your hubby's will want to shoot me for suggesting it. ...more

1 like · Like · see review