Book Talk: Wicked As They Come by Delilah S. Dawson

Wicked As They Come by Delilah S. Dawson


Released: March 2012
Genre: Adult - Paranormal - Steampunk
Publisher: Pocket Books
Pages: 395

Amazon | Goodreads

Have you ever heard of a Bludman? They’re rather like you and me—only more fabulous, immortal, and mostly indestructible. (They’re also very good kissers.) 


When Tish Everett forces open the ruby locket she finds at an estate sale, she has no idea that a deliciously rakish Bludman has cast a spell just for her. She wakes up in a surreal world, where Criminy Stain, the dashing proprietor of a magical traveling circus, curiously awaits. At Criminy’s electric touch, Tish glimpses a tantalizing future, but she also foresees her ultimate doom. Before she can decide whether to risk her fate with the charming daredevil, the locket disappears, and with it, her only chance to return home. 


Tish and Criminy battle roaring sea monsters and thundering bludmares, vengeful ghosts and crooked Coppers in a treacherous race to recover the necklace from the evil Blud-hating Magistrate. But if they succeed, will Tish forsake her fanged suitor and return to her normal life, or will she take a chance on an unpredictable but dangerous destiny with the Bludman she’s coming to love? 

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Come one, come all into an incredibly imaginative world of steampunk paranormal romance! I guarantee you'll want to stay a very long time.

Delilah Dawson's debut novel, Wicked As They Come, was an instant all-time favorite for me. Not only does it have a narrator that I could easily fall into step with it, it's full of imagination, fantastic characters, twists, and one very sexy Bludman named Criminy.

I'm trying to contain my fan-girling a bit here. I actually had to just delete most of what I had written because Criminy's name showed up about a million times. So let's start discuss how amazing the world of Sang is and how badly I want my own locket to get there. I think the best way to describe the world is to take straight from the book when one of the characters Casper tells Tish, "Sang is what would have happened if my bookshelf threw up." It is SO true! This world has it all. Magic and a traveling gypsy carnivale. People who aren't actually human, but are called Bludman. No, they're not vampires even though they do need blood to survive on. It's not just Bludman that are roaming Sang. There are even animals that are blood thirsty! Yes, blood thirsty bunnies! It's crazy!

But there are others in Sang who do not like the idea of Bludman walking around. They want to exterminate them all. Make Sang a "pure" place. It's like Sang has its own segregation and you see it when Tish wakes up one day to find her locket, the only thing that is keeping her to be able to go back and forth between the real world and Sang, is gone. What an adventure it takes her on as Criminy and her travel towards the city. The travel doesn't just introduce you to even more unique characters, more blood thirsty animals, ghosts, or even sea creatures (!!) it surfaces the inner strength that Tish has had inside of her all along. While I've never been big at "love at first sight" type of things, the love Criminy has for Tish sweeps you up and oh mah gosh do things start heating up!

Here is where I will try to keep my fan-girling short. Criminy is wonderful. From the words he uses, the way he carries himself, you want to pounce the guy. And yes, I'm aware he is not real, but if you are a bookworm this kind of word usage is totally normal. I love how protective he is towards those he cares about. Yes, he can be a bit over-baring, and sure he does have a temper, drinks blood, but whatever. He's fantastic. The more I read about him, the more he revealed himself, I understood why he was so attracted to Tish and why he went through everything to get the locket back not knowing what would happen between them.

Delilah Dawson's writing is seductive and addicting. It pulled me in and did not let me go. Even after I finished the book, I wanted more of the world! Thankfully since this is a trilogy, more of Sang will be coming back into my life....but sadly that won't happen until 2013 :( Until then I'll just re-read and I encourage you all to go pick up a copy and welcome this world into your life.