Oh, this book had it all, didn't it? Dark pasts uncovered, a murder plot to unfold, bisexual werewolves and a very untimely pregnancy. Well, maybe that last one shouldn't be included in the "had it all"-statement, but the rest, oh yes, it worked well.

And yeah, a little vampire-werewolf-human-hybrid baby? TOO CUTE.

Plus Ivy got to prove herself, which I've been waiting for. I do love her, so I wish we see more of her in the next book.

The fourth book managed to be just as good as the rest of the series, and actually had me laughing at a few points. Which is rare, even in books I do find funny. ( )

Ms Carriger has put together a wonderful blend of the improbable, impossible and simply hilarious in this fun romp through life with Alexia. Victorian England never rocked like this. ( )

I think this may be my favorite book of the series so far. Alexia, despite being extremely pregnant, is as formidable as ever. This book was a definite game changer and I really look forward to seeing what awaits in the next one now that the London's supernatural world has changed for the foreseeable future. ( )

This book was incredibly difficult to finish. I almost dropped it twice, but then I thought of the money I spent, so I decided to give it another try. Needless to say, I didn't enjoy it.
I can't pinpoint the exact reason this one didn't work for me. By the end of book 3, the "Parasol Protectorate" was my guilty pleasure and I was determined to read all Carriger's books that take place in the same universe.
However, in the very beginning of "Heartless" I was annoyed. First by the ridiculous pastiche (although it's the same as in the other books.) Just repeating some words (such as "contraption", "positively", "unceremoniously", "juncture")does NOT constitute a decent literary attempt at creating a Victorian pastiche. And quite frankly it's getting irritating. I counted more than 6 uses of the word "juncture" in a single chapter. I had to read Jonathan Strange & Mister Norrell to find out what a proper pastiche looks like.
During Heartless, every time I came across these words I just laughed.
The plot was uninteresting and the jokes were poor. Even the few good ones were ruined by the need of the author to explain them, so as to make the main character seem smarter.

I enjoyed the previous books, but this one was tiresome.
I'll just leave miss Tarabotti alone in her adventures for now. I don't think I'll find the courage to read the fifth book when it comes out. ( )

What a great addition to the Parasol Protectorate series! Nonstop action, one adventure after another, clearing up of a couple of mysteries from past books, lots to teasers for future books, a baby, and hilarious characters who keep a reader on her toes. Loved every minute -- hated to see it end. Can't wait to read next book Timeless! ( )