Soulless

by Gail Carriger
Orbit, 2009

When Miss Alexia Tarabotti took refuge in the library during a dinner party, she did not expect to meet a vampire. He attacks her without provocation and does not know that she was a preternatural, thus ending up dead when she attempted to protect herself. Yes, Miss Tarabotti is soulless, one of those individuals who negate the supernatural abilities of vampires and werewolves, though don't tell her mother, or she'll have a fit. The dead vampire is only the beginning, however, as Miss Tarabotti and Lord Maccon, the werewolf Alpha leading investigations for BUR, discover when they begin to look into the mystery.

This story does not fit neatly into one genre. With vampires and werewolves, it's definitely fantasy, with a smattering of paranormal romance and steampunk.  The writing fit the story perfectly, narrating with a humorous tone and a slightly old-fashioned tinge that conveys the 19th century period in which the book is set.  I would recommend it to fans of the vampire/werewolf genre and to readers just looking for something out of the ordinary who wouldn't mind all the genre mixing. Personally, I really enjoyed how various genres are seamlessly blended in surprising yet believable ways.  Some readers (alright, probably not those who read a lot of vampire novels) might be put off by the romantic aspects of the story, but I would advise them to skip a few pages here and there that might offend and read the rest of the story, because it's a darn good read. I'm really looking forward to the next one!