Review--Wicked as They Come by Delilah S. Dawson

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.)

Delilah S. Dawson's darkly tempting debut drops her unsuspecting heroine into a strange faraway land for a romantic adventure that's part paranormal, part steampunk...and completely irresistible.

When Tish Everett forces opens 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 doom. Before she can decide whether to risk her fater 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 tracherous 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?

I finally got around to reading Delilah S. Dawson's Wicked as They Come! One I've been dying to read but kept having other books get in the way. So I snuck this one in before I tackle the ARCs I have piling up! And it was an amazing read!! Talk about thrilling and just enchanting!!

I loved the idea that Tish goes to this other world where Criminy awaits her. It sounded like a grownup Alice in Wonderland and Criminy is the mad hatter since he wears the hat--which immediately brought to mind the mini series Alice, where the Hatter is this incredibly hot guy!!

But here in Sang, the world is far different from Tish's normal one. Nearly everyone here is a Blud-something, aka vampire, but they don't use that term. In fact, Criminy didn't know what a vampire was until Tish told him. But there are creatures here that drink blood and have abilities that normal people...and animals don't. Criminy is the exception to the rule for he is also a magician. He runs the traveling carnival where he and his band of misfits stay under the radar of the Coppers and all the suspressing rules.

Sang isn't necessarily a cheerful world to live in, but everyone gets by. There are your good guys and bad, the corrupt and corruptable. That sort of thing. Things are harder for Tish since she's a Pinky, aka human. But for some reason, when she comes to this world, she develops a super power of sorts. With a simple touch she can see a person's future. Nothing is set in stone though, things can still change, but it's a talent she didn't have before coming to Sang and it's one that allows her to join Criminy's carnival as the fortune teller.

This was such a remarkable world to visit. I found the setting curious, the rules a bit daunting and the characters were just spectacular! They were different from your standard paranormals, but still maintained some similarities. Tish is able to go back and forth between this world and hers with the help of the locket, but when the locket goes missing she becomes trapped in Sang.

The traveling bit took getting use. Apparently when Tish is sleeping in her world, she was awake in Sang and the same applies vice versa. She learns a few other tricks of the necklace as the novel moves along as well.

The romance aspect between Tish and Criminy was a bit sudden. Criminy is instantly attracted to Tish and can come off a bit possessive for having just met her. But it wasn't in such a way that gave me the creeps. It was more like over protectiveness or something like that. I didn't feel like Tish was in danger when with him. Tish has just gotten out of a scary relationship like that and she never once worried about Criminy's behavior, so perhaps that's why I felt like Criminy wasn't being all he-man scary!

The pacing to this one was very good! I was excited the whole time when reading, because Sang was such an intriguing place. Beware the bludbunnies! The secondary characters cast were also entertaining, they tend to take you by surprise sometimes. And the villains were those downright creepy ones who think that their heinously evil plot is for the good of mankind. The crazies are always the scariest!

Wicked as They Come was a delectable read that sweeps you off into another world that while similar to our world, is far, far more different. This is definitely one series I will be sticking with!! I look forward to seeing what other adventures Tish will be having in the future.


Overall Rating 5/5 stars