Review: Her Dark Curiosity by Megan Shepard

Title: Her Dark Curiosity
Author: Megan Shepard
Series: The Madman's Daughter #2
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Source: ARC

To defeat the darkness, she must first embrace it.

Months have passed since Juliet Moreau returned to civilization after escaping her father's island—and the secrets she left behind. Now, back in London once more, she is rebuilding the life she once knew and trying to forget Dr. Moreau’s horrific legacy—though someone, or something, hasn't forgotten her.

As people close to Juliet fall victim one by one to a murderer who leaves a macabre calling card of three clawlike slashes, Juliet fears one of her father’s creations may have also escaped the island. She is determined to find the killer before Scotland Yard does, though it means awakening sides of herself she had thought long banished, and facing loves from her past she never expected to see again.

As Juliet strives to stop a killer while searching for a serum to cure her own worsening illness, she finds herself once more in the midst of a world of scandal and danger. Her heart torn in two, past bubbling to the surface, life threatened by an obsessive killer—Juliet will be lucky to escape alive.

My thoughts:

Sequels are always ify for me and it never fails. No matter how much I loved the first book I’m always hesitant going into a sequel because I have been completely disappointed in the past. So I was very hesitant when I picked up Her Dark Curiosity the sequel to The Madman’s Daughter. I absolutely LOVED The Madman’s Daughter and I didn't want anything to taint a really great story.

I went into Her Dark Curiosity completely blind. I didn't read the synopsis and I really had no idea where this book was going to pick up after that crazy ending of The Madman’s Daughter. Her Dark Curiosity picks up about six months later and Juliet is back living in London and has become the ward of one of her father’s co-workers/friends. I thought it was very convenient that she is now living in wealth and she has her best friend’s company again which allows her excuses to steal away to a low rent apartment where she is working on reproducing her father’s serum and trying to make it better so it can cure her. The first part of the book was slow going, the only interesting parts were the string of murders of people who had wronged Juliet in the past.

Why is Juliet crazy though? WHY? What is this attraction she has to that beast boy who changes into this horrible animal who has a very strong blood lust? I’m thinking maybe it’s the animal parts in her speaking to the animal parts in him. It could be something. But she has enough of a rational mind to know that she shouldn't be having such feelings for a murderer! But then she remembers how he kissed her behind the waterfall on the island and she literally remembers that like 10 separate times!!!

Luckily Her Dark Curiosity gets better towards the end and it turns into quite the adventure. There are some very shocking moments and some revelations that are going to make the third book very interesting. I have a feeling there might be some kind of half human half weird beast animal baby happening. But we’ll see! I’m excited!

I'm giving this book a 3 and that's being very generous.