Corpse & Crown is the companion novel to Cadaver & Queen. While it's a smooth adventure, it fails to live up to its predecessor's passion, and it lacked substance in comparison. The plot could have been stronger. However, it is an easy read with fun characters, a well developed atmosphere and laughs along the way. It can be understood on its own but I highly advise reading the other book first for it to really make sense. I like the writing style and pace a lot. I will be on the look out for other books by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy.

This is the second read for the Cadaver & Queen series. I am not sure if this is only a duology of if there will be more. I really enjoyed the first read and I did enjoy this one too. I felt it wasn't as strong as the first book but it was still a good solid read. I enjoyed spending time with some different characters and see where the story was going to take us.


This book focuses on the nursing student, Agatha. She is in the middle of getting her nursing education when her life gets flipped upside down. She meets a boy on the streets named Dodger, who is part of Oliver Twists gang. These two oddballs form a friendship which in turns leads Dodger down a crazy path and he ends up in the middle of the drama around bio-mechanicals. Danger comes to both Dodger and Agatha which leads to their paths being forever intertwined.


This was a very interesting read. I really love the world that the author has built for us in these books. The concept behind bio-mechanicals is very interesting and leaves lots to debate. This story really brings in some more morality questions. Which I love. I do enjoy reading books that delve into the moral gray lines of humanity.

The setting and the tone were perfect in this read. I really felt I was there in the streets of England, in the doom and gloom of the poor side of town. The first book was more from the point of view of the privileged. This one was from the point of view of the struggling.

I also enjoyed getting to know the complexity of all the characters. I think my favorite part of both reads was that all the characters have layers to them . This book revisits all the characters from the first book and really focuses on Agatha. There are a slew of new characters too. One thing that I just love about the characters...all the girls are pretty dang strong, independent, fierce ladies.

The plot does thicken in this book and gets pretty serious. I feel there wasn't much of an ending so I am hoping there will be one more book in the future to close it all up.

The only issue I found with this read was the pacing. The pacing really felt off for me. There were times I found myself easily distracted and a little bored then other times I was full on into the book and couldn't tell you what was going on around me. I hope the next book, if there is one, will not have this problem. However it's not enough to make me drop the series. I will for sure continue to read any future books.


A good read. I did enjoy it.

Aggie is a nursing student in a school that has created Bio-mechanicals. One night she runs into Dodger, which results in her losing her eyesight. When she is given a corneal transplant, it changes her and Dodger's lives.
I quite like this series, though I have to say I liked the first book, Cadaver and Queen, better. Both books are set in Victorian era and are loosely based on the classics, Frankenstein and Oliver Twist.
I love this world. It's so interesting and both books kept me captivated, wanting to see what was next. Although this second book I felt like it took a while to get to a climax and wrapped things up pretty quickly. But I still liked it.
I would recommend reading the first book before this one, to fully enjoy it, as I have seen some people saying it could be read as a standalone. This way you'll understand the background of the bio-mechanicals, the characters, and other subplots.
Corpse & Crown had drama, humor, and romance. Dodger is a thief and was a fun character to follow.
I can't wait to see what else this author writes, especially if it is set in this world.


I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fun series! It is set in Victorian times, with science fiction themes.

The first book in the story, Cadaver and Queen, is an adaptation of Frankenstein. This story is an adaptation of Oliver Twist. I actually haven’t read either of those books, so I’m not sure how much of the original story is included, though the characters are there.

There are a lot of medical scenes because it is set in a hospital. I’m quite squeamish, but I was able to get through those scenes. There were some blood and surgeries involved. However, these scenes were limited so I was able to enjoy the story.

The biomechanicals in this story are corpses who have been turned into machines by attaching different body parts. An interesting aspect of these creatures is that they can continue to experience the lives and memories of the donor. This was similar to the phantom limb syndrome, which is when a person can still feel their limbs after they have been amputated.

I really enjoyed this book!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't aware that this book was part of a series. However, this book could be read as a stand alone book. I thought the premise was interesting and well paced. I liked that it explored the Frankenstein theme, but probably since I recently just reread Frankenstein and also The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein, I probably wasn't as crazy about said theme as I usually would be otherwise. However, all in all, it was a good book.

I liked this book better then the first. I liked that it focused less on the romance aspect of things. The pacing was better and I liked that this could be read as a stand a lone. The author did a great job with a recap that summed up the first book.
This book was actually a lot cuter then you would expect. I like how it was uniquely written.

First, let's get this out of the way. I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and Harlequin Teen in exchange for my honest review.
Now then. Maybe I didn't fully read the synopsis. Maybe I stopped at 'oh there's a nurse treating patients at night on the down low? THIS IS FOR ME!' I'm a nurse, so I was like, I can totally relate to this character. I would be the one in these times who would try to treat HUMANS in the age of bio-mechanicals. I would take from the hospital I worked at to treat humans at night. Like, this girl is me!
I was wrong. This ended up being more of a Frankenstein retelling. It focused more on the bio-mechanical aspect and the conflict of Germany and England pitting their best bio-mechanicals against each other to see who was superior. Unsuspecting characters turned out to be bio-mechanicals. There was a lot of sci-fi involved, which honestly, isn't my favorite subject matter. All in all, this book was not bad. The story was intriguing. I just wished that it would have been the story I hoped for. But that's completely on me, guys!

The great thing about this series is that Kwitney uses classic stories to her advantage. She uses them in a way that enhances her story and not just to popularize her writing. i thought my love for the first book could'nt be topped but with this book she does it. I enjoyed this a great deal and look forward to more of Kwitney's books.

This book follows nursing student Aggie. In a school that focuses mainly on the Bio-Mechanical program, Aggie is one of the few that actually cares more about the poor patients coming in than building a Bio-Mechanical army. But war is brewing between Germany and England. It will take Aggie and everyone else to see that the war never happens.

I actually liked this better than the first book. It seemed faster paced, and had less romance. Overall it was a fun read.

I didn't realize Corpse and Crown was part of a series. Reading the first book would have been better. Turns out, I'm not a fan of Frankenstein retellings. I could not get interested enough to really care about the characters. Unfortunately, this story was a miss for me. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Intensely captivating - a superb companion to Cadaver & Queen! I loved every minute of this horrifyingly beautiful retelling.

Corpse & Crown by Alisa Kwitney is an excellent companion novel to Cadaver & Queen. The first book in the series was such a pleasant surprise that I was so excited to be approved for book two. Luckily for me, this companion was just as good. You could read this without being familiar with book one, but you won't be sorry if you take the time to read it before diving into this novel. I loved seeing how a retelling of Oliver Twist would fit into Kwitney's initial alternate history world of a Frankenstein-retelling featuring Bio-mechanicals (aka reanimated corpses who perform menial tasks and follow orders). This installment primarily follows a different set of lead characters, including Agatha who was Lizzie's nursing student roommate in book one. We get to know quite a bit more about her this time around. She's brilliant in her own right and refreshingly caring. Her character arc is incredible over the course of the story here. Without giving too much away, the Artful Dodger is probably my favorite male character of the series - he has a lot of great moments. Finally, I'm glad we got to see more of Queen Victoria since she's so delightfully impish. Since I've been hooked on Victoria I totally imagined her as an older Jenna Coleman. Overall, if you're a fan of alternate historical fantasy, steampunk, Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco, and Cinder by Marissa Meyer, I have a feeling you'll enjoy Corpse & Crown by Alisa Kwitney. I'm looking forward to from the author in the future, especially more set in the world of Cadaver & Queen.

I didnt get around to this one as I couldn't get my hands on book one. I do still plan to read this series because it sounds so intriguing!

"Sometimes, it was more important to have the hope things would improve than to have the security of knowing that things would not get worse"

It’s no secret, I’m a sucker for Frankenstein retellings, so last year I jumped on the chance to read Cadaver and Queen and was lucky enough to read it early. I came for the Frankenstein retelling and stayed for the excellent writing and the bio-mechanicals plot. I liked Cadaver and Queen, and I liked Lizzie and Victor but the novel wasn’t everything I wanted it to be.

This sequel however, is everything I wanted to be a more. The Bio- Mechanicals are further explained and fleshed out. I’m forever intrigued by them. This sequel shifts focus to another set of characters who we caught brief glimpses of in the first novel and adds in a new retelling of Oliver Twist that just flows beautifully into the world Kwitney already built. The main character is Agatha DeLacey aka Aggie. Aggie is a young woman, who wants more out of life than it was destined to give her. She’s determined to prove herself as a nursing student, and build a better life not only for herself but for others. I really connected with Aggie, she’s strong, determined, confident and is willing to fight tooth and nail for what she wants. With characters who have such strong ambition, especially women, authors tend to write the characters as cold and unfeeling. It’s a tired trope. Aggie is a breath of fresh air. Yes, she’s ambitious, but she’s also caring and empathetic, willing to help others by doing after hours treatment for the poor and overlooked. Even though the treatment could have costed her everything she wanted. Aggie can’t stand to see those overlooked and forgotten in the name of advancement. I also loved that Aggie is fully described as a plus size character and it’s merely a descriptor like her red hair, no storylines about her lack of confidence or shyness. Aggie is a fully fleshed out character who jumps off the page. Her character development is off the charts. Her romance with the thief, the Artful Dodger, is playful and heartfelt at the same time. I may have picked up the sequel to learn more about the bio- mechanicals but I could have read an entire book just about Aggie and her thief.

Even though I have a such a strong love for Aggie, and the Artful Dodger, I also adored the Queen (so glad she made a comeback) and her mischievous self! She was hilarious!

The writing style is amazing and I had such a hard time putting this book down. I found myself picking it up every chance I got just to see what happened next. If you were on the fence about reading this sequel after Cadaver and Queen, pick it up because it’s amazing. It’s a binge reading treat that takes the classics to a whole another level. I’m eagerly awaiting the next book and can’t wait to see what Kwitney does next.

A new take on Frankenstein where Victor Frankenstein is the monster that he attempted to create in the original tale. Bio-mechanicals are the next weapons in a possible war against Germany and England, but first they need to recreate the success that was made with Victor Frankenstein in the first novel of this series. But there is another problem too...the queen seems to be malfunctioning and her grandson is coming to pay a visit.

This series is a very interesting take on the classic Frankenstein tale and would be a good addition to the middle school classroom to bring in the ideas of classic stories with simpler language and new twists.

I was provided with an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair review.

Warning: spoilers for book 1

A great sequel to Cadaver & Queen, fans of the Stalking Jack the Ripper series will enjoy this Frankenstein/Oliver Twist retelling! Unlike SJtR, this was less about the mystery and more about the characters, and it stayed light and fun the whole time. Definitely a quicker read, too!

I really enjoyed how this book stepped away from Lizzie and Victor (even though we saw them) and brought Aggie, Justine, and Will to the forefront, plus introduced Dodger! We saw more of the bio-mechanicals, got to spend extra time with the Queen (who was so mischevious, she made me LOL), and saw more inside the hospitals! A worthwhile read that makes me excited to see more from this author.

Corpse & Crown by Alisa Kwitney

Thank you to Harlequin Teen and netgalley for an E-Arc in exchange for a honest review, all opinions are my own.

3 ⭐️.

For me, it took me about 30% into the book to get into the story line. I absolutely adores the main characters, I truly believe they were well written. One thing that caught my attention was how well the correct medical terminology was incorporated. I also really enjoyed the romance written in the story as well. would suggest this book to anyone who likes fantasy, biomechanics aspects, and a love story weaved into a serious plot.

Corpse and Crown ARC Review

I received a copy of Corpse and Crown from Harlequin TEEN in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:

Agatha DeLacey’s family isn’t rich or titled, so studying nursing at Ingold’s East End Hospital in London is a rare opportunity for her. Despite the school’s focus on the innovative Bio-Mechanical program, Aggie cares more about the desperately poor human patients who flood the hospital, even if that means providing unauthorized treatment after hours... and trusting a charming, endlessly resourceful thief.

But the Artful Dodger is barely a step ahead of his underworld rivals, the menacing Bill Sykes and mercurial Oliver Twist, and Aggie’s association with him soon leads her into danger. When a brutal attack leaves her blind, she and the Dodger find themselves at the mercy of an experimental Bio-Mech surgery. Though the procedure restores Aggie’s sight, her new eyes come with an unnerving cost, and the changes in Dodger are even more alarming- instead of seeing Aggie as the girl he fancies, he now views her as a potential threat.

As war between England and Germany brews on the horizon and a sinister medical conspiracy threatens to shatter the uneasy peace in Europe, Aggie and the Dodger must find a way to work together so they can protect their friends and expose the truth... even if it means risking their own survival.

“I promise you, we’re not going to do anything bad to your mum. We’re going to help her.” His eyes searched her face. “You swear?” “On my life. May I be struck blind if I’m lying.”

We met Aggie in Cadaver and Queen. We didn’t learn too much about her in the previous book. All that we knew was that she was a nursing student and roomed with Lizzie.

“There were so many ways for a working woman to get burned and bruised and broken in the course of a day. Whenever some man started talking about how women were the weaker sex, Aggie thought about all the women she knew who worked in factories until the moment they went into labor.”

In Corpse and Crown we learn a lot now about Aggie. She’s a nursing student, yes, but she’s a great nursing student. She’s compassionate and caring. She wants to help anyone who is in need of her assistance. I loved seeing the character development throughout the book. It was amazing.

“Without the older woman’s support, Aggie knew she wouldn’t last long here. Her own mother had said as much. “London, is it? You’re just asking for trouble aren’t nurses supposed to keep their legs crossed? We’ll see how long that lasts. I reckon you’ll be ruined by one of them young doctors and selling yourself in the streets within a year.”

My heart does go out for Aggie. Just hearing the way her mother, her own mother, didn’t believe in her. Saying those awful things about her own daughter. Telling her that she will end up a prostitute instead of a nurse.
Even though she was told that she would end up the lowest of the low, and even thought she suffered through a terrible life changing accident, she didn’t let that stop her. She came out stronger than ever and even more confident in her abilities.

“What the eye cannot see, the heart never grieves.”

Throughout the book we see other characters, primary as well as secondary, go through their own struggles and challenges. Dodger, Will, Byram, Justine, Lizzie, Victor.
But in the end, everything will be okay.

“The moment you chose to harm him, you stopped being a nurse.”

4/5 Stars!

I’ll start by suggesting that you read Cadaver & Queen first. Though this largely works as a standalone, there is some character background that would be extremely useful for this 2nd book.

Now, in Corpose & Crown, we change main characters. I wasn’t sure at first (and our old characers still feature), but this was actually a welcome change. Aggie is wonderful. She’s definitely from a different background than Lizzie and it plays very well with our Oliver Twist and Artful Dodger connection.

The author gives us a good idea of the squalor that comes with the poverty in much of her setting and it works.

And, no worries – we still have our bio-mechanicals and they are wonderful!

The author pulls no punches. This one is a little more bawdy at times and definitely a bit more edgy.

And it’s a very good read!

Looking forward to the next book!

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

*I received a free copy of this for review from Netgalley*

Solid 3 stars. Funny story, didn’t realize this was a sequel and that I hadn’t read the first book. However; the author did a great job briefly explaining things that you would’ve learned in the first book and this was a completely enjoyable read regardless. Actually planning on going back and reading the first book like a prequel.