The Madman's Daughter Review

Title: The Madman's Daughter
Series: The Madman's Daughter #1
Author: Megan Shepherd
Pages: 420
Acquired: Library Book
Goodreads Rating: 3.79
My Rating: 5.0

Goodreads Synopsis:
In the darkest places, even love is deadly.

Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.

Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.

Inspired by H. G. Wells's classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman's Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we'll do anything to know and the truths we'll go to any lengths to protect.

My Thoughts:
I read a few reviews for this book from bloggers who had received ARCs of this book, and based on their reviews I had been anxious to pick it up, and boy was I pleasantly surprised.

What I Liked: I loved the Gothic creepy aspect of an Island filled with man-made half animal/half human experiments. I loved Juliet's struggle of loving her father, but yet despising his work and what he created, but at the same time finding herself some what curious about them. As a fan of historical fiction I really enjoyed how the book started with the trials of a fallen girl and her trying to make it in London Society. And as a student nurse, I loved all of anatomy and surgical references the author threw in. This book had some incredible plot twists that I did not see coming and that kept me on my toes and that ending was a killer!

What I didn't like. As much as I tried I just could not get into the love triangle. I felt both of the relationships were rushed and and feelings were developing before the characters even had a chance to get to know each other.

I am very excited that this is going to be a Trilogy and am looking forward to reading the next book, but 2014 is just oh so long away!

Next 2 reads: Million Suns and Shades of Earth!

What is everyone else reading? Have you read/ or do you plan to read The Madman's Daughter? And if so what your thoughts?