Review - Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

by Gail Carriger
publisher: Little, Brown BFYR
date of publication: February 5, 2013
format: egalley
pages: 307
source: the publisher via Netgalley
series: Finishing School

From Goodreads:

It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It's quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to Finishing School.

Sophronia Temminnick at 14 is a great trial more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners -- and the family can only hope that company never sees her atrocious curtsy. Her poor mother, desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady, enrolls the lively tomboy in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But young ladies learn to finish...everything. Certainly, they learn the fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but they also learn to deal out death, diversion, and espionage -- in the politest possible ways, of course. Sophronia and her friends are in for a rousing first year's education.

Though I love steampunk, I have a confession to make: Etiquette & Espionage is my first experience reading Gail Carriger's work.  I know!  I've been completely remiss in not reading The Parasol Protectorate series during the 2 years it has been on my TBR list.  Thanks to Little, Brown, however, I had the opportunity to read Etiquette & Espionage, the first in Ms. Carriger's new YA series.  I had heard much praise of Ms. Carriger's writing beforehand.  Now I know exactly why.  To say that Etiquette & Espionage is amazing doesn't even begin to cover how much I enjoyed this book.

I'll admit to at first being thrown off by the main character's name.  I soon adjusted, though, and quickly began to enjoy reading her story.  She's such a spunky, funny girl that you can't help but quickly become captivated.  With each failed curtsey, midnight foray, and discovery, Sophronia proves more and more that she has a future as a force to be reckoned with.  As if that weren't enough, you will also discover that there are some familiar characters to be found within Etiquette & Espionage.  Younger versions of Genevieve Lefoux and Sidheag Maccon can be found within.  Having promptly started reading The Parasol Protectorate series right after finishing E&E, I found it fascinating seeing them as youths as well as the women they become.  Perhaps one of my favorite characters, however, isn't a living, breathing being at all.  Neither is he a vampire.  This character is a gadget known as a mechanimal named Bumbersnoot (trust me, the vast majority of the names in Etiquette & Espionage are hilarious), who proved to be just as humorous as Sophronia.  I loved every minute!

The world-building, though perhaps not quite so technological as that found in The Parasol Protectorate, is nevertheless fascinating.  Not only does Etiquette & Espionage take place at a school, it takes place in a floating school.  It doesn't get much more intriguing than that.  Between the finishing school, the boys' school for evil geniuses, and Sophronia's home, there is so much to discover from page to page.  The rich environments combined with the novel inventions are simply fantastic in every shape of the word.  It makes for a rich world for Sophronia to have adventures in and shows much promise of getting even better in the next installment.

Ever since I finished Etiquette & Espionage, I have been simply devouring everything by Gail Carriger that I can get my hands on.  It has been a while since an author has made me want to read everything they have written one book after another.  If you, too, have yet to experience the writing of Ms. Carriger, take my advice: prior to reading Etiquette & Espionage, make sure you have The Parasol Protectorate books readily available.  If you love E&E as much as I did, you'll probably want them before the warmth from your hands has faded from the pages.

Buy Etiquette & Espionage at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This review copy was provided to me free of charge by the publisher via Netgalley. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Review - God Save the Queen by Kate Locke

by Kate Locke
publisher: Orbit
date of publication: July 3, 2012
format: ARC
pages: 354
source: LibraryThing Early Reviewers

From Goodreads:

Queen Victoria rules with an immortal fist.

The undead matriarch of a Britain where the Aristocracy is made up of werewolves and vampires, where goblins live underground and mothers know better than to let their children out after dark. A world where being nobility means being infected with the Plague (side-effects include undeath), Hysteria is the popular affliction of the day, and leeches are considered a delicacy. And a world where technology lives side by side with magic. The year is 2012 and Pax Britannia still reigns.

Xandra Vardan is a member of the elite Royal Guard, and it is her duty to protect the Aristocracy. But when her sister goes missing, Xandra will set out on a path that undermines everything she believed in and uncover a conspiracy that threatens to topple the empire. And she is the key-the prize in a very dangerous struggle.

 

Having been a fan of other works by Kate Locke (in the persona of Kady Cross), I was very much looking forward to God Save the Queen in spite of my continuing disinterest in vampire stories (the burn out continues).  In many ways, God Save the Queen was as I expected.  In the areas of world building and plot, this book was right up my alley.  There were, however, things that just didn't work for me.  Both sides of the coin will be covered in this review and I will tell you all about why I was left on the fence about continuing with this series.

Xandra Vardan as a main character left me feeling conflicted.  On the one hand, she's spunky, determined, and capable of much butt-kicking.  What's not to love, you may ask?  For me, the dislike comes in due to Xandra's voice.  I get that the story takes place in London, thus there is bound to be some English slang used.  However, for much of the book it just felt like overkill.  When it gets to the point that one feels intense exasperation every time the main character speaks, that says something.  So far as the remaining cast of characters goes, however, I very much enjoyed the variety (vampires, werewolves, goblins, and humans) and the wide array of personalities.  It definitely helped make up for a not-so-appealing MC.

The world building is probably the most well-done aspect of this book.  While I hesitate to dub God Save the Queen full-on steampunk, it definitely had lovely flourishes of steampunk goodness.  Instead, it has a distinctly urban fantasy feel that worked great with the high level of action and the background for how this world came to be.  I especially enjoyed the sublevels of London where the goblins hold court.  Overall, this is a gritty, dangerous world where you can never quite guess what will happen next.

While I didn't hate God Save the Queen, I also failed to completely win me over.  After following this first installment of Xandra's story, I am unsure as to whether or not I can bring myself to pick up the second book.  While I liked where the story was headed at the very end, I just can't tell if it will continue along the same vein.  I will continue to keep an ear out for others' opinions and decide as I hear more about where things are headed and whether or not the copious use of slang subsides.

Buy God Save the Queen at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This advance review copy was provided to me free of charge by the publisher via LibraryThing Early Reviewers. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Review - Stormdancer

by Jay Kristoff
publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
date of publication: September 18, 2012
format: digital review copy
pages: 322
source: Netgalley

From Goodreads:

A DYING LAND
The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; an island nation once rich in tradition and myth, now decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, the land is choked with toxic pollution, and the great spirit animals that once roamed its wilds have departed forever.

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST
The hunters of Shima’s imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger—a legendary creature, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows the beasts have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL
Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a talent that if discovered, would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her.

But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.

As with most books that come with much hype, people seem to either love or hate Stormdancer.  I knew that my personal tastes in books made for a high likelihood that I would be of the former group, but you just never know.  I should trust my intuition more often, however, as I thoroughly enjoyed Stormdancer for many different reasons.  I've seen the lauds and the complaints, but I have some of my own perspective that best explains why I had such a great time reading this book.  I just hope I can fully capture my thoughts in this review space.

Stormdancer is comprised of a cast of characters that I found to be utterly fantastic.  From Yukiko, the determined girl with a bitter past to Buruu, the grumpy, wise-cracking griffin (known as thunder tigers in the book), it is impossible to not be absorbed into the tale.  Each character has their own distinct personality, voice, and motive, all of which serve to fully form them within the reader's mind.  There is enough humor, emotion, and passion to keep a reader fully entertained.  These characters are more than capable of taking you along on their journeys.

When it comes to the way in which Stormdancer is written, there seems to be much difference of opinion between readers.  I can't speak for others, but I can share my observations and what I came away from the book with.  The way in which the story is laid down and the characters speak may be a bit difficult to grasp, at first, but I did notice that soon a certain rhythm began to emerge that made a lot of sense due to the type of story being told.  The way in which Yukiko and Buruu communicate is fascinating and I had a nice little pondering session to myself wondering whether Buruu actually understood the words being said by those around him or whether the two were speaking their own language, as it were.  I know what I think, but in the end, it is up to you to decide.  The setting is so completely vivid that I could easily picture every inch of this desolate country in my mind.  The descriptions given for the damage done to the land is conveyed very, very well.  It is difficult not to be affected by such a thought.

To sum it up, Stormdancer is one of those books that, when you put it down, makes you say, "Whoa."  I won't tell you how many surprises Jay Kristoff has embedded in Stormdancer, nor will I tell you at what part of the books these surprises occur.  Suffice it to say that I absolutely didn't see it coming, which is always so much fun.  If I'm not able to guess what will happen by the half-way point, I'm a very happy reader.  If you want a book full of action, awesome characters, writing that is almost lyrical in its narration, and one bad-ass griffin, then you definitely NEED this book.  Go.  Pick up Stormdancer.  You know you wanna.

Buy Stormdancer at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This digital review copy was provided to me free of charge by the publisher via Netgalley. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

 

Review - The Dark Unwinding

by Sharon Cameron
publisher: Scholastic
date of publication: September 1, 2012
format: hardcover
pages: 318
source: from the publisher for review

From Goodreads:

A spine-tingling tale of steampunk and spies, intrigue and heart-racing romance!

When Katharine Tulman's inheritance is called into question by the rumor that her eccentric uncle is squandering away the family fortune, she is sent to his estate to have him committed to an asylum. But instead of a lunatic, Katharine discovers a genius inventor with his own set of rules, who employs a village of nine hundred people rescued from the workhouses of London.

Katharine is now torn between protecting her own inheritance and preserving the peculiar community she grows to care for deeply. And her choices are made even more complicated by a handsome apprentice, a secretive student, and fears for her own sanity.

As the mysteries of the estate begin to unravel, it is clear that not only is her uncle's world at stake, but also the state of England as Katharine knows it. With twists and turns at every corner, this heart-racing adventure will captivate readers with its intrigue, thrills, and romance.

Sometimes, one finds oneself in a state of stasis when it comes to hobbies and interests.  When it comes to reading, very few of the books you pick up will capture your interest enough to perk up your curiosity and imagination.  I have been in such a state lately and have definitely needed some truly engaging and wonderful books to pick me up.  One of those books is the mysterious and dream-like The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron.  Upon meeting Katharine and learning of her purpose, I was intrigued and just had to know what would happen next.  A book that picks you up out of reading doldrums is a book that must be absorbed and appreciated.

Katharine Tulman is a prime example of the ways in which first looks can be deceiving.  At first, she gives the air of being a no-nonsense young girl born into privileged society.  However, you find out very quickly that though she is born of high society, she is a lonely, misused young woman who desperately wishes to carve a place in the world for herself.  It is her time spent at Stranwyne Keep and her actions there that fully sheds the light on who Katherine Tulman really is.  Her relationship with Tully, her eccentric, sweet, erratic, and genius uncle, is a lovely thing to see bloom.  Her contentions with Tully's assistant, Lane, add a different spark to the mix, which adds another layer to the story.  All in all, the character development in The Dark Unwinding is superb.  They take on a life of their own within the pages of Ms. Cameron's work.

The settings for The Dark Unwinding hold both steampunk and Gothic elements that give the story a wonderfully eerie feeling, all the while catching you up in the spirit of innovation.  Stranwyne Keep is the perfect backdrop for Katharine's examination of the working of her own mind, while Tully's workshop is a whimsical world where anything is possible.  As a reader, I wanted to take a stroll about the grounds of Stranwyne Keep and examine the amazing clockwork creations of Mr. Tully.  As a novice writer, I hope that I can inject that much life into my settings someday.  It was all very wonderfully enthralling.

I am very grateful to have had the chance to read The Dark Unwinding, for it came at a time that I was in need of a beautifully wrought book that I could escape into.  You can, indeed, escape into The Dark Unwinding, where you will wander alongside Katharine and experience the mystery and foreboding she experiences, as well as the discoveries and joys she finds.  If you love historical fiction with fantastic settings and well-developed characters, The Dark Unwinding should definitely be on the top of your list.

Buy The Dark Unwinding at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This book was provided to me free of charge by the publisher. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review. 

Review - The Girl in the Clockwork Collar

by Kady Cross
publisher: Harlequin Teen
date of publication: May 22, 2012
format: digital review copy
pages: 416
source: Netgalley
read it in: 1 day

From Goodreads:

In New York City, 1897, life has never been more thrilling - or dangerous.

Sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne and her "straynge band of mysfits" have journeyed from London to America to rescue their friend Jasper, hauled off by bounty hunters. But Jasper is in the clutches of a devious former friend demanding a trade-the dangerous device Jasper stole from him...for the life of the girl Jasper loves.

One false move from Jasper and the strange clockwork collar around Mei's neck tightens. And tightens.

Finley, Griffin, and crew return in the second book of The Steampunk Chronicles, The Girl in the Clockwork Collar.  At the end of The Girl in the Steel Corset, things looked dire for Griffin's friend, the American cowboy Jasper Renn.  Now, it is up to the team to travel to New York to save him.  As a new enemy is introduced and a new plot unfolds, the faith of everyone from Finley to Griffin to Jasper will be tested.  In this riveting thrill ride, a new city will be traversed, new friends will be made, new enemies will come forth, and love will be tested once and for all.

Finley just keeps getting better and better with every story that I read about her.  Now that her two halves have merged, she is a much more complicated girl, which makes her an even more intriguing character.  As she grapples with who it is she really is, the full extent of her personality is revealed through the things she discovers about herself and the questions she now has about her nature.  Griffin, on the other hand, is beginning to have his confidence challenged, which makes him another interesting character to follow due to the ways in which he handles things.  As if that's not enough, we get to learn more about the charming Jasper Renn as he deals with his own dangers and adventures.  His story was a very welcome addition to this installment in the series, one which I enjoyed very much.  I could go on for lines and lines about all of the characters scattered throughout The Girl in the Clockwork Collar, but suffice it to say that I was thrilled with every bit of the character development within its pages.

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar is possessed of great pacing and a wonderful storyline that I couldn't get enough of.  As I became immersed further and further into the story, I was provided with just enough of a mystery to keep me guessing, but not so many clues that the story got bogged down with excessive details.  The setting made for a great adventure, especially Finley's forays into the Victorian gang territory known as Five Points.  The descriptions of Five Points and all people, places, and gadgets are rich and fully fleshed out, which was also one of the story's key attributes.  When it comes down to it, there isn't a single thing that I disliked about this book.

If this series gets any better, I'm going to feel compelled to pinch myself.  The Girl in the Clockwork Collar has everything I love in a book: strong characters, interesting settings, and an action-packed plot that keeps me reading long after I should be asleep.  If you haven't read The Girl in the Steel Corset yet, trust me when I say you should read it immediately, then pick up The Girl in the Clockwork Collar.  This series is nothing short of phenomenal and I, personally, can't say enough good things about it.  I will be waiting anxiously for the next book.

Buy The Girl in the Clockwork Collar at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This digital review copy was provided to me free of charge by the publisher via Netgalley. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Review - Masque of the Red Death

by Bethany Griffin
publisher: Greenwillow
date of publication: April 24, 2012
format: ARC
pages: 324
source: DAC ARC Tours
Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

From Goodreads:

Everything is in ruins.

A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.

So what does Araby Worth have to live for?

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.

But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.

And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.

Having grown up reading Poe's poetry and short stories, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I had to read this book.  A steampunk adaptation of Poe's story by the same name, Masque of the Red Death is exactly the kind of refreshingly unique book I've been looking for.  Simply judging by the description, I thought that both the plot and the tone sounded spot on.  The potential for a love triangle gave me some pause, but nothing was going to keep me away from this book.  Now that I've read it, I can affirm that Masque of the Red Death lived up to all of my expectations and made this Poe fan very happy.

Araby had just the type of personality I would attribute to a character that is part of an adaptation of a Poe story.  She is tragic, moody, and desperate to attain oblivion, making her well-suited to a story such as this.  Her characteristics are lent even more emphasis by her closest friend, April, who is a devil may care type of party girl with a hidden penchant for kindness.  As for the two love interests, my personal preference was Will in all his tattooed, sweet-natured glory, though I have to say that Elliott is a very interesting character in his own right.  All of the characters are so well developed that I was left with no complaints, whatsoever.

Masque of the Red Death is comprised of some truly amazing world building.  Bethany Griffin has given us a bleak, dangerous world in which a frightening disease runs rampant and the debate of religion versus science is at the center of a battle between the weary citizens.  The plot moves along at a great clip and is free of overly slow points and hitches.  The details are both rich and meticulous, making it very easy to sink into the story.  If I had had the time, I would have read it in one sitting.  As it was, I did finish it within 24 hours, which is a true testament to the ways in which Bethany Griffin's writing can rope you in.

Masque of the Red Death is one of those books that I feel compelled to chatter on about at an insane rate of speech.  It fulfilled every expectation I had and provided me with hours of wonderful reading.  Bethany Griffin has taken one of Edgar Allan Poe's most famous stories and given it new life with this compelling, addictive novel.  Beautifully written and given just the right touch of horror, Masque of the Red Death will infect you with a ceaseless need to read on and on and on.  There's no cure, but that is perfectly fine by me.  Thus, Masque of the Red Death has earned 5 hoots and is the first recipient for my brand new rating distinction, the Night Owl Award. 

Obligatory legal statement: This ARC was provided to me free of charge by the publisher via Debut Author Challenge ARC Tours. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Waiting on Wednesday - April 4, 2012

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event from Jill at Breaking the Spine. To participate, simply share that book(s) you are eagerly awaiting the release of and report back to Breaking the Spine with the link to your post. Clicking the link above will take you straight to her post and widget.

This week, my WoW picks are all of the steampunk variety.  I've chosen 3 of the forthcoming steampunk novels that I am most looking forward to so far.

The Friday Society by Adrienne Kress
coming December 6, 2012 from Dial

Be your own hero . . .

Set in London at the turn of the last century, the novel follows the stories of three intelligent and very talented young women, all of whom are assistants to very powerful men: Cora, lab assistant to a member of parliament; Michiko, Japanese fight assistant to a martial arts guru; and Nellie, a magician's assistant. The three young women’s lives become inexorably intertwined after a chance meeting at a ball that ends with the discovery of a murdered mystery man.

It’s up to these three, in their own charming but bold way, to solve the murder—and the crimes they believe may be connected to it‐‐without calling too much attention to themselves.

Told with Adrienne Kress's sharp wit and a great deal of irreverence, this Steampunk whodunit introduces three unforgettable and very ladylike--well, relatively ladylike--heroines poised for more dangerous adventures.

Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

coming February 13, 2012 from Little, Brown BFYR

It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It's quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to finishing school.

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is the bane of her mother's existence. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper etiquette at tea--and god forbid anyone see her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. She enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But little do Sophronia or her mother know that this is a school where ingenious young girls learn to finish, all right--but it's a different kind of finishing. Mademoiselle Geraldine's certainly trains young ladies in the finer arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but also in the other kinds of finishing: the fine arts of death, diversion, deceit, espionage, and the modern weaponries. Sophronia and her friends are going to have a rousing first year at school.

First in a four book YA series set 25 years before the Parasol Protectorate but in the same universe.

Innocent Darkness by Suzanne Lazear

coming August 8, 2012 from Flux

Wish. Love. Desire. Live.

Sixteen-year-old Noli Braddock's hoyden ways land her in an abusive reform school far from home. On mid-summer's eve she wishes to be anyplace but that dreadful school. A mysterious man from the Realm of Faerie rescues her and brings her to the Otherworld, only to reveal that she must be sacrificed, otherwise, the entire Otherworld civilization will perish.

Review - The Nightmare Garden

by Caitlin Kittredge
publisher: Delacorte BFYR
date of publication: February 14, 2012
format: eGalley
pages: 436
source: Netgalley
Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

From Goodreads:

Everything Aoife thought she knew about the world was a lie. There is no Necrovirus. And Aoife isn't going to succumb to madness because of a latent strain—she will lose her faculties because she is allergic to iron. Aoife isn't human. She is a changeling—half human and half from the land of Thorn. And time is running out for her.

When Aoife destroyed the Lovecraft engine she released the monsters from the Thorn Lands into the Iron Lands and now she must find a way to seal the gates and reverse the destruction she's ravaged on the world that's about to poison her.

What I Thought 

Having only recently finished The Iron Thorn, I had the benefit of having every detail about the world and storyline in regard to this series fresh in my memory.  Setting out to read the next leg of Aoife's journey toward setting wrongs to right turned out to be even more enjoyable in this, the second novel in The Iron Codex series.  Gone are the pieces of the story's puzzle that didn't manage to grab my full attention in The Iron Thorn.  Instead, The Nightmare Garden is comprised of a fantastic blend of action, adventure, magic, and intrigue, as well as a touch of tragedy.  All of these components made for a wonderfully riveting read that left me wishing I had given up my nail-biting habit, as I didn't quite know what to do with myself at times.  The further development of the world Caitlin Kittredge has created left me reeling from the sheer intricacies of it.

Aoife grows as a character by leaps and bounds in The Nightmare Garden.  She sheds her school girl persona even further until she is left with a steel backbone and much more courage than she had previously possessed.  Being Aoife, however, she is still in possession of an astounding amount of stubbornness, so much stubbornness, in fact, that I was often left unsure as to whether I admired her or was frustrated by her.  In any case, she made for the perfect heroine for this novel, as the storyline had so many twists and caveats as to require a strong character.  Thanks to a combination of wonderfully wrought characters, riveting storyline, and an intriguing and menacing world, readers are sure to find themselves pulled into this action-packed, vivid, and emotional story.

I very much enjoyed the growth that I found within The Nightmare Garden.  That it was able to cast away all of my doubts and ensnare me speaks well of the nature of this ever-growing series.  Caitlin Kittredge's amazing world of iron, gears, and monsters is one which you won't soon forget.  This is a series that I want to fall into and follow until the very end.  With its intensity and spectacular world-building, The Nightmare Garden is a book you won't soon forget.

Obligatory legal statement: This eGalley was provided to me free of charge by the publisher via Netgalley. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review. 

Review - The Iron Thorn

by Caitlin Kittredge
publisher: Delacorte BFYR
date of publication: February 22, 2011
format: ebook
pages: 368
source: purchased
Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

From Goodreads:

In the city of Lovecraft, the Proctors rule and a great Engine turns below the streets, grinding any resistance to their order to dust. The necrovirus is blamed for Lovecraft's epidemic of madness, for the strange and eldritch creatures that roam the streets after dark, and for everything that the city leaders deem Heretical—born of the belief in magic and witchcraft. And for Aoife Grayson, her time is growing shorter by the day.
 
Aoife Grayson's family is unique, in the worst way—every one of them, including her mother and her elder brother Conrad, has gone mad on their 16th birthday. And now, a ward of the state, and one of the only female students at the School of Engines, she is trying to pretend that her fate can be different.

What I Thought

It has taken me a while to actually find the chance to sit down to read The Iron Thorn.  For some reason, I had been under the impression that I had bought it for my Nook previously, so imagine my surprise when I learned that that was not, in fact, the case.  I immediately purchased a copy and hopped to it.  I am glad that I did.  What I found within the pages was an intriguing blend of alternate history, dystopian, supernatural, and steampunk.  That may sound like a lot of threads to weave together, but Ms. Kittredge has successfully created a story with many nuances and great imagination.

Much about The Iron Thorn was enjoyable for me.  For instance, the main character, Aoife (a fine Irish name, by the way), is a spirited, feisty kind of girl who doesn't stand for coddling, which I found very enjoyable for a character.  The creatures and magic included in the story are also fantastic and intriguing.  I couldn't have enjoyed such fantastical elements more.  The only component of the story that I had any sort of problem getting into was the setting.  I failed to have my interest piqued by the city of Lovecraft, which I was disappointed by.  I did, however, enjoy the more rural settings and the Rust Works scene immensely.  I found these two settings to be much more dynamic and imagination-stirring.  As a whole, The Iron Thorn made for an action-packed, gripping read and left me more than ready to read The Nightmare Garden.

If you love danger, intrigue, magic, and the paranormal, you simply must try this book.  With a unique world and dynamic characters, The Iron Thorn is sure to capture your imagination and take it on a wild ride.  If you've been meaning to read it, now is a good time, as The Nightmare Garden hits shelves tomorrow.  The Iron Thorn has earned 4 hoots from me for the aforementioned reasons.  Now, it's time to move on to The Nightmare Garden!

Review - Clockwork Prince

by Cassandra Clare
publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
date of publication: December 6, 2011
format: hardcover
pages: 502
source: gift from friend
Amazon / Goodreads / B&N

From Goodreads:

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

What I Thought

What can I say about Clockwork Prince that hasn't already been said?  Though I doubt that my thoughts on the book are at all original, I will still attempt to put to words my impressions and the things that I liked most about this second installment in The Infernal Devices series.  When I read Clockwork Angel earlier this year, I was immediately hooked on everything: the characters, the setting, the plot, and the humor that is injected into the story.  Having been my first Cassandra Clare novel, Clockwork Angel sparked an interest in me that would not be satisfied until the release of Clockwork Prince.  Now that I have finished Clockwork Prince, that spark has grown into a fire and I can not wait until another long year passes and I am able to find out what happens next.

Clockwork Prince picks up right where things left off in Clockwork Angel.  Though the Institute has lived to fight another day, they have an entirely new set of problems to deal with thanks to an inquiry into the competence of the Institute's head, the Branwells (namely Charlotte).  This complication, along with the revelation of a spy in their midst adds a new layer to the plot that was so tantalizing in Clockwork Angel.  It was enough to add new dimensions to the story and allow the characters to face new challenge, thus allowing a continuation in development.  The story is just as action-packed and chock full of romance and that dazzling humor that graced the pages of Clockwork Angel.  I was very, very happy to see those elements carried over into Clockwork Prince.

Tessa, Will, and Jem have just as much chemistry as they did before.  Now, however, feelings are deepening and new complications arise to test them all.  I chuckled at their banter, smiled at their joys, and teared up when they were faced with sorrows.  It is very difficult not to become invested in these characters, as they simply leap of the page and are so very easy to imagine.  What's more, each managed to surprise me in ways I wouldn't have quite imagined prior to reading the book.  I was especially intrigued by the new depths revealed in Will and Jem's characters, along with the chance that was given to get to know Charlotte and Henry Branwell even better.  It all made for a riveting story and I loved every moment and every interaction that I read.

There is so much more that I can say.  However, I don't wish to repeat myself, as I fear I would do if I were to discuss the setting, having already reviewed Clockwork Angel this year.  I also fear giving away too much, which I definitely would not want to do.  I am of the staunch opinion that everyone should read this series.  It is too full of wit, action, romance, and fantastic world-building not to.  I realize that I say this a lot, but if you haven't yet read either book, then you definitely should.  Whether you are a fan of The Mortal Instruments series or not, you owe it to yourself to read these books, especially now that Clockwork Prince is here.  It has built upon the Clockwork Angel so well that I am entirely too anxious to read the next book.  If the greatness of this series grows much more, I'm going to become very, very spoiled.  Thanks to Will, I would have to sum up this book in two words: demon pox.  Have I gotten your attention yet?  Good!  Go!  Read!  Enjoy!

Review: Dearly, Departed

by Lia Habel
publisher: Del Rey
date of publication: October 18, 2011
format: hardcover
pages: 470
source: purchased
Amazon / Goodreads / B&N

From Goodreads:

Love can never die.

Love conquers all, so they say. But can Cupid’s arrow pierce the hearts of the living and the dead—or rather, the undead? Can a proper young Victorian lady find true love in the arms of a dashing zombie?

The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria—a high-tech nation modeled on the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her country’s political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the family fortune and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora, no fate could be more horrible—until she’s nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses.

But fate is just getting started with Nora. Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she’s suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting “The Laz,” a fatal virus that raises the dead—and hell along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble . . . and dead. But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there’s no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire.

In Dearly, Departed, romance meets walking-dead thriller, spawning a madly imaginative novel of rip-roaring adventure, spine-tingling suspense, and macabre comedy that forever redefines the concept of undying love.

What I Thought 

From the moment I first read the description of Dearly, Departed, I was taken over by an immense feeling of curiosity.  There are so many elements that I enjoy bound all together in one book, which made me wonder exactly how Lia Habel was going to make it all work together.  Lo and behold, not only does she make it work, but she does so with much humor and finesse.  Not only that, Ms. Habel has taken the narrative style above and beyond the typical two or three narrators one usually sees and has provided us with the perspectives of five different characters, which gives the book so many dimensions and allows the reader more of a glimpse into this strange new world.  Dearly, Departed lived up to my expectations and took me by surprise all at once, which is no small feat for one book.  It isn't every day that one comes across steampunk-zombie-historical-yet-futuristic romance.  Put simply, I am astounded, intrigued, and very, very happy.

The society and setting in which Dearly, Departed takes place is a novel take on Victorian, steampunk, and futuristic elements.  The New Victorians confused me, at first, as I didn't see the steampunk elements within their society.  While they dress and behave in the manner of Victorians, they are very much reliant upon modern technology, meaning everything is digital and computerized.  It wasn't until I started learning more about their sworn enemies, the Punks, that I understood.  "Punks" is short for "steampunks," which is apparent based on their use of steam power and clockwork.  Once this was understood, the world encompassed in this book made much more sense and I was able to appreciate the ways in which the characters behave all the more.  

Nora Dearly, the heroine of our story, at first appears to be the epitome of a well-bred Victorian young lady.  However, there is more to her than that.  Underneath it all, she is a free spirit who wishes for more independence and adventure than she sees in her straight-laced life.  Her friend, Pamela, is closer to what is expected of Nora, though she, too, has dreams and a desire for more, though she doesn't know exactly what that more is.  These two girls made for fantastic narrators and left me unsure as to who I preferred more when it came to taking matters into their own hands.  Both are enjoyable to read about and are lent great narrative voices.  They each have their own distinctive tone and way of thinking, making telling the two apart very easy.  As for Bram, our zombie captain, I was very much surprised.  I wasn't exactly sure what I should expect from him, but he turned out to be a wonderfully engaging character.  While he is the most well-preserved of the zombie troop, it is apparent that he is dead.  There is no escaping that fact due to the descriptions of his skin, eyes, and gait.  I was a little unsure of what I thought of his relationship with Nora, at first, but he presents himself so well that it's very hard not to root for him in the end.  This is all due to the superb writing of Lia Habel, who turned a normally menacing being into a more humanized version that evokes sympathy and warmth.

If you are looking for a new approach to zombie novels, you will be hard-pressed finding something better than Dearly, Departed.  The writing that can be found in this book is descriptive, evocative, and, overall, a breath of fresh air.  There is a certain tongue-in-cheek level of quirkiness mixed with an intriguing sweetness that I couldn't help but fall for.  I think you will, too.

 

Review: The Strange Case of Finley Jayne

by Kady Cross
publisher: Harlequin Teen
date published: May 1, 2011
format: NOOK eBook
pages: 78
source: free download from B&N
Amazon / Goodreads / B&N
challenges: Goodreads 2011 Reading Challenge; 2011 E-Book Reading Challenge; 2011 YA Reading Challenge

From Goodreads:

Finley Jayne knows she's not 'normal'. Normal girls don't lose time, or have something inside them that makes them capable of remarkably violent things. Her behavior has already cost her one job, so when she's offered the lofty position of companion to Phoebe, a debutante recently engaged to Lord Vincent, she accepts, despite having no experience. Lord Vincent is a man of science with his automatons and inventions, but Finley is suspicious of his motives where Phoebe is concerned. She will do anything to protect her new friend, but what she discovers is even more monstrous than anything she could have imagined…

What I Thought

I came across The Strange Case of Finley Jayne completely by chance while perusing B&N's assortment of free and inexpensive eBook downloads. When I read the plot synopsis, I knew I had to download it and read it very soon. The Strange Case of Finley Jayne is a prequel to the upcoming novel The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross, the first book in The Steampunk Chronicles. After getting my first taste of steampunk from Cassandra Clare's Clockwork Angel, I have been looking for other books to read in this subgenre. I first heard about The Girl in the Steel Corset back in late March/early April and knew that I definitely wanted to read it. As the book comes out on May 24, I had few options aside from waiting it out. When I saw The Strange Case of Finley Jayne as a free download, however, I thought it would be a great idea to download it to read as a sneak peak of what I could expect from The Girl in the Steel Corset. I am very glad that I did. This novella was an action-packed, fun read from the very beginning.

Our first introduction to Finley gets off to a roaring start. As the story opens, we find her being fired and ordered out of the house where she has been working as a maid. As we come to find out, she has been sacked not for saying something inappropriate. She has been fired for punching the governess. What is truly remarkable about this occurrence is that she punched said governess hard enough to knock out her teeth. Why did she do this, you may ask? Finley was visiting retribution upon the woman, who had been mistreating a child. This lets us know that Finley has a strong sense of right and wrong. Her strong reaction is the result of what she attributes to a darkness within her that takes over in situations of high stress or anger. Combined with her abnormal strength, this makes Finley a person not to be crossed. From this very first chapter it is apparent that Finley is going to be a heroine who takes matters into her own hands and puts up with no nonsense. She is straightforward, independent, and willing to do what it takes to ensure that wrongs are righted. When Finley is approached by Lady Morton to be a companion for her daughter, Phoebe, she is given the opportunity to show more of her characteristics. As soon as the trio attend Phoebe's engagement party, we are clued in that something is amiss. Finley will use every bit of her intelligence, strength, and confidence to get to the bottom of the situation.

The plot for this story was fairly well-done since it had to be so compact. As you may have noticed above, the book contains 78 pages, so brevity can be key. Perhaps as a result the secondary characters (Lady Morton, Phoebe, Lord Vincent, Lord Morton, and Finley's mother and stepfather) were not described at as much length as a full-length novel, which may leave a reader feeling a bit in the dark as to the full extent of these characters' traits or physical descriptions. Most of the emphasis is on Finley, as she is who is meant to be introduced the most. Also, the details as to the peril Phoebe is in and the motivations behind it are a bit spare, detracting from the sense of urgency one would expect. There is a sense of worry for Phoebe, but there just doesn't seem to be enough time to fully impart that punch of dread that is needed to have the reader on the edge of their seats.

I really did enjoy The Strange Case of Finley Jayne. It served to whet my appetite in anticipation of the release of The Girl in the Steel Corset next week. I have the feeling that I am going to love Finley as a heroine even more once I read TGitSC and look forward to seeing what else Kady Cross has in store. In the meantime, I will be waiting anxiously to read more and am happy to give The Strange Case of Finley Jayne 4 hoots.