Review: Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Title: Number the Stars
Author: Lois Lowry
Published: 1989
Publisher: Yearling
Genre: Children's Historical Fiction
Pages: 137
Source: Borrowed
Rating: 5 stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

“It was all imaginary, anyway—not real. It was only in the fairy tales that people were called upon to be so brave, to die for one another. Not in real-life Denmark. Oh, there were the soldiers; that was true. And the courageous Resistance leaders, who sometimes lost their lives; that was true too. But ordinary people like the Rosens and the Johansens? Annemarie admitted to herself, snuggling there in the quiet dark, that she was glad to be an ordinary person who would never be called upon for courage.”
― Lois Lowry, Number the Stars

Synopsis
Ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen and her best friend Ellen Rosen often think about life before the war. But it's now 1943 and their life in Copenhagen is filled with school, food shortages, and the Nazi soldiers marching in their town.

The Nazis won't stop. The Jews of Denmark are being "relocated," so Ellen moves in with the Johansens and pretends to be part of the family. Then Annemarie is asked to go on a dangerous mission. Somehow she must find the strength and courage to save her best friend's life. There is no turning back now. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
Believe it or not, this is my first time reading Number the Stars. Of course, I’ve read Lowry’s The Giver along with other books from that series, but somehow, I missed out on this childhood favorite. I know that is unforgivable! It’s such a shame that I went years without reading this. It’s inexcusable, and I’m happy I finally picked it up because Number the Stars was well worth my time. Now I finally understand all of the hype and why it received the Newberry medal, as Number the Stars is truly a treasure. This book will have you feeling emotionally affected weeks, months, and maybe even years after you’ve finished it. It’s a poignant, touching read about the unbreakable bond shared between two friends, two friends who may have different religious beliefs but who never let that come between them.

Review: The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton

Title: The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender
Author: Leslye Walton
Published: March 13, 2014
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy, Magical Realism, Historical Fiction
Pages: 301
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4 stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

“Love makes us such fools.”
―Leslye Walton, The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender

Synopsis
Foolish love appears to be the Roux family birthright, an ominous forecast for its most recent progeny, Ava Lavender. Ava—in all other ways a normal girl—is born with the wings of a bird.

In a quest to understand her peculiar disposition and a growing desire to fit in with her peers, sixteen-year old Ava ventures into the wider world, ill-prepared for what she might discover and naïve to the twisted motives of others. Others like the pious Nathaniel Sorrows, who mistakes Ava for an angel and whose obsession with her grows until the night of the Summer Solstice celebration.

That night, the skies open up, rain and feathers fill the air, and Ava’s quest and her family’s saga build to a devastating crescendo.

First-time author Leslye Walton has constructed a layered and unforgettable mythology of what it means to be born with hearts that are tragically, exquisitely human. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender was not at all what I was expecting, and I mean that in the best possible way. There are many different directions I could have seen this book taking. I thought it would mainly be told in young Ava's time, with flashbacks scattered throughout as Ava uncovers more of her family history through research. Instead, this haunting tale is told chronologically, beginning at, well, the beginning, where Ava's family history takes a turn for the worst.

Review: The Isle of Blood by Rick Yancey Book

Title: The Isle of Blood
Author: Rick Yancey
Published: September 13, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Series: The Monstrumologist #3
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Horror
Pages: 538
Source: Purchased
Rating: 5 stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

*This book review is spoiler free*

“There are those who labor in the darkness, that the rest of us might live in the light.”
― Rick Yancey, The Isle of Blood

Synopsis
When Dr. Warthrop goes hunting the "Holy Grail of Monstrumology" with his eager new assistant, Arkwright, he leaves Will Henry in New York. Finally, Will can enjoy something that always seemed out of reach: a normal life with a real family. But part of Will can't let go of Dr. Warthrop, and when Arkwright returns claiming that the doctor is dead, Will is devastated--and not convinced.

Determined to discover the truth, Will travels to London, knowing that if he succeeds, he will be plunging into depths of horror worse than anything he has experienced so far. His journey will take him to Socotra, the Isle of Blood, where human beings are used to make nests and blood rains from the sky--and will put Will Henry's loyalty to the ultimate test. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
The Isle of Blood is the heart-pounding third installment in The Monstrumologist series. Once again, Rick Yancey does not disappoint when it comes to horror and suspense, and he manages to write gory books without crossing the line into cheesy. The Monstrumologist series has reminded me of how horror should be done and it has become one of my favorite series.

Review: The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey

Title: The Curse of the Wendigo 
Author: Rick Yancey
Published: October 12, 2010
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Series: The Monstrumologist #2
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Horror
Pages: 424
Source: Purchased
Rating: 5 stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

*This book review is spoiler free*

“There are things that are too terrible to remember, and there are things that are almost too wonderful to recall.”
― Rick Yancey, The Curse of the Wendigo

Synopsis
While attempting to disprove that Homo vampiris, the vampire, could exist, Dr. Warthrop is asked by his former fiancé to rescue her husband from the Wendigo, a creature that starves even as it gorges itself on human flesh, and which has snatched him in the Canadian wilderness. Although Warthrop also considers the Wendigo to be fictitious, he relents and rescues her husband from death and starvation, and then sees the man transform into a Wendigo.

Can the doctor and Will Henry hunt down the ultimate predator, who, like the legendary vampire, is neither living nor dead, whose hunger for human flesh is never satisfied?

This second book in The Monstrumologist series explores the line between myth and reality, love and hate, genius and madness. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
I thought it was impossible to love The Curse of the Wendigo as much as I loved The Monstrumologist. I was wrong. While The Curse of the Wendigo is not as terrifying or gruesome as its predecessor, it is a beautifully written, suspenseful and evocative read in a series that continues to impress.

Review: The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

Title: The Monstrumologist
Author: Rick Yancey
Published: September 22, 2009
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Series: The Monstrumologist #1
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Horror
Pages: 434
Source: Purchased
Rating: 5 stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

“Yes, my dear child, monsters are real. I happen to have one hanging in my basement.”
― Rick Yancey, The Monstrumologist

Synopsis
These are the secrets I have kept. This is the trust I never betrayed. But he is dead now and has been for more than forty years, the one who gave me his trust, the one for whom I kept these secrets. The one who saved me . . . and the one who cursed me.

So starts the diary of Will Henry, orphaned assistant to Dr. Pellinore Warthorpe, a man with a most unusual specialty: monstrumology, the study of monsters. In his time with the doctor, Will has met many a mysterious late-night visitor, and seen things he never imagined were real. But when a grave robber comes calling in the middle of the night with a gruesome find, he brings with him their most deadly case yet.

A gothic tour de force that explores the darkest heart of man and monster and asks the question: When does man become the very thing he hunts? (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
Do you know that feeling you get when you've discovered a new favorite series? In my case, I am on cloud nine. I want to dance a jig, frolic through a meadow of flowers...you get the idea. This was how I felt after I started The Monstrumologist. I was captivated from the beginning. In fact, after finishing my library copy of The Monstrumologist, I proceeded to purchase all of the books that are currently out in the series, including the one I just read which I bought for rereading and loaning purposes. And after recommending the first book to my mom - well, actually after thrusting it in her face and forcing her to read it - I devoured the rest of the series. It's that phenomenal. It's creepy, spine-tingling, brillant writing, and I just might be obsessed with Rick Yancey now. Don't worry. I'm not the stalker type. Or am I?

Review: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Title: Clockwork Princess 
Author: Cassandra Clare

Published: March 19, 2013
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Series: Infernal Devices #3
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Pages: 570
Source: Purchased

Rating: 2 stars

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

*Warning: This book review contains spoilers for Clockwork Angel and Clockwork Prince*

“A very magnanimous statement, Gideon,” said Magnus.
“I’m Gabriel.”
Magnus waved a hand. “All Lightwoods look the same to me.”
― Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Princess

Synopsis
Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.

Tessa Gray should be happy - aren't all brides happy?
Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute.

A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
No. Just no. This is like Breaking Dawn all over again except I loved the Infernal Devices series so much more than I ever loved the Twilight series. Now one of my favorite series has been ruined for me. I am in denial. Nope. This did not happen. Cassandra Clare, what could have possessed you to end the Infernal Devices the way you did? I was hoping that Clockwork Princess, with that breathtaking cover, would be a stunning finish to this popular series, but it left me reeling with disbelief. I will admit I foresaw some of what happened, but besides the predictable parts, I could not believe how this love triangle unfolded. It was another wtfery moment for me. HOW COULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED?

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway Book Review

Title: A Farewell to Arms 
Author: Ernest Hemingway
Published: 2003 (first published 1929)
Publisher: Scribner
Genre: Historical Fiction, Classic
Pages: 332
Source: Purchased
Rating: 2 stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

“If people bring so much courage to this world the world has to kill them to break them, so of course it kills them. The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially. If you are none of these you can be sure it will kill you too but there will be no special hurry.”
― Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

Synopsis
The best American novel to emerge from World War I, A Farewell to Arms is the unforgettable story of an American ambulance driver on the Italian front and his passion for a beautiful English nurse.

Hemingway’s frank portrayal of the love between Lieutenant Henry and Catherine Barkley, caught in the inexorable sweep of war, glows with an intensity unrivaled in modern literature, while his description of the German attack on Caporetto—of lines of fired men marching in the rain, hungry, weary, and demoralized—is one of the greatest moments in literary history. A story of love and pain, of loyalty and desertion, A Farewell to Arms,written when he was thirty years old, represents a new romanticism for Hemingway. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
Oh Hemingway. Oh you. Why did you have to write this? Why couldn't you return home from being a WWI ambulance driver and leave it at that? It pains me to criticize any classic because classics are classics for a reason. They have remained untouchable for decades, standing the tests of time because of their popularity and how deeply they have resonated with a variance of audiences. And I have always loved classics. My favorite books fall in the classic literature genre. I eat classics for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But Hemingway, I had to spit A Farewell to Arms out. I couldn't stomach this infuriating drivel. This is why I dreaded writing this review because this book frustrates me beyond belief and I don't even know how to rip apart a classic.

Review: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Title: Code Name Verity
Author: Elizabeth Wein
Published: February 6, 2012
Publisher: Hyperion
Genre: Young Adult Historical Fiction
Pages: 343
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4 stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

“It's like being in love, discovering your best friend.”
―Elizabeth Wein, Code Name Verity

Synopsis
Two young women become unlikely best friends during WWII, until one is captured by the Gestapo. Only in wartime could a stalwart lass from Manchester rub shoulders with a Scottish aristocrat, one a pilot, the other a special operations executive. Yet whenever their paths cross, they complement each other perfectly and before long become devoted to each other.

But then a vital mission goes wrong, and one of the friends has to bail out of a faulty plane over France. She is captured by the Gestapo and becomes a prisoner of war. The story begins in “Verity’s” own words, as she writes her account for her captors. Truth or lies? Honour or betrayal? Everything they’ve ever believed in is put to the test…(Goodreads)

My Thoughts
Code Name Verity is a challenging book to review. By the end of the book, so much has happened, that you are left reeling in the aftermath, finding it difficult to even articulate your feelings. This book was what I expected, and, at the same time, the complete opposite. Wein tells the story of a friendship between the most unlikely pair, a Brit and a Scot from entirely different classes. Despite their differences, they become the closest of friends. Their enduring friendship is what makes Code Name Verity stand out in the young adult genre. Instead of heavily focusing on a romance, as most young adult books do, Wein centers the plot around a strong, solid friendship. There are a few hints at romance, but they fade into the background and are not significant plot points unlike Verity's and Kittyhawk's indomitable bond.

Review: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

Title: Rebecca 
Author: Daphne du Maurier
Published: 1938
Publisher: HarperCollins
Genre: Classic Literature
Pages: 410
Source: Gift
Rating: 5 stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

“We can never go back again, that much is certain. The past is still close to us. The things we have tried to forget and put behind us would stir again, and that sense of fear, of furtive unrest, struggling at length to blind unreasoning panic - now mercifully stilled, thank God - might in some manner unforeseen become a living companion as it had before.”
― Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca

Synopsis
"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again..."

With these words, the reader is ushered into an isolated gray stone mansion on the windswept Cornish coast, as the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter recalls the chilling events that transpired as she began her new life as the young bride of a husband she barely knew. For in every corner of every room were phantoms of a time dead but not forgotten, a past devotedly preserved by the sinister housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers: a suite immaculate and untouched, clothing laid out and ready to be worn, but not by any of the great house's current occupants. With an eerie presentiment of evil tightening her heart, the second Mrs. de Winter walked in the shadow of her mysterious predecessor, determined to uncover the darkest secrets and shattering truths about Maxim's first wife the late and hauntingly beautiful Rebecca. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
Rebecca is a book that will last throughout the ages; it's that good. In fact, when I was reading this, everyone I mentioned it to kept saying that they had read it and loved it (including my boss). So what took me so long to finally read it? I have no idea. There's just no excuse.

Review: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Septys

Title: Between Shades of Gray 
Author: Ruta Septys
Published: March 22, 2011
Publisher: Philomel Books
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 344
Source: Library
Rating: 5 stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

“Have you ever wondered what a human life is worth? That morning, my brother's was worth a pocket watch.”
― Ruta Sepetys, Between Shades of Gray

Synopsis
Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously--and at great risk--documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
First, let me preface this book review by clearing up any confusion with this book and the Fifty Shades series. Between Shades of Gray has nothing to do with Christian Grey and eroticism, but every time I mentioned what I was reading to someone, they immediately assumed it was part of that series. Completely different book. Completely different spelling of "gray." Thank goodness.

I knew Between Shades of Gray would be an emotional read given the topic. There were many points during the book that I had to fight back a torrent of tears. While it was often upsetting, it was still beautifully written, making it a pleasure to read even if the events written about were far from pleasant. I would never want to be in Lina's place, but the author, against my wishes, brought Lithuania and the work camp in Siberia to life with her words. I really connected with the deported Lithuanians. I felt their despair and homesickness as they longed for Lithuania's faraway comforts. I was completely ignorant of the ongoing events in Lithuania during WWII because they had been forgotten amongst other horrors. I experienced a brutal awakening when I realized what Lithuania, and the other Baltic states, had suffered through.

Review: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Title: Grave Mercy 
Author: Robin LaFevers
Published: April 3, 2012
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Series: His Fair Assassin #1
Genre: Young Adult Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Pages: 549
Source: Library
Rating: 4 stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

“When one consorts with assassins, one must expect to dance along the edge of a knife once or twice.”
― R.L. LaFevers, Grave Mercy

Synopsis
Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart? (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
It has been far too long since I've read any historical fiction. Actually, that was a lie. I read The Dark Queen, set in Brittany under the rule of Catherine de Medici, last spring. It was an enjoyable read, and I certainly recommend it. Grave Mercy was the perfect choice for revisiting this genre, especially since it is a mix of fantasy and history. Luckily, I am a fan of both. The storytelling was excellent, and as far as I could tell, LaFevers researched this time period thoroughly. The vivid detailing of clothing, courtiers, and architecture made for an authenticity I greatly admired. The political intrigue also kept me reading, and that wonderful mystery of whodunnit. With Grave Mercy, suspects were everywhere in a court full of backstabbing, and the duchess of Brittany could never feel completely safe when her barons were easily bribed and a French ambassador lurked nearby.

Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough Book Review

Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Release Date: July 10, 2012
455 pages
Rating: 4 stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

"Said my lord to my lady, as he mounted his horse,
Beware of Long Lankin that lives in the moss.
Said my lord to my lady, as he rode away
Beware of Long Lankin, that lives in the hay.
Let the doors be all bolted and the windows all pinned,
Except one little window,
where Long Lankin crept in..."

Synopsis
With their mother away and their father off on business, sisters Cora and Mimi are sent from London to the isolated village of Byers Guerdon to stay with their Auntie Ida at Guerdon Hall. But they receive a less than warm welcome, as Auntie Ida is adamant about them leaving right away. Auntie Ida is eccentric and strict, and the girls are eager to get back to London. But the girls don't know what happened last time there was two little girls at Guerdon Hall. 

As they become closer to two boys from the village, Roger and Peter, they try to find answers to their questions. Why are children forbidden to go down to the old church, All Hallows? What is their Aunt Ida so afraid of that she has to lock all the windows and doors at all times? They end up awakening an evil that has been haunting the village for ages, and Cora will have to protect Mimi from being the next victim. 

My Thoughts
Long Lankin was super creepy, but it wasn't Stephen King scary so I was able to sleep at night. I am always up for a suspenseful read with some chills, and this book had a nice blend of creepiness and mystery. While it started off slow, and it never really reached a neck breaking speed, it kept my interest with its storytelling and things that go bump in the night. I couldn't wait for Cora and Roger to uncover more secrets, and as their revelations grew in number, so did my fears. As in, they found out something and I thought oh crap. 

Roger and his brothers were adorable. Their crazy antics were hysterical. I loved learning more history about the village and all of the villagers. There were so many eccentricities and secrets just waiting to be revealed. I'm not talking about juicy gossip or drama. I'm talking about blood-chilling, traumatic memories of the past. I would not want to live in Byers Guerdon. Not my home sweet home. 

Cora grew on me eventually, but I really didn't feel any connection to her in the beginning. Or to Mimi. She was just too whiny. I know she's four years old, but it was annoying. Though you can't help feeling sorry for Mimi because if she's not being pushed around or yelled at by her sister, she's being scared to death. Poor little girl. And for the most part, I wasn't too fond of Auntie Ida. I would never condone physically punishing a child, even if it's a different time period. And if Auntie Ida was so keen on getting the girls out of Byers Guerdon, she should have taken them far away in the beginning. But then there wouldn't have been a story to tell. 

I found the constant switch between POVs interesting but, in all honesty, erratic. It was so distracting when the POV shifted almost every other page. I wasn't a fan until the end when it worked a little more and  everything came together. Since the setting was England in 1958, the vernacular was unapologetically British. As in, grizzling and blimin' and cor. While I didn't understand some of it, I could make a guess as to the meaning and it didn't interfere with my enjoyment. In fact, it made the book more authentic. 

My favorite part about Long Lankin was Guerdon Hall. It's like every hall in every Gothic novel you read before. I fell in love. The sweeping cobwebs, the creaking floorboards, and twisting passages. Its fallen beauty and disrepair. It had so much history to it, and I savored every description of its interior. I'm that lame. 

If  you like a haunting read, with some thrills and mystery, written at a leisurely pace, Long Lankin is your kind of book. It definitely is worth adding to your TBR pile. 

**Here's the creepy book trailer with some lady singing**

Happy reading,

Courtney 

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard Book Review

Title: Something Strange and Deadly 
Author: Susan Dennard
Published: July 24, 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Series: Something Strange and Deadly #1
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal, Historical Fiction
Pages: 388
Source: Purchased
Rating: 3.5 stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

“I'd heard of corpses awakening - hungry and dangerous though still quite dead.” 
― Susan Dennard, Something Strange and Deadly

Synopsis

It's 1876 and something strange and deadly is in Philadelphia. 

Eleanor Fitt has a lot going on. Her brother Elijah is missing, her mother is pressuring her to marry quickly, and her family is suffering from lack of funds. She reads in the news that thousands of the dead are rising by the power of an unknown necromancer. Then, she receives a letter from her brother - delivered from a zombie! She fears that the Dead army has taken her brother. And it doesn't help that she keeps encountering a dark spirit they rose during a seance. She turns to the Spirit Hunters, a three man team who are the only ones standing between the city and an attack from the Dead. But her association with the Spirit Hunters risks her reputation and her life. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts

Something Strange and Deadly jumped right into the action from the beginning, and the book was fast paced and entertaining. Dennard offered a different spin on zombies.She twisted the usual apocalyptic, infectious zombie storyline and had a necromancer pulling the strings. I think the zombies provided an exciting contrast to the lace parasols and the need to fit into high society. Having Eleanor playing croquet one moment and battling zombies with a parasol the next was a wild idea, and I loved it. The mystery unfolded wonderfully and I found my eyes riveted to the pages as Eleanor and the Spirit Hunters had to research and uncover new secrets. The steampunk elements were a exciting addition to this historical fiction! The machinery and the Centennial Exhibition, with its numerous displays, gave a magical feel to the story. 

Something Strange and Deadly had a light touch of romance that I hope will continue in the rest of the series. While the romance wasn't a substantial part, it slowly developed and was convincing. The Spirit Hunters were also wonderfully developed. I loved each one of them, especially Daniel. His quick temper and cussing amused me. But he could also be compassionate and dedicated to his inventions. Eleanor was a strong heroine for the most part, and I loved the scenes where she beat up zombies. She was very outspoken, and I grew to respect and admire her. Her mother was abrasive and meddling. She had few redeeming qualities, and I didn't blame Eleanor for wanting to escape her mother's scrutiny. The maid Mary was also annoying with her nosy ways and need for bribery in order to keep a secret. But I felt each character offered something to the story, even if they were despicable. I even came to pity Clarence. But only a little. 

I do have some small complaints about Something Strange and Deadly. Maybe they're just my pet peeves. First off, I have never heard of people galloping. Technically, it could mean run fast, like a horse. But I just imagined Eleanor and Daniel running on all fours, neighing. And they galloped a lot. Secondly, as an English major, I cannot stand the word "ain't," and Daniel was saying "ain't" every other word. It ain't working for me. When the characters said "what in the dickens" or "humbug" or "shut pan," I had to resist rolling my eyes. I know it's a different time period, but I couldn't imagine these characters saying this. It didn't feel natural to me. Then, the book title was worked in a couple of times. And I wanted Daniel to stop addressing Eleanor as "Empress." I also found Jei's constant "yeah" at the end of a question to be obnoxious. 

Besides these issues, also found the protagonist of Something Strange and Deadly a tadbit melodramatic. Eleanor had her strong moments, and there were times when she was a formidable opponet. She fought zombies and risked her life several times trying to help. That is when she wasn't fainting or clinging to a man's arm. There were several times when Eleanor latched onto Daniel's arm, near to hysterics because of a revelation, and Daniel had to pry her fingers off of his arm. She seemed a little clingy and desperate for attention, as she grabbed anybody who was near. She could barely stand by herself. Once again, different time period, but I found her dramatics exhausting. Also, while the beginning started off at a fast pace and lured the reader in, I felt there was a lot that needed to be explained. Mainly, why are zombies so commonplace? Why are seances held regularly in drawing rooms without question? I needed more of a historical background, and I can only hope I'll have all these questions answered in the next book. And while I enjoyed the plot, I found it to be somewhat predictable. At least, I guessed most of the plot less than halfway through.

Maybe I was the only one bothered by the above concerns. I can be picky at times. But I would still recommend Something Strange and Deadly to any young adult paranormal or historical fiction fans. It was a refreshing read and very entertaining. 

Happy reading,

Courtney