WAISTCOATS & WEAPONRY / Gail Carriger / 298 Pages

Waistcoats & Weaponry (Finishing School - Book the Third) / Gail Carriger / 298 Pages

"It's one thing to waltz properly. 

It's quite another to waltz properly with a bladed fan stitched into one's corset."

Sophronia is progressing exceedingly well through Mademoiselle Geraldine's "school for proper young killing machines." She will be a top intelligencer asset IF she can survive running away to Scotland, hijacking a train, and foiling a fiendish vampire plot, not to mention escaping a dirigible full of armed Picklemen and flywaymen. All in a days adventure for Sophronia - this time though she's going to have to make a choice which will change her life forever.

Get ready for another rollicking good adventure with Sophronia, Soap, Dimity, and other assorted friends in this witty, laugh-out-loud, action-packed novel. Fans will be eager for the next book in Gail Carriger's 'Finishing  School' series.

Read-alike suggestions: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter (the 'Gallager Girls' series) or Palace of Spies by Sarah Zettel (the 'Palace of Spies' series).

THE LAST STORMDANCER / Jay Kristoff / 125 Pages / Christmas Challenge: 2 Turtle Doves (flying) & 8 Maids-a-Milking (animals)

THE LAST STORMDANCER is a limited-edition, novella set 100 years before the events in Kristoff's Lotus Wars series, a dystopian, steampunk fantasy set in Japan. I was so excited to be one of the fortunate few to receive a copy!

The story is told from the point of view of Koh, an Arashitora (half eagle, half white tiger), more commonly called a thunder tiger. Koh relates the, here-to-for, unknown history of the Imperium which lead up to Yukiko, the heroine of STORMDANCER (2012) and KINSLAYER (2013).

A descriptive, atmospheric and moving introduction to the story behind the Lotus Wars.

Curtsies & Conspiracies/Gail Carriger/310 pgs./December challenge--Turtle Doves

This is the second entry in Gail Carriger's Finishing School series. Sophronia continues her lessons at the Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality--learning to be a spy, what poisons are most effective in different circumstances, while also learning the art of being a "lady." In this "adventure," Sophronia ultimately tries to discover who is trying to kidnap her good friend Dimity, and Dimity's brother, Pillover. There is much intermingling with some of the boys from the School of Evil Geniuses--which just adds to some of the humor in the story. All of this takes place in an alternate Victorian England--so entertaining! I can't wait for the next installment!

Etiquette & Espionage/Gail Carriger/307 pgs./December challenge--Turtle Doves

Gail Carringer starts the "Finishing School" series with this title. Sophronia Temminnick, the fourteen year-old daughter of a middle class Victorian family, is being sent to Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. What Sophronia's mother doesn't realize is that in addition to learning the ways of acting like a lady, Sophronia will also learn the art of espionage and assassination! Their brother school is the "School of Evil Geniuses" which should tell the reader something! There is humor, vampires, werewolves, dirigibles--and action. I really enjoyed the strong female characters, and highly recommend this book!

A Clockwork Heart/Liesel Schwarz/283 pgs.

Liesel Schwarz is not getting the creds she deserves! This is the 2nd book in the "Chronicles of Light and Shadow" series, and it is every bit as good as A Conspiracy of Alchemists. Elle Chance and ex-Warlock Hugh Marsh are now married. Elle has assumed her duties as Oracle; she alone has the power to keep the undesirable elements of Shadow at bay. Both Elle and Hugh are adjusting to married life; Elle wants to continue manning the Water Lily, and Hugh is missing his life as a Warlock. When Commissioner Willoughby seeks Hugh's help, Hugh jumps at the opportunity. That's where the story truly begins. Unbeknownst to Hugh and Elle, there is an operation going on that replaces human hearts with mechanical ones. Hugh disappears, and when Elle finds and rescues him, he has been turned into a Zombie-like creature. There is suspense, horror, vampires--elements of a novel that normally would never appeal to me. Yet, this is "steam punk," and I find it highly entertaining. This author would easily appeal to older young adults, as well as the adult population. I'm looking forward to the next installment; I just hope more readers discover her!

A Conspiracy of Alchemists/Liesel Schwarz/338 pgs.

The author classifies this book as "historical fantasy and science fiction." It is also called "steampunk." However it's classified, it's a great read! This is book one in the Chronicles of Light and Shadow. The year is 1903, and the main character, Elle Chance is an airship-pilot. She has traveled to Paris to collect some cargo to transport to her home country, England. The cargo is "unusual" to say the least--and that's where the story takes off! Unknowingly, Elle is the newest "Oracle" in a time of Warlocks, Shadows, and Nightwalkers. Only Elle can keep balance in the universe; as a result, there is danger, adventure--and a bit of romance. I can't wait for book two in this entertaining series! I would definitely recommend it to anyone who has enjoyed A Discovery of Witches.

ETIQUETTE & ESPIONAGE / Gail Carriger / 307 Pages

 
With Etiquette & Espionage, Gail Carriger kicks-off a new Victorian era fantasy series, the 'Finishing School' trilogy. Readers who enjoyed Carriger's 'Parasol Protectorate' titles or who like humor and a sassy young heroine should give this novel a try.

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is being sent off to finishing school to be made over into a proper lady. But Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies teaches so much more than just how to dance, dress, and curtsey!

This Young Adult, steampunk novel combines a touch of paranormal with a group of young girls and boys training to become Great Britain's next generation of spies, assassins, intelligence assets, and evil geniuses.

APPEAL TERMS: Lighthearted, fast-paced, witty.

A '6 DEGREES OF READING' connection: Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff is a Japanese steampunk novel with a strong, female protagonist.

[6 Degrees of Reading is similar to the game '6 degrees of Kevin Bacon' but with books. Select an aspect of the current title which is shared in another title and describe the connection using a single sentence.  Source : http://www.readersadvisoronline.com/ranews/mar2007/cords.html]