Waiting On Wednesday #10





Hosted By

Jill @ Breaking The Spine








This weeks WOW pick is a steampunk, YA, filled with adventure, set in Victorian London.
This sounds interesting and mysterious.


 

Legacy of the Clockwork Key (The Secret Order #1)

By:  Kristin Bailey

Expected publication: March 2013 by Simon Pulse

A teen girl unravels the mysteries of a secret society and their most dangerous invention in this adventure-swept romance set in Victorian London.

When a fire consumes Meg's home, killing her parents and destroying both her fortune and her future, all she has left is the tarnished pocket watch she rescued from the ashes. But this is no ordinary timepiece. The clock turns out to be a mechanical key-a key only Meg can use- that unlocks a series of deadly secrets and intricate clues that Meg has no choice but to follow. She has uncovered evidence of an elite secret society and a dangerous invention that some will stop at nothing to protect, and that Meg alone can destroy. Together with the handsome stable hand she barely knows but hopes she can trust, Meg will be swept into a hidden world of deception, betrayal, and revenge. The clockwork key has unlocked her destiny.

Waiting On Wednesday #5

 Hosted by Jill @ Breaking The Spine

Etiquette & Espionage (Finishing School #1)

by Gail Carriger

Expected publication: February 5th 2013 by Little Brown and Company

YA, Steampunk

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.

So, guys check out that super cool cover, the scissors!!! If you haven't heard of Gail Carriger, she is the NY Times Bestselling Author of The Parasol Protectrate Series, which I own a few of the books, but have yet to start this series. This one sounds really good and I can't wait for this one, since I've been enjoying steampunk lately, maybe this one will be another great read! 

                                                                                                                          

Waiting On Wednesday #4

Expected publication: September 18th 2012 by Gallery Books

Lucy Weston tracks down the novelist Bram Stoker in her search to reveal the dark force who made her a vampire--and regain her humanity in the process.In the steampunk world of Victorian London, Lucy Weston, a character in "Dracula," seeks out Bram Stoker to discover why he deliberately lied about her in his popular novel. With Stoker's reluctant help, she tracks the creature who transformed her from the sensual underworld where humans vie to become vampires to a hidden cell beneath a temple to madness and finally into the glittering Crystal Palace where death reigns supreme. Haunted by fragmentary memories of her lost life and love, Lucy battles her thirst for blood as she struggles to stop a catastrophic war that will doom vampires and humans alike. Ultimately, she makes a choice that illuminates for her--and for us--the true nature of what it means to be human.

After reading Something Strange and Deadly, I found myself really enjoying the whole Steampunk genre, so I will be checking out more Steampunk reads and since I fell for this cover and blurb this is my Wow. Set in the Victorian era, in London, with Vampires, sounds right up my alley!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Early Review / ARC Giveaway: Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

Something Strange and Deadly

by Susan Dennard

 

Expected publication: July 24th 2012 by HarperTeen

ISBN:0062083260 (ISBN13: 9780062083265)

Arc copy provided by Harper Teen

YA, Strong heroine, Victorian era, walking dead, action, steampunk

                                                                           

The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

Review:

A story that puts you back in time and feels very realistic, although the walking dead are featured in this book, there is no true horrific scenes.


Eleanor is living her life where woman wear dresses and must act like a lady, although Eleanor is far beyond acting or doing anything anyone says. She comes across as strong-willed and cunning.
We begin our adventure at a train depo, where Eleanor, wise beyond her years is waiting for her brother to arrive from the big city. The alarm rings for the walking dead and we learn right away how people live, running and hiding from these creatures, whom are zombies. Eleanor runs straight inside the depot trying to find a message to where her brothers whereabouts are, when a zombie comes close enough and drops a crumbled letter to the ground, the same letter she was waiting for -a message from her brother.

From then on this book is a mystery, filled with action, and suspense with Eleanor trying to find out where her brother is and why he still hasn't come home. She tries to enlist help from the Spirit-Hunters a three-person group who travel and follow these dead walking and try to assist the cities in which they are invading. The Spirit Hunters are looked down upon by society, but that won't stop Eleanor, nope she's headstrong and determined as she goes headfirst into assisting the Hunters, and soon they agree to help her. A slight romance seems to be building between Eleanor and one of the Spirit Hunters, Daniel, although they seem to lock horns at first, he does care for her. Maybe in the next book their love will blossom into something stronger.
When the mystery deepens and more humans are found
dead, and those dead happen to be in the same circles of her brother, things suddenly turn from bad to worse for Eleanor.


 I really enjoyed Susan's writing style and how she wrote the book with essence to being transported back to 1847, and living the lifestyle of this era. I also loved the light Steampunk aspect to this book, with great gadgets sprung from Susan's imagination.
Great depiction to the time period and the Centennial Exhibition, which was the first World’s Fair in the United States.
4/5 stars
                                              

                                                 

Susan Dennard









Alright, now for the giveaway
-1 Winner of an ARC copy of Something Strange and Deadly
-US /Canada only
-Must fill out Rafflecopter form below
-Open to all ages
-Winner will be notified by e-mail and will have 48hrs to respond failure to do so will result in choosing another winner
-Giveaway open 7/10-7/24
-GOOD LUCK!


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Review: Wicked As They Come by Delilah S. Dawson



Wicked as They Come



Author:  Delilah S. Dawson
Series:  Blud
Format:  Mass Market Paperback, 395 pages w/excerpt
Publisher:  Pocket Books (March 27, 2012)
Price:  $7.99
Language:  English
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Steampunk, Fantasy
ISBN:  9781451657883
Review Copy: ARC provided by publisher

Have you ever heard of a Bludman? They’re rather like you and me—only more fabulous, immortal, and mostly indestructible. (They’re also very good kissers.)

Delilah S. Dawson’s darkly tempting debut drops her unsuspecting heroine into a strange faraway land for a romantic adventure that’s part paranormal, part steampunk . . . and completely irresistible.

When Tish Everett forces open the ruby locket she finds at an estate sale, she has no idea that a deliciously rakish Bludman has cast a spell just for her. She wakes up in a surreal world, where Criminy Stain, the dashing proprietor of a magical traveling circus, curiously awaits. At Criminy’s electric touch, Tish glimpses a tantalizing future, but she also foresees her ultimate doom. Before she can decide whether to risk her fate with the charming daredevil, the locket disappears, and with it, her only chance to return home. Tish and Criminy battle roaring sea monsters and thundering bludmares, vengeful ghosts and crooked Coppers in a treacherous race to recover the necklace from the evil Blud-hating Magistrate. But if they succeed, will Tish forsake her fanged suitor and return to her normal life, or will she take a chance on an unpredictable but dangerous destiny with the Bludman she’s coming to love?

                                                                                                                                   

Review~ Wonderfully crafted world of steampunk, paranormal romance, and adventure.

First, I'm going to share my favorite quote from this book with you.

"I would burn down the world for you", he whispered fiercly.

"Your world or my own. I would rip down this entire city with my bare hands without a second thought. I don't need to taste anything else, I don't need a comparison"...

Good huh?

Loved that quote and I really loved this different take, in the paranormal romance genre.

This book had a Alice In Wonderland feel to it, as far as the author's ability to transport you into another world full of strange, unique, magical, creatures.

Our main character, Tish finds a locket in an estate sale and is quickly drawn into the man's picture inside this locket. After falling asleep with the locket around her neck, she falls into a deep dream, or so she thought. Instead, she is transported into a world filled with magical, dangerous creatures, and comes face to face with the man in her locket.

Criminy Stain, magician, bludman,  rescues her right from the start and tells her she is his, his love from the magical locket.
Of course, Tish finds this all to hard to believe, but excepts what is going on only because she figures she can wake up anytime she wants from this strange dream, but can she?
As the story unfolds we learn there is more to this locket, and to the characters in the different dimension, that is called Sang, and how it ties into Tish's everyday life.
Criminy's love for Tish is not reciprocated, but Criminy is self assured and knows that what has happened is meant to be. Tish has a hard time with relationships in general after being in a bad relationship, she is insecure at first, but slowly learns she is much stronger than she anticipated. 
When the locket is stolen the adventure begins to retrieve it, before Tish's former life is gone forever...



You will be transported into a wonderfully crafted "other" dimension within the pages of this book, filled with magical creatures, adventure, mystery, and romance. A paranormal romance like no other, that will have you falling in love with Criminy and his wickedly delicious aura.


Delilah S. Dawson's debut novel is well written, with a fantastic storyline, that will have you drawn into her magical world within the first few pages.
Miss Dawson has an ability to draw expansive images in your mind and will have you enjoying the world and creatures she has created.
Must read 2012.
I am looking forward to her second book "Wicked As She Wants" in the Blud series. Coming in 2013. 

                                                                         

 I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a honest review. In no way has this influenced my decision for rating this book.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Cover Reveal -Riveted by Meljean Brook

Here’s the official description for Riveted, due out on September 4, 2012: Book #3 Iron Seas Series

A century after a devastating volcanic eruption forced Iceland’s inhabitants to abandon its shores, the island has become enshrouded in legend. But the truth behind the legends is mechanical, not magical—and the mystery of the island a matter of life and death for a community of women who once spilled noble blood to secure their freedom.

Five years ago, Annika unwittingly endangered that secret, but her sister Källa took the blame and was exiled. Now Annika serves on an airship, searching for her sister and longing to return home. But that home is threatened when scientific expedition leader David Kentewess comes aboard, looking to expose Annika’s secrets. Then disaster strikes, leaving David and Annika stranded on a glacier and pursued by a madman, with their very survival depending on keeping the heat rising between them—and generating lots of steam...