More Conspiracies, Draped In Petticoats

Expected Publication:  November 5th, 2013

Curtsies and Conspiracies (Finishing School #2)

By: Gail Carriger

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

ISBN-13:  9780316190114

Does one need four fully grown foxgloves for decorating a dinner table for six guests? Or is it six foxgloves to kill four fully grown guests?

Sophronia's first year at Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality has certainly been rousing! For one thing, finishing school is training her to be a spy (won't Mumsy be surprised?). Furthermore, Sophronia got mixed up in an intrigue over a stolen device and had a cheese pie thrown at her in a most horrid display of poor manners.

Now, as she sneaks around the dirigible school, eavesdropping on the teachers' quarters and making clandestine climbs to the ship's boiler room, she learns that there may be more to a school trip to London than is apparent at first. A conspiracy is afoot--one with dire implications for both supernaturals and humans. Sophronia must rely on her training to discover who is behind the dangerous plot-and survive the London Season with a full dance card.

Review

     When we last saw her Sophronia had just managed solve a mystery about a stolen device and a traitor within her school for girls training to be assassins/spies (and debutantes).  With a penchant for curiosity Sophronia is in trouble again, this time because she has become entangles in another mystery surrounding a valve that has malfunctioned in the school's testing machine - and why they are going to London.  The harmless class trip to see an event with a dirigible may not be everything it seems, especially when Sophronia uncovers some shocking things while sneaking through the teacher's quarters, eavesdropping and using situations to her advantage.  With the help of her friends Soap, Vieve, Dimity, Sidheag, and Agatha can she figure out what's going on before it's too late.  Also, when will Lord Felix Mercer learn to take a hint, that she is just not interested?  And what is Monique planning now, that could direly affect everyone aboard the ship?

     Don't mistake me: I enjoyed this book, just as I did the first one in the trilogy.  But I feel that it's written more for established fans of Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series than newcomers.  The feel of it is very established, in that I went in feeling like an outsider looking in through my little bookish lens.  Those kinds of books don't necessarily make a new reader feel like they are very easily approached.  That said, Sophronia is an amusing, precociously nosy young girl who has found her niche in training to be a spy, even if the horrendous debutante training is necessary right alongside it! :)  I found her to be very loyal, genuine.  I love her curiosity; there is nothing worse to me than lack of curiosity on the part of a heroine in a weird/off-kilter situation.  Don't you want to know what's going on?  Sophronia always wants to know, and it gets her into trouble sometimes.  When the teachers announce the progress report results of each girl out loud, Sophronia was ostracized which made for an interesting plot twist.  A decent portion of the novel is spent with Sophronia trying to solve the latest mystery all on her own mostly (with only help from boiler room friend Soap and inventive, little scamp Vieve).  It definitely helped the reader, as well as Sophronia, to realize that she is at her strongest when she has the help of her friends.

     Carriger also introduces the possibility of a love triangle between Sophronia, Soap, and semi-racist, classist (but entirely charming) rich Lord Felix Mercer.  It's an interesting dynamic to say the least.  Sophronia is only just starting to realize her own identity as person old enough to feel romantic interest in another.  Soap is from the opposite end of the class spectrum, works for her school and is of a different race as well.  Yet Soap challenges her and keeps Sophronia grounded in reality.  He's a true friend and she values him for it - precisely the reason she's trying to avoid anything beyond harmless flirtation.  She knows it would most likely lead to heartache.  Felix Mercer is intelligent in entirely different ways, has loads of social connections and is within reach societally.  But his family is also prejudiced against supernaturals and has opinions opposite of her on their civil rights.  It's the beginning of  a fascinating inner-struggle on the part of Sophronia to stay true to herself.

      The main storyline about the mysterious valve, the habits and politics of vampires, the attempted kidnappings of Sophronia's friends Dimity and Pillover, and the further exploration of everyone's true loyalties was really well carried out.  I did find myself losing interest a few times when it started moving fairly slowly, but it picked up again so I kept going.  I was not disappointed and liked the way the book resolved, even if there were a couple of lingering questions still to be answered (I assume in the final installment of the trilogy).  Overall, I had fun and got to stop thinking for a couple hours - and Carriger managed to keep me by staying light on the steampunk, of which I am NOT a fan.  I would recommend it to fans of supernatural adventures and spy stories (more middle grade than YA in my opinion), but I still feel fans of the adult series this is an off-shoot of would be better suited to truly fall into effusive declarations of love with it.

VERDICT:  3.5/5  Stars

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication is November 5th, 2013.*

Undercover Girl

 

Expected Publication:  November 5th, 2013

Palace of Spies (Palace of Spies #1)

By: Sarah Zettel

HMH Books for Young Readers

ISBN-13:  9780544074118

 

A warning to all young ladies of delicate breeding who wish to embark upon lives of adventure: Don't.

Sixteen-year-old Peggy is a well-bred orphan who is coerced into posing as a lady in waiting at the palace of King George I. Life is grand, until Peggy starts to suspect that the girl she's impersonating might have been murdered. Unless Peggy can discover the truth, she might be doomed to the same terrible fate. But in a court of shadows and intrigue, anyone could be a spy—perhaps even the handsome young artist with whom Peggy is falling in love . . . History and mystery spark in this effervescent series debut.

 

Review

 

      Peggy Fitzroy (nod to the royal bastard of the Tudor era here, maybe?) is an orphan living on the charity of her stern and dour Uncle.  But when he arranges for her to marry a notorious rake against her wishes, Peggy decides to meet up with a mysterious man, Mr. Tinderflint, who claimed to have known her Mother and take him up on a job offer.  It turns out he and a group of others have a scheme to get Peggy into the court of King George as a spy - by impersonating Lady Francesca who's a recently deceased, orphaned noblewoman who is a lady in waiting to the Princess Catherine.  Peggy decides to participate in the charade, but finds herself in over her head when confronted by a secret lover of Fran's, drawings depicting court happenings that could get her tried for treason and the very real possibility that Fran herself might have been murdered for her own not quite so Crown-loyal activities.  Can Peggy pull off becoming Fran without raising suspicions and being exposed?  And will she manage to outwit whoever murdered the real Fran, who may not have really been as innocent as she made herself seem to everyone around her?  While trying to deal with a mystery Peggy might just also find herself in love, which presents all sorts of problems all its own.....

     I really enjoyed this novel and Peggy was definitely an interesting character.  I did get the feeling like a lot of other readers, that things in regards to the language and narration were a little too modern to be a truly good historical fiction novel.  Peggy, as a girl with nothing, has nothing to lose in deciding to impersonate Lady Francesca in King George's court.  I did like the banter between her and her cousin in the beginning pages of the novel and the reintroduction of her cousin into her new, crazily mixed-up life later on in the narrative.  It was a fairly enjoyable, funny play at a historical spy novel.  The romantic aspect between Peggy and the artist's apprentice Matthew Reade, plus her confused feelings for Fran's secret love, a footman in the palace were very well-drawn.  At times the love triangle got slightly angsty, but I always kind of knew who Peggy was going to end up with even at the beginning - which was perfectly okay with me as someone not fond of love triangles being drawn out. 

     As someone who doesn't really know a lot about that period of time in the history of the English crown/royal genealogy, I didn't find myself picking at things the author might have changed.  I might have even learned something.  I found it interesting that there was a rebellion between George, who wasn't the closest descendant by blood to the throne but was King, and James who WAS closest to the throne but was exiled and called "The Pretender."  The spy plot in this book is all about proper claim to the throne, and possible plots to overthrow current rule by King George.  As much as I liked the rompy, slow-building action of the court intrigue in this book I did find myself a little disappointed in it's predictability.  The evil fellow lady-in-waiting Sophy Howe, and her true intentions, the realities of Francesca and her real parentage/status/personality and actions, & the dual resolution/open ended spying plot.  Overall, this book was really a fun read and it gave me a reprieve from all the heavy books I've read lately.  I enjoyed the humor of it and the enthusiasm of the main character and the author.  I'll definitely be reading the next one, even if it just turns out to be a fun and fluffy series instead of anything truly long-lasting in my reading life.  I'd recommend it to fans of lighter historical fare, who aren't nitpickers.

 

VERDICT:  3.75/5  Stars

 

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication is November 5th, 2013.*

Go Home Book, You're Drunk!

 

Expected Publication:  October 15th, 2013

Naked Sushi

By: Jina Bacarr

Cosmo Red Hot Reads from Harlequin

ISBN-13:  9781459254817

 

From Jina Bacarr comes a sexy and provocative new release from Cosmo Red-Hot Reads from Harlequin.

One day I'm getting canned from my job as a computer programmer for having wild copy-room sex with a guy I thought was the new game designer. The next, I'm crashing my ex-boss's business lunch in a creative attempt to get my job back and men are eating sushi off my naked body!
That's when I realize:

a) My ex-boss is a hiding corporate secrets

b) Hot copy-room guy is an undercover FBI agent

c) I would make a kick-ass spy!

Then Special Agent Hottie brings out his cuffs, and things get really interesting…

 

Review

 

     Pepper is a very geeky girl, working in a job that can bore her to tears on some days.  So when she comes across the hot guy in the copy room, late at night, making copies of her boss' classified documents she can't help herself.  They get caught having sex in the copy room and Pepper loses her job.  Determined to get it back, she goes undercover as a naked sushi model for her boss' business meeting.  And the hot guy from the copy room just happens to be one of the guys at the meeting!  Turns out he's an FBI agent undercover, who is trying to expose her now ex-boss for less than savory business practices.  She decides to help him, in the hopes of resuscitating her failed ambitions to work for a government agency that she thought were long since dead.  Can they keep their hands off each other long enough to catch the crook?  Will they find something more than just hot sex in the person they least expected to connect with?

     This is going to be a short review because I have very clear and concise opinions on this book.  I kind of think it was pretty horrible.  I like it when a book knows what it is and where it's going.  This one tried a little too hard, never deciding between erotica or a plot.  It tried to have both, but couldn't really manage it all that well.  Pepper starts out kind of likeable.  That goes out the window immediately after she and the random guy have sex.  She gets fired and really thinks she can get her job back and seems almost surprised she lost it in the first place.  Okay, whatever.  She also goes from freaky-smart, super geeky girl to giggly, sex-obsessed and empty-headed fluff ball.  And we're supposed to believe that she has a shot at being employed by the FBI.  Also, FBI-guy is a serious douchebag about his encounter with Pepper.  He has to be the least stealthy, least covert undercover FBI agent ever. 

     The whole Naked Sushi thing barely takes up any of the plot at all and really is just a minor event.  The sex was boring and almost straight-up, porn type sex with nothing that interesting or great about it.  Overall, this was a (thankfully) short, time-wasting read.  But I wouldn't recommend it to anyone and I definitely won't be reading it again.  A true disappointment.  It only gets as much credit in the ratings as it does, because I was able to finish it and it didn't drag unnecessarily.  It needs to go home, sober up and get some more depth to its characters.  Then we'll go on another date!

 



VERDICT:  1.5/5  Stars

 

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication is October 15th, 2013.*

Where There Are Sparks, Electricity Follows

 

Expected Publication:  September 24th, 2013

A Spark Unseen (The Dark Unwinding # 2)

By: Sharon Cameron

Scholastic Press

ISBN-13:  9780545328135

 

When Katharine Tulman wakes in the middle of the night and accidentally foils a kidnapping attempt on her uncle, she realizes Stranwyne Keep is no longer safe for Uncle Tully and his genius inventions. She flees to Paris, where she hopes to remain undetected and also find the mysterious and handsome Lane, who is suspected to be dead.

But the search for Lane is not easy, and Katharine soon finds herself embroiled in a labyrinth of political intrigue. And with unexpected enemies and allies at every turn, Katharine will have to figure out whom she can trust--if anyone--to protect her uncle from danger once and for all.

 

Review

 

     Katherine Tulman has recently been through quite a lot: she has gained an eccentric Uncle, foiled an attempt by opposing governments to use one of her Uncle Tully's toy designs as a weapon of war, and fallen in love with a young man who is involved in espionage.  Oh, and she has also become an independent heiress in her own right!  But the governments haven't given up quite yet and when strange men break into the estate and attempt to kidnap her Uncle Tully, Katherine is forced into drastic measures.  After faking Tully's death and fleeing to Paris to avoid England's grasping hands, Katherine finds herself dealing with another set of dangers, including figuring out what has really happened to Lane, her Uncle's former assistant and the young man she loves, who has gone missing.  Can she figure out a way to get them all safely out of Paris and uncover the plot to steal her Uncle in a way that will end things once and for all?

      I read the previous book in the series warily, for I am by no means a fan of the steampunk genre and it is marketed as falling under that title.  As with the first book, this one proves that really the only steampunk thing about this book is the mentions of Uncle Tully's unique inventions.  I enjoyed the mystery of the first book, uncovering all of the characters' individual motivations and schemes.  This book felt like it was trying very hard to capture the espionage feeling of the previous novel, but never quite made it into that sphere.  It dealt with espionage of the international sort to a much greater extent, but I felt disconnected from Katherine and her troubles as an individual.  I did admire the ingenious way that she protects her Uncle (the mode of his transport to France was absolutely inspired!) but the quest to find Lane, the boy she supposedly loves fell extremely flat.  His mysterious disappearance felt like it was only included in the novel as a way to further along the kidnapping plot of the book.  Also, their interactions once she found him felt very formal and wooden to me as a reader.  I just didn't believe they were a great romance, and honestly would have preferred if the book had focused more on the espionage side of things and developed that storyline more than just 'We're on the run from the bad guys, we're hiding out from the bad guys.  We're confronting the bad guys, we're moving on with life.'  Easy peasy sure, but kind of vanilla and on the boring side of the line.  The side characters didn't provide any relief, as they were majorly two-dimensional.  And I am NOT a fan of anything to do with spies so my stance on this even surprised me!  The 'resolution' of the novel's plot(s) leaves things somewhat open for a third book, but also hints that this was possibly the series conclusion.  If that's the case, it was a cute series but somewhat underdeveloped and with the promise it showed, that was quite disappointing.  I won't so anymore so as not to spoil, but it's recommended more for fans of 19th Century Gothic romance books than steampunk adventures.

 

VERDICT:  3.5/5  Stars

 

**I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie. No favors or money were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication is September 24th, 2013.**

I Spy With My Little Eye

 



Published:  February 5th, 2013
Etiquette and Espionage (Finishing School # 1)
By: Gail Carriger
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN-13:  9780316190084

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 a great trial to her poor mother. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners—and the family can only hope that company never sees her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. So she enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But Sophronia soon realizes the school is not quite what her mother might have hoped. At Mademoiselle Geraldine's, 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.

Set in the same world as the Parasol Protectorate, this YA series debut is filled with all the saucy adventure and droll humor Gail Carriger's legions of fans have come to adore.

Review

 

     The last thing Sophronia wants is to become a proper, Victorian lady like her Mother and older sisters.  But she may not have a choice, after one too many tomboyish escapades send her Mother over the edge, and land her in finishing school.  On the journey to school Sophronia learns that things aren't always what they appear, after her carriage is attacked and she is forced to save the day.  Once at the school (which just happens to float and constantly be on the move!) she and her friends uncover a plot by evildoers to steal a mysterious prototype.  When it seems like none of the teachers will believe anything they say, it is up to Sophronia and her friends to outwit mean-girl Monique and pull of the mission of a lifetime, using all of the unusual talents they possess.  But can they obtain the prototype before the villains do?  And will Sophronia learn how to act civilized before her sister's coming-out ball?  Only time will tell...

     So, I have never read the author's adult series The Parasol Protectorate.  I seem to be one of the few who read this book that can claim such a thing!  That said, I'm kind of glad that I went into it with fresh eyes.  Sophronia was a funny, if somewhat stereotypical heroine going against the grain of average society.  There was a lot of talk about her not conforming, but I think a lot of it had to do with her wanting to do the opposite of her sisters and Mother - which is a normal teenage attitude.  The inclusion of steampunk into the Victorian world isn't anything new, but I liked that it existed as a sort of secret society, in conjunction with the history that we are already familiar with.  The school and it's use of robotic servants, crazy architecture and wonderful engine room was a great place for a story to be set.  All the same, the continuous girl-drama did get annoying to me after awhile.  I mean, I definitely expected this to be more of an adventure book than a Victorian Mean Girls send off.  The beginning and end were all constant action and fast paced fun, while the middle sort of stagnated with the obvious world building and character placements/minor character developments.  Overall it was a fun romp and I'm interested to see where the series goes.  I'd recommend it to fans of paranormal, YA adventure if they don't mind zero romantic presence and lite steampunk.

 

 VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

 

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

My Alias Is Yours For the Taking

Expected Publication:  February 26th, 2013

Also Known As

By: Robin Benway

Bloomsbury

ISBN-13: 9780802733900

Being a 16-year-old safecracker and active-duty daughter of international spies has its moments, good and bad.  Pros: Seeing the world one crime-solving adventure at a time.  Having parents with super cool jobs.  Cons: Never staying in one place long enough to have friends or a boyfriend.  But for Maggie Silver, the biggest perk of all has been avoiding high school and the accompanying cliques, bad lunches, and frustratingly simple locker combinations.  Then Maggie and her parents are sent to New York for her first solo assignment, and all of that changes.  She'll need to attend a private school, avoid the temptation to hack the school's security system, and befriend one aggravatingly cute Jesse Oliver to gain the essential information she needs to crack the case . . . all while trying not to blow her cover.

Review

     Maggie Silver has been safe-cracking since she was three years old and wants nothing more than to be a spy just like her parents.  So when the organization they work for, the Collective, gives Maggie a solo assignment she's super excited.  Then she finds out that her assignment is basically to be a normal teenager - go to high school, make friends and infiltrate the life of Jesse Oliver so she can steal his Dad's info on the Collective.  Maggie only has a small time frame before Mr. Oliver publishes what he knows and ruins her parent's lives (and her own).  Or so she's been told.  But with the help of family friend Angelo, her new BFF Roux and Jesse himself, can Maggie find out the truth before it costs her something far more valuable than she ever expected?  Also, what can you do when you fall in love with your assignment?  I have been a fan of Robin Benway since reading her debut novel, Audrey Wait!, which was one of my favorite books to be published while I was a teen.  She has a great sense of humor and the characterizations she manages are amazing.  I was laughing at and gasping with Maggie from the very first page of the novel.  Probably because I was a majorly over-dramatic teenager myself and can totally relate to her.  The idea of a teenage spy isn't very appealing to me normally, but the focus on character versus spy/thriller action inclusions kept me involved a lot better than I would have been.  The relationship with her parents was both hilarious and touchingly realistic.  I am a rare girl who does not happen to like Ally Carter's novels about the teen spy school.  Just not my thing.  But by placing Maggie in an everyday environment, Benway really impressed me.  Jesse was a cute romantic interest for the heroine and their chemistry was at turns sweet and hot both.  Roux was freaking HILARIOUS!  I loved her so much, but her crappy home life made me want to cry.  The whole mystery did seem quite downplayed and ignored for most of the book, which was a little disappointing to me as a reader.  The ending seemed perfect to me though and I really enjoyed this book overall.  I thought it was well-written, had a great sense of humor and some lasting value.  I highly recommend it for fans of character driven narratives, with lots of humor/drama.  But I forewarn those looking for an in-depth spy novel, this IS NOT IT.

VERDICT:  4.5/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is February 26th, 2013.*

Somebody Mixed My Medicine

Published: October 4th, 2011
The Apothecary
By: Maile Meloy
Putnam Juvenile
ISBN-13: 9780399256271


It's 1952 and the Scott family has just moved from Los Angeles to London. Here, fourteen-year-old Janie meets a mysterious apothecary and his son, Benjamin Burrows - a fascinating boy who's not afraid to stand up to authority and dreams of becoming a spy. When Benjamin's father is kidnapped, Janie and Benjamin must uncover the secrets of the apothecary's sacred book, the Pharmacopoeia, in order to find him, all while keeping it out of the hands of their enemies - Russian spies in possession of nuclear weapons. Discovering and testing potions they never believed could exist, Janie and Benjamin embark on a dangerous race to save the apothecary and prevent impending disaster.
Together with Ian Schoenherr's breathtaking illustrations, this is a truly stunning package from cover to cover.

Review

   It's 1952 and Janie Scott has great parents, an interesting life in L.A. - she's happy.  All of that changes because of The House of Un-American Activities Committee's interest in Janie's parents who are television writers in Hollywood.  They say they're not Communists but the government is having them followed and is ready to arrest them soon.  So the Scotts flee to England to write for a BBC Robin Hood tv show under assumed names.  Janie is miserable to be leaving all she's ever known and not helping matters is the fact that England isn't as fully recovered from the destruction and rationing of the war as America is.  Plus, Janie starts at a grammar school where she is out of place and made fun of by the other kids, especially popular and rich Sarah Jane Pennington.  But the apothecary around the corner from their apartment is kind to her, giving her a potion for homesickness.  She visits him after school one day and becomes involved in intrigue with his son Benjamin Burrows, who goes to her school.  It turns out that Ben's Father is involved in a covert plot to stop the detonation and/or testing of an atomic bomb by the Russians near Norway.  He plans to help three other scientists using a book called the Pharmocopeia that uses science to perform magical feats like invisibility, truth-telling and transforming into a bird.  Will Janie and Benjamin be able to save Benjamin's father after he's kidnapped by rival spies?  What is their Latin teacher Mr. Danby's connection?  Are their classmate Sergei Shiskin and his father friend or foe, and can they trust the juvenile delinquent Pip?  Also, there is romance brewing between Janie and Benjamin.  This book was extremely well-written and it almost read like an autobiography most of the time.  The Cold War and spies in general normally bore the tar out of me, but Maile Meloy kept me at the edge of my seat for the entire book.  For a young adult debut it is very polished and has wonderful characters that are relatable and you can sympathize with easily.  It is a must read for anyone who likes fish-out-of-water, high flying adventure stories.

VERDICT:  5/5  Stars

*No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores and online.*