Prudence and Imprudence by Gail Carriger

Prudence by Gail Carriger 
Orbit, 2015 - owned in personal collection
The Custard Protocol, book one

Okay, if it's one thing that my 2018 Books I Already Own Challenge is truly teaching me, is that I NEED to stop auto-buying books, even from the authors that I love the most (such as Gail Carriger or Tamora Pierce)! I am much better off buying the books as I am ready to read them.  It's so tempting to pick up new, shiny books as they first come out, but like these two - books I was dying to read as I knew they were coming out - somehow once I physically owned them, it was much easier to let them fall by the wayside.  There was a comfort that I could read them whenever I wanted as they were nestled safely in my bookshelves, but as you can see I DIDN'T actually take the time to read them until now!

Anyway, unsurprisingly, I enjoyed diving back into the humorous, adventurous steampunk supernatural world Carriger created.  Though Prudence was a little slower to start for me, after I passed the first third of the book, and I trundled along to India with the Spotted Custard's crew, I was inordinately pleased to follow Alexia's precocious daughter into all types of danger. I really enjoyed getting to see Carriger's archaeological background come into play with the historical research necessary to delve into the ancient cultures that her imagined immortal creatures occupied in foreign countries.  While her love of British culture and humor is always evident, it was so interesting to delve into the time period when the Brits colonized India and to see their cultural stories come to live in this book.

Foreign cultures are further explored as we return to Egypt and their world of mythology in the second book, Imprudence (Orbit, 2016). The Drifters we met at the end of the Parasol Protectorate series also returned in this book and we got to learn some more intriguing tidbits about Rue's extended family and their role with the Italian Templars.  Rue's relationship to the supernatural and the way that her parents and now she fit into the supernatural world are explored in this second volume, though I feel we'll learn even more as we move forward into the third, Competence.

Competence, book three
Orbit, coming July 2018

My favorite thing about these two volumes, though, was definitely the humor and romance set amidst the danger and adventure of exploring unknown regions.  Seeing Rue realize that she was actually in love and what she was willing to do to preserve that relationship was fondly reminiscent of experiencing her parents' meeting in the earlier series.  Gail Carriger is a dab hand at writing romantic tension and the way she handled both this relationship and the burgeoning one that Prim is desperately trying to avoid were both laugh out loud funny and sweetly romantic at alternate times.  I look forward to seeing both relationships progress as the series moves forward.  I am hoping that we may even get to see our hopelessly anti-social Professor find his own love...

Recommended for lovers of humor, the supernatural, and steampunk adventures.  Though in order to get the full scope of character relationships and world-building readers should start with book one of the Parasol Protectorate series, Soulless, it is not completely necessary to have read that series to enjoy this one.

March Challenge Reading Plan

2018 Books I Already Own Challenge

It's the first day of March and here in CT it feels like Spring! I'm trying not to embrace it too wholeheartedly, as tomorrow it may very well snow... ah, New England.  BUT... Spring is actually on its way and that makes me a very happy girl. 

I can't believe that we've gotten through two months of the 2018 Books I Already Own Challenge already! Some days it's a breeze, and others it's a struggle, but I'm still feeling ambitious and so here is my March challenge reading plan.

 What I plan to read in March:
(Audio book)
Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

(Print books)
Prudence by Gail Carriger
Imprudence by Gail Carriger
Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier
Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier
Goliath by Scott Westerfeld
Endlessly by Kiersten White

The audio book is one that I own through Audible, but have not listened to yet, and the print books are all ones that I own physical copies of in my home library but have not read. My goal this month is to try to finish up some series that I have at home, and have read all but the final book... All links above go to descriptions on Goodreads.

My planned "cheat book" for March is The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton. Again, I just could NOT resist buying this title. It's got a GORGEOUS cover and a very intriguing premise. I'm really looking forward to reading this one!

I also already know that I'll be reading a copy of Whispers Beyond the Veil by Jessica Estevao for the cozy mystery book club that I lead at my Library. I also have two audio book titles, Inkmistress by Audrey Coulthurst and Cadaver & Queen by Alisa Kwitney that I will be reviewing for Audiofile Magazine. Books that I read specifically for work, or ones I am assigned to review for Audiofile Magazine will not be counting towards (or against) my challenge.

I learned in February that while I'm doing pretty well on this challenge - and stacking my intended reads right next to my bed so I'm not tempted to pick anything else up has really helped - I still struggle with complete commitment.  There are so many great new books coming out at any given time! It's hard to turn them down.  So, I had built in my one official cheat book for each month, but I'm also not going to punish myself too harshly if I slip up again, as long as I come back to the challenge.  Hopefully this way I'll get further into the year before I abandon it completely!! LOL. 

As always, if you'd like in on the challenge, just let me know! We have a private group on both Facebook and Goodreads to give us a place to share, motivate each other, and bemoan having to pass up the shiny new books of 2018... at least for as long as each of us last!!

February Challenge Reading Plan

2018 Books I Already Own Challenge

Well, it's almost February, so here's the list of books I tentatively plan to read for my 2018 Books I Already Own Challenge in the month of February. I noticed in January I had trouble sticking perfectly to my plan, but I did stay within the parameters of my challenge, so I'm hoping to do the same this coming month!

My list of planned reading in February:

(Audio books)

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

(Print books)

Prudence by Gail Carriger

Imprudence by Gail Carriger

Talon by Julie Kagawa

Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier

Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier

(ebook) 

Rogue by Julie Kagawa

Mothership by Martin Leicht and Isla Neal

The audio books are all ones that I own through Audible, but have not listened to yet, the print books are all ones that I own physical copies of in my home library but have not read, and the ebooks are in my vast, and largely unread ebook collection! All links above go to descriptions on Goodreads.

My planned "cheat book" is Reign of the Fallen by Sarah Glenn Marsh just could NOT resist buying this title.  It's physically so pretty... and right up my alley in terms of reading genre favorites. I'm really looking forward to reading this one!

I also already know that I'll be reading a copy of Assaulted Caramel by Amanda Flower for the cozy mystery book club that I lead at my Library. I also have two audio book titles, Lost Legio IX by Marc Alan Edelheit and Elysium Fire by Alastair Reynolds that I will be reviewing for Audiofile Magazine. Books that I read specifically for work, or ones I am assigned to review for Audiofile Magazine will not be counting towards (or against) my challenge.

So, here's to a February as successful as January was... and I'll try to post some reviews throughout the month, followed by a wrap-up post letting you know how I did for the month and what my plan is for March as we hit the end of the month.

Oh, and if you'd like in on the challenge, just let me know! We have a private group on both Facebook and Goodreads to give us a place to share, motivate each other, and bemoan having to pass up the shiny new books of 2018... at least for as long as each of us last!!

January Challenge Reading Plan

2018 Books I Already Own Challenge

Since my 2018 Books I Already Own Challenge begins on Monday, I figured I would set up a goal list of books to read in the month of January. Hopefully, with a plan, I'll be able to stick to it... *fingers crossed*

My list of planned reading in January:
(Audio books)

Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil DeGrasse Tyson

Before the Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray 

(Print books)

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer 

Prudence by Gail Carriger

Imprudence by Gail Carriger

Winterspell by Claire Legrand

The audio books are all ones that I own through Audible, but have not listened to yet, and the books are all ones that I own physical copies of in my home library, but have not read.  All links above go to descriptions on Goodreads. 

My planned "cheat book" is The Lost Plot by Genevieve Cogman (book four in the Invisible Library series) since I already had it on preorder and I'm dying to see what happens next in the series.

I also already know that I'll be reading a copy of Daisies for Innocence by Bailey Cattrell for the cozy mystery book club that I lead at my Library. Books that I read specifically for work, or ones I am assigned to review for Audiofile Magazine will not be counting towards (or against) my challenge.

So, keep your fingers crossed for me in January and I'll try to post some reviews throughout the month, followed by a wrap up post letting you know how I did for the month and what my plan is for February as we hit the end of the month.

Oh, and if you'd like in on the challenge, just let me know! We have a private group on both Facebook and Goodreads to give us a place to share, motivate each other, and bemoan having to pass up the shiny new books of 2018... at least for as long as each of us last!! 

Curtsies and Conspiracies

Curtsies and Conspiracies 
by Gail Carriger
Finishing School series, book two

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 field 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. (description from Amazon.com)

Another absolutely delightful romp into Miss Carriger's fabulous imagination.  

Sophronia continues to be a witty, sharp, and daring main character, evoking envy from her companions, both female and male.  She is the type of smart, adventurous heroine I'd hope to be if I ever found myself learning poisons and proper etiquette upon a floating derrigible.  I loved how she had to learn to depend even more upon herself, and learn what it meant to truly accept herself, flaws an all, as the other girls shunned her, and how in the end, Sophronia was able to draw them all back to her - very reminiscent of Carriger's other heroine, Alexia.  

In fact, I had so much fun drawing comparisons and making note of all the little hints of what would come in Sophronia's world by the time Alexia came around. I loved seeing characters that readers got to know as adults, perhaps in not the exact way that they are seen in her other series, The Parasol Protectorate.  The first glimpse of Lord Akeldama...priceless! 

I cannot wait to dive back into this world when the third book comes out. Especially with the hints of romance that might be brewing... Carriger's books are truly some of my absolute favorites. 

Full disclosure: eARC from Netgalley, hard copy purchased for personal collection

Books I Can't Wait to Get My Hands On...

Here are some books being released in November that I can't wait to eventually read!! They look so good, I'm going to have to try to squeeze them in somewhere...

After Eden by Helen Douglas
A mysterious boy... is he really from the future?

Curtsies and Conspiracies by Gail Carriger
Sophronia continued adventures at a very deadly finishing school...

Hostage Three by Nick Lake
When you are the least important hostage,
your life suddenly becomes worth a lot less...

Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher
Zoe spills her deepest secrets to a death-row pen pal...

Pawn by Aimee Carter
Will Kitty take on someone else's life for fame and power?

This post was inspired by my librarian friend Jen's 

"Books I'm Dying to Read" posts at YABookNerd.

Science Fiction Book Meme... FUN!

I found this meme on the SF Signal blog...just a fun little questionnaire.
I love to read SciFi, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I'm going to try to pick as many different titles as I can...we'll see how this goes, LOL.

Answer as many of the following as you can…

My favorite alien invasion book or series is…Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. 

My favorite alternate history book or series is…Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld or God Save the Queen by Kate Locke.  

My favorite cyberpunk book or series is…(and I *think* this would qualify...) Epic by Conor Kostick. 

My favorite Dystopian book or series is…The Dust Lands Trilogy by Moira Young.  

My favorite Golden-Age sf book or series is…Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury.

My favorite hard sf book or series is… (*this is actually a sub-genre of science fiction that I don't prefer, so this was tough, but... the closest I can come up with is...) The Jenna Fox Chronicles by Mary E. Pearson.  

My favorite military sf book or series is…[I saw the movie Starship Troopers, does that count?]

My favorite near-future book or series is…The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins. 

My favorite post-apocalyptic book or series is…The Last Survivors series by Susan Beth Pfeffer. 

My favorite robot/android book or series is…(this is as close as I could get...) The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. MARVIN is pretty much my favorite robot ever... 

My favorite space opera book or series is…(*I* think this book qualifies as a juvie version...) Circus Galacticus by Deva Fagan. 

My favorite steampunk book or series is…The Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger. 

My favorite superhero book or series is…The Jack Blank Adventures by Matt Myklusch. 

My favorite time travel book or series is…The Hourglass Trilogy by Myra McEntire. 

My favorite young adult sf book or series is... The Killer Unicorns series by Diana Peterfreund. 

My favorite zombie book or series is…The Benny Imura series by Jonathan Maberry or The Forest of Hands and Teeth Trilogy by Carrie Ryan.

The 3 books at the top of my sf/f/h to-be-read pile are…

Curtsies and Conspiracies by Gail Carriger (The Finishing School, book two) 

Infinityglass by Myra McEntire (Hourglass, book three) 

Rebel Heart by Moira Young (Dust Lands, book two) 

So, what are YOUR favorite SciFi novels?? 

Cover Craving...Curtsies and Conspiracies!

Curtsies and Conspiracies

by Gail Carriger

Finishing School, book two

 

Publication date: November 2013

 

Ahhh!!! Little, Brown for Young Readers and Gail Carriger just released the cover art for this second book in the new YA series! LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. These covers are stunning and even better looking in person (shiny, etc) and I CANNOT wait til it's out!!!!! 

Gold Star Review: Etiquette and Espionage

Etiquette and Espionage

by Gail Carriger

Finishing School, book one

 

Publication date: February 5, 2013

 

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. Temminnick 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 the 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. (description from Amazon.com)  

 

Gail Carriger is awesome. I love her blend of steampunk and the paranormal. When I found out she was coming out with a YA series, I just about blew a gasket!! Then I started to worry a little...what if it just wasn't the same as her adult Parasol Protectorate series?

 

I should have known better than to worry!! I LOVED this first book.  In fact, here's my tweeted reaction from about halfway in:  

Reading @gailcarriger's ESPIONAGE AND ETIQUETTE and am properly enchanted. Cannot put it down!! #curtseyscrumpetsandconcealedweapons
 

The blend of proper behavior, the distinct ignoring of said proper behavior (LOL), adventure, friendships, and "mechanimals" was brilliant. There are airships, balls, poison classes, "sooties," werewolves, and of course, Bumbersnoot. Who is Bumbersnoot? Why he's the most fashionable little mechanical dachsund ever! He eats coal, produces ash, and can conceal a prototype for the proper Lady spy.

The tie-ins to Carriger's adult series had me giggling throughout.  Hints dropped here, there, and everywhere. :)  I don't want to give anything away, but if you've read her other series, you will find at least one or two familiar faces...

With wonderful witty word choices and frankly fashionable fetes, Etiquette and Espionage is a bang-up start to a new series that leaves me shouting, "HUZZAH!" I cannot wait to return to Finishing School!

 

A gold star book, indeed. And, just to whet the appetite, check out this awesome trailer that was created for the book! LOVE.

 

 

Full disclosure: ARC received for review from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers