Anxiously Awaiting... Perfection

Perfection
by J.L. Spelbring

Publication date: May 2013

The personification of Aryan purity, Ellyssa's spent her whole life under her creator's strict training and guidance; her purpose is to eradicate inferior beings. She was genetically engineered to be the perfect soldier: strong, intelligent, unemotional, and telepathic.

Only Ellyssa isn't perfect.

Ellyssa feels emotions--a fact she's spent her life concealing. Until she encounters the epitome of inferiority: a dark-haired boy raised among renegades hiding since the Nazis won the war a century ago. He speaks to her telepathically, pushing thoughts into her mind, despite the impossibility of such a substandard person having psychic abilities.

But he does.

His unspoken words and visions of a place she's never visited make Ellyssa question her creator. Confused and afraid her secret will be discovered, Ellyssa runs away, embarking on a journey where she discovers there is more to her than perfection.

Okay. Generally I purposely shy away from World War II based fiction. I just do...it's a personal preference, I'm not sure why it really developed, but this... this sounds SO intriguing. I love the idea of exploring how the world would be totally different if the Nazis had won the war... I'm pretty sure I'll be reading this one next year.

In My Mailbox - September 18, 2011

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme, hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren, inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Every week bloggers can share what they received in the mail or at the bookstore or at the library. The goal is that everyone can be exposed to more books this way!

From the Library:

Stepping on Roses: Volume 1
The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann


Rocket Girls: The Last Planet by Hasuke Nojiri


The Dark Hunters: Volume 3
The Dark Hunters: Volume 4

On My Nook:

Radiant Desire by Inara Scott
Frost Moon by Anthony Francis
*Thanks to Netgalley!*

Birthday Goodies!!:

Hourglass by Myra McEntyre
*Thanks to my lovely husband!!*

I also pre-ordered Scott Westerfeld's Goliath (signed!) and Maureen Johnson's The Name of the Star for my birthday. I CANNOT wait until they come in. I'm dying to read both!

A wonderful birthday week, book wise! Did you get anything great this week?

Behemoth

Behemoth
by Scott Westerfeld
Leviathan, book two

The behemoth is the fiercest creature in the British navy. It can swallow enemy battleships with one bite. The Darwinists will need it, now that they are at war with the Clanker powers.

Deryn is a girl posing as a boy in the British Air Service, and Alek is the heir to an empire posing as a commoner. Finally together aboard the airship Leviathan, they hope to bring the war to a halt. But when disaster strikes the Leviathan's peacekeeping mission, they find themselves alone and hunted in enemy territory.

Alek and Deryn will need great skill, new allies, and brave hearts to face what's ahead. (description taken from Amazon.com)

Is it sad to admit that my favorite character in this book was the creature that (finally!) hatched out of the Lady Boffin's eggs? Bovril was absolutely charming and brought some levity to their harrowing situation.

As in Leviathan, I was very impressed with how well Westerfeld was able to incorporate historical detail into the storyline to bring it to life. This is not anything like a textbook and yet, I found myself remembering history classes...

Adventure, danger, and intrigue abound. The clanker machines are fascinating and in the Ottoman empire, surprisingly diverse! I love, love, love the illustrations in this book. You can really see what Westerfeld describes...and they are fantastic sites!

Other than Reeves' Larklight series, which is beyond cheeky, I think this is my favorite steampunk series.