STRANGE AND EVER AFTER by Susan Dennard

Rating: B+
Synopsis:
In the conclusion to the trilogy that Publishers Weekly called “a roaring—and addictive—gothic world,” Eleanor Fitt must control her growing power, face her feelings for Daniel, and confront the evil necromancer Marcus...all before it’s too late.

He took her brother, he took her mother, and now, Marcus has taken her good friend Jie. With more determination than ever to bring this sinister man to justice, Eleanor heads to the hot desert streets of nineteenth-century Egypt in hopes of ending this nightmare. But in addition to her increasingly tense relationships with Daniel, Joseph, and her demon, Oliver, Eleanor must also deal with her former friend, Allison, who has curiously entangled herself in Eleanor’s mission.

With the rising dead chomping at her every move and Jie’s life hanging in the balance, Eleanor is convinced that her black magic will see her through to the bitter end. But there will be a price. Though she and the Spirit Hunters have weathered every battle thus far, there will be consequences to suffer this time—the effects of which will be irreversible. And when it’s over, only some will be able to live a strange and ever after.

Susan Dennard will leave readers breathless and forever changed in the concluding pages of this riveting ride.

My thoughts on the book:
This novel was full of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. Every time I thought I had something figured out, Dennard threw in another surprise. The character growth was fantastic, the plot and pacing were top notch, and the writing was wonderful. My only complaint was the lack of chemistry between Eleanor and Daniel. I just didn't feel like they really loved each other this time. I'm not sure why. Anyway, this was a great end to a fantastic series. 

Eleanor showed her strength time and time again in this installment. She suffered loss after loss after loss, and while she had her selfish moments, she ended up growing into a very selfless, caring, and courageous character. I really enjoyed her progression throughout the trilogy, and especially in this book. Her strength at the end was unbelievable. I credit Oliver for a lot of her growth. Speaking of Oliver, his character grew immensely as well. I absolutely adored the demon in this novel. I will admit, I was kind of shipping Eleanor and Oliver. Jie, Daniel, and Joseph didn't grow that much, but that didn't detract from the rest of the book. I know that secondary characters never evolve as much as the main character, and I'm happy with how Eleanor turned out. 

There was a lot of action and adventure in this book, and the pacing was pretty spot on. I didn't get bored at all, as we traveled from city to city. Dennard did a great job at painting the scenery, and I could fully picture Cairo, Marseilles, and Paris. The plot was intriguing, and Dennard's writing was fabulous. The ending tied things up nicely and really showed how much Eleanor had grown. I know a lot of people didn't like the ending, but I did. Yes, I cried, but it worked, and Dennard handled the situation believably and beautifully, in my opinion. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book and series to anyone who loves steampunk and/or zombie novels. This trilogy is unique, and I'm so glad I read it. I can't wait to see what Dennard comes up with next. 

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