A SPARK UNSEEN by Sharon Cameron

Rating: A-

Release Date: 09/24/13

Synopsis:

The thrilling sequel to Sharon Cameron's blockbuster gothic steampunk romance, THE DARK UNWINDING, will captivate readers anew with mystery and intrigue aplenty.

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.

Filled with deadly twists, whispering romance, and heart-stopping suspense, this sequel to THE DARK UNWINDING whisks readers off on another thrilling adventure.

My thoughts on the book:

A Spark Unseen whisks readers off to Paris in an effort to hide from not one, but two corrupt governments, giving this novel a sense of urgency and making it difficult to put down. By showing the light and dark side of eccentricities - and human nature in general - this novel argues that people are not always what they seem and that one must not judge based on first impressions alone. With endearing main characters and a suspenseful plot, A Spark Unseen should be on everyone's must-read list. 

Katharine does not grow immensely in this novel, but she does learn to stand on her own quite a bit more. I can't wait to see how she grows in the next installment. She didn't have time to deal with many of the occurrences in this book, so I know the next one will be full of character growth for her. Uncle Tully, on the other hand, grows quite a bit. I was surprised by that, foolishly thinking that he had grown all that he could and was stagnant now - due to his age more than his condition. I admit that I am ashamed for thinking that way, ageism is not becoming, and I am glad that Cameron proved me wrong. Tully also showed great insight at many points throughout the book, which displays how astute he can be when he's not focused on his work. I have a feeling that Mary, like Katharine, will do most of her growing in the next installment. She really impressed me a few times, though, and I can't wait to see what Cameron has in store for this character. 

The plot is full of mystery and suspense. Cameron really puts her characters through the ringer in this book. Poor Katharine has a terribly difficult time. I was genuinely worried for her several times throughout the story. This is a bridge book, definitely, but it also has an intriguing plot and stands on its own. However because of the multitude of occurrences in this novel that were not dealt with, I foresee the next installment focusing more on the characters than the plot. I am interested to see how these events will affect the characters and the new characters will fit into future stories. The setting was lacking, in my opinion. I absolutely adore France, and I didn't feel like Cameron really described Paris at all. The story could have been set anywhere due to the lack of description, and I felt that was an injustice to such a marvelous city. Aside from random French phrases being thrown around, I really didn't get a sense that the characters were in France at all. The pacing is spot on, and I did not get bored once. The ending wraps up the main problem of this book, but so many new problems were introduced that there is more than enough room for several future installments, and I am glad for that. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book and series to those who enjoy Steam Punk novels that are more historically accurate than the run-of-the-mill "futuristic" devices and gender roles. Cameron seems very adamant to keep social norms for the time period in place, and transportation and other such technologies keep with the times. The only thing that makes this Steam Punk is the clockwork devices that Uncle Tully builds. But I digress. If you enjoy historical fiction with a touch of clockwork goodies, then this series is definitely for you. 

Pre-order A Spark Unseen!

THE DARK UNWINDING by Sharon Cameron

The Dark Unwinding
Sharon Cameron

Rating: A-
Release Date: 09/01/12
Synopsis:
A spine-tingling tale of steampunk and spies, intrigue and heart-racing romance!

When Katharine Tulman's inheritance is called into question by the rumor that her eccentric uncle is squandering away the family fortune, she is sent to his estate to have him committed to an asylum. But instead of a lunatic, Katharine discovers a genius inventor with his own set of rules, who employs a village of nine hundred people rescued from the workhouses of London.

Katharine is now torn between protecting her own inheritance and preserving the peculiar community she grows to care for deeply. And her choices are made even more complicated by a handsome apprentice, a secretive student, and fears for her own sanity.

As the mysteries of the estate begin to unravel, it is clear that not only is her uncle's world at stake, but also the state of England as Katharine knows it. With twists and turns at every corner, this heart-racing adventure will captivate readers with its intrigue, thrills, and romance.

My thoughts on the book:
The Dark Unwinding is a unique steam punk mystery that will leave readers begging for more. This story has it all, , an intriguing plot, well-developed characters, complex mysteries, and romance. From the first page, I was hooked. Once you pick up The Dark Unwinding, you will not be able to put it down until you've figured out all of the mysteries of Stranwyne, the community where Katharine's uncle lives. 

The plot is very different from the other steam punk novels I've read. Yes, there are clockwork inventions that are considered advanced for the time period, but these devices are simply Uncle Tully's "toys." There is no advanced form of transportation or communication. There is also no advancement in social norms. Women wear dresses and act like "ladies." Men are expected to take care of women. The class system is rigid and immovable, and if women don't marry well, then they are doomed to an unfortunate life. In a way, it was refreshing to read a book that kept the social norms of the time in tact. It was interesting to see the characters maneuver within these restrictions instead of simply ignoring them. 

Speaking of characters, they are the highlight of the book, especially the supporting cast. None of these characters were flat. They each had their own unique and believable personality. Uncle Tully is my absolute favorite secondary character ever, I do believe. He is adorable and child-like. I loved him from the start. There is just this innocence about him that makes you want to protect him from the world. I felt the same way about Davy. My heart broke for him because he was mute, and I loved Bertram. Mrs. Jeffries is more complicated than I originally thought. She cares deeply and is loyal to those who she feels are worthy. Mr. Babock was a canny character whom I enjoyed getting to know. Also, Mary was very unique and endearing. 

Lane is one of the best male leads I've read in a long time. He is complex, thoughtful, and protective, although he is also temperamental and harsh at times. He's never abusive, though, and he loves deeply. He also feels as if the responsibility of the entire village rests on his shoulders. His interactions with Uncle Tully and Davy really won me over... along with the fact that he's part French and fluent in the language. Hello hotness!

Katharine is a complex narrator and heroine. As intelligent as she is, she doesn't know herself very well. She comes to decisions emotionally before she ever recognizes them mentally. That was frustrating at times, but it made the story more interesting. Moreover, she was honest. I trusted her to tell me the objective truth about a situation because she operated on logic. That makes for a good, and interesting narrator. Most narrators show more biases. However, since she was unaware of how she felt about many things, perhaps she wasn't as honest as I first believed. Her words could have been tainted with an unknown, and unintentional bias. Either way, she did not have an agenda. 

On that note, I should inform you that this book makes you think. I loved that! I couldn't figure out exactly what was going on at any given time (I always had at least three possible ideas in my head for the mysteries of Stranwyne), and while some characters are less trustworthy than others, some of the "bad guys" surprised me. Additionally, I was forced to constantly question the narrator, even though she meant to be honest. I really enjoyed trying to figure out her biases. And finally, the explanations and descriptions of the area and the time period are spot-on. The village itself is wonderful and whimsical. Cameron did an amazing job with the world building. 

The only reason this book received an A- instead of an A+ is that the pacing was slightly off during the first 100 pages. Certain points during these pages dragged a little, which made the first third of the novel a bit slow going. However, once I got past the first hundred pages or so, I was rewarded! The last 200 pages are fast-paced, intense, and emotional. I could not put the book down! 

On a random note, the ending wraps up the main problem of this novel nicely, but is a bit open-ended. I hope this means that a sequel is in the works. I would really love to read more about this world and these characters!

Overall, I'd recommend this book to almost anyone. If you're a fan of steam punk, historical fiction, or mysteries, you will adore The Dark Unwinding. 

Pre-order The Dark Unwinding today!

SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY by Susan Dennard

Something Strange and Deadly
Susan Dennard

Rating: A
Release Date: 07/24/12
Synopsis from goodreads.com: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.


My thoughts on the book:
Something Strange and Deadly is one of those intense novels that kept me on the edge of my seat. I should have started this novel earlier in the day because I refused to put it down before I finished it. This resulted in a lost night's sleep, but it was so worth it! From the first zombie attack, which happened within the first few pages, I was hooked. The characters are well-developed, flawed, likable, and realistic. I couldn't help but sympathize with everyone (other than Eleanor's mother), even the bad guys. The plot is unique and engrossing. I also loved the setting. Most novels that are set in the Victorian Era are set in England and are steampunk. This isn't a steampunk book. There is not one overly advanced piece of technology. There are some strange inventions, but those inventions are still very much within the realm of possibility for the late 19th century. Dennard offers an interesting look into what Victorian Philadelphia would have been like if there had been a zombie invasion. 


Eleanor is no simpering miss, and because of this, she does not fit in during her time period. She's aware of this. She's too free-thinking for the Victorian Era. Therefore, she always feels like a misfit, which is a play on her name "Miss Fitt." Eleanor is a strong lead character who is willing to fight for what she believes in. She also isn't afraid to get her hands dirty and can take care of herself. She makes mistakes throughout this novel, but she grows immensely as a character. I can't wait to see what the sequel brings for her.


Another character that I found extremely interesting was Jie. However, I don't want to spoil the surprise with who Jie is, so I'm not going to analyze this character any further. Daniel is also a great leading man. He's tortured (of course) and has done some awful things. However, deep down, he's good, and he's willing to try to make amends. There are a lot of characters in this novel who want to make amends for their mistakes, and there are also some who are unrepentant. That seems to be the defining way to tell who is good and who is not - if they want to make up for the pain they've caused others, or if they want to continue to hurt others. There are no strong messages against class or oppression or anything like that, but I don't think taking a stand against Victorian Era society would be applicable to our contemporary society. Therefore, it would be rather pointless to make any statements to that effect. 


The plot is intense, and there is a mystery going on throughout the course of the novel. I figured it out pretty early on, but it wasn't obvious. I just made a guess based and was correct. There are tiny hints, but nothing that gives it away until the big reveal. Also, the plot is an emotional roller coaster. I was laughing at a lot of parts, and I cried at the end. Because of my ability to relate to all of the characters, I was extremely emotionally invested in this novel. Furthermore, the pacing is perfect. The story flew by even though the book is 400 pages long. Nothing felt rushed, though. I know I was white-knuckling my Kindle during the last 20% or so of the book. The intensity of the plot grows as the story continues, which basically forced me to finish this book in one sitting.


Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves zombie stories, mysteries, books set in the Victorian Era, or supernatural/paranormal books. Something Strange and Deadly has something for everyone, and it is one novel that you don't want to miss!


Want to pre-order Something Strange and Deadly?