63:120 Manners & Mutiny by Gail Carriger

The fourth and final book in the Finishing School series.  The Picklemen plot is coming to a head and Sophronia must use all her training to try and figure out how to keep herself and her friends safe.  A dinner party at Lord Akeldama's with the Dewan may lead to some answers but what do they really know and how much will they share?

Sophronia is definitely growing up and having to figure out how to navigate men better than she has previously as Lord Mersey and Soap are both vying for her affection in much more obvious ways that even SHE can't miss.  She must always contemplate what her future will hold depending on which way she should chose to turn for she has many choices before her.

I found this to be a satisfying conclusion to the series.  Most things were tied up with a very pretty, if deadly, little bow and those that weren't have more to do with some of the side characters and may be answered in time.  In all, a fun series that was exactly what my overworked brain needed this summer.


Page count: 326p/17,307p ytd/267,267p lifetime

62:120 Waistcoats & Weaponry by Gail Carriger

The third book in the Finishing School series.  Sophronia will do just about anything to help a friend so when Sidheag says that she must return to her Pack in Scotland, Sophronia is not one to turn her back even when it means hijacking a seemingly empty train that happens to be heading in the right direction with the help of her best friend Dimtry, her favorite sootie Soap, and Lord Felix Mersey who refuses to be left behind.  However, what they find as they explore the train is none other than Miss Monique Pelouse, Sophronia's nemesis, and a vampire drone guarding a mechanical invention that has some of the prototypes in it.  When they spot a dirigible following them,they realize they've somehow stumbled upon something much bigger than they were prepared for but thankfully they are well trained in improvisation.

Really, these have been delightfully light and fun summer reading books. There is character growth which is a big thing for me and the plots are engaging just enough to make sure I'm not bored but not overtaxing my brain either.



Page count: 298p/16,981p/266,941p

60:120 Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger

The 2nd book in the Finishing School series.  After the winter holidays where Sophronia managed to secure the prototype and have a cheese pie thrown at her, she thought school would get back to what passes for normal there.  However, there is now a trip to London and with all of Sophronia's sneaking about the school she has learned that there is much more to the trip than they have been told and dangerous conspiracies lurk everywhere, even when your dance card is full.  What makes it even harder on a young intelligencer is when you score top-marks and your classmates are set against you either through jealousy or teacher's machinations and you can't be sure where your friends loyalties lie just when you need them most.

A lovely installment, great for a summer read when my brain is mush and I just want something light and fun without much in the way of complicated plots but enough character growth that it's not completely boring.


Page Count: 310p/16,363p ytd/266,323p lifetime

59:120 Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

Ms. Sophrnia Temminick is a 14 year old trial to her mother.  She would rather climb and dismantle things than sit quietly and wait around as befits a girl so when she is invited to come to Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing School for Young Ladies of Quality, her mother is happy to send Sophronia there with the hopes of getting a young lady back in a few years.  What her mother does not know, nor does Sophronia until she arrives, is that this Finishing School teaches not just how to be a proper lady but how to be one while poisoning, stabbing, and spying.  Now there is a missing prototype and even though Sophronia is only a first-year, she is in the right place at the right time to keep it out of thoroughly unfashionable hands.

Set in the world of the Parasol Protectorate, it was nice to be back on familiar ground.  As this was YA, it was written a bit more simplistic and the plot was not terribly engaging but it was a perfect summer read.  Light and silly so I didn't have to think hard but just let it take me where it was going.  Sophronia took a bit to really get interesting but in the end, she did get there.  Soap was a great offset to her and really, who can't love Bumbersnoot?!



Page count: 307p/16,053p ytd/266,013p lifetime

New Releases I'm Looking Forward To: 4th Quarter 2015

My usual disclaimer:
Let me state, this is really based on authors or series that I'm already reading since those are the things I follow.  I'm not paid to write this blog nor do I have any affiliations with any publishers so I don't receive free books or advance notice of things except what I glean off Facebook from people who do have those contacts or what I research on my own (which again, leads back to authors that I'm already reading).  Maybe someday I'll be one of those who has the contacts and gets ARCs but it's not today.

Still running behind in a few series.  I've gotten a few under control but still quite a few that have gotten away from me.  *sigh*  Eventually I'll get caught up on those but it doesn't matter, I'll still be buying in my current series plus other things that catch my eye.  I'm thankful that this quarter is fairly light though since the 12th grade English is definitely on the heavier side.

Appropriately enough, October starts off with White Trash Zombie Gone Wild by Diana Rowland, the 5th book in the series.  When we last left Angel, she was becoming a true member of the zombie mofia.  There have been a lot of changes for her, mostly for the good, since she became a zombie but all of that is in jeopardy as she uncovers a plot to expose zombies to the public. Can she and undead friends put a stop to it or are they in serious danger of losing their heads?

Release Date: October 6


Yasmine Galenorn has a new series coming out as well with Autumn Thorns. Meet Kerris Fellwater, a former resident of Whisper Hollow, who ran away 15 years ago but can no longer ignore the signs that it's time for her to return and replace her grandmother as the spirit shaman of the town where the dead don't always rest easy.

Release Date: October 27

So speaking of series I really need to get caught up with, Manners & Mutiny by Gail Carriger is the fourth book in the Finishing School series and I've yet to even read the first book. That being the case, I really can't say much about this one except I am going to get to this series sooner rather than later!!!

Release Date: November 3

Reap the Wind by Karen Chance was significantly delayed but after two years with no Cassie, she's back! This time she is searching through time searching for Pritkin, with his dad in tow, to save him, hopefully without pissing off too many more demons or creating time paradoxes that are too awful.

Release Date: November 3

Amazingly enough, Chimera by Mira Grant is the last book in that trilogy and the last book I'm really looking forward to this year.  The implanted tapeworms are awake and taking over the human race. Sal and her family must come to terms with themselves and their nature if they are to have any chance of saving themselves.  I will admit, I found the last book a bit slow but am hopeful that this one where things have to wrap up will be better.

Release Date: November 24