Title: The Ghosts of Ashbury High (US)/ Dreaming of Amelia

Author: Jaclyn Moriarty

Genre: YA/Contemporary

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books (US) / Macmillan Children’s Books (UK)
Publication Date: June 2010 / April 2010
Paperback:(UK) 400 pages / HC (US): 496 pages

This is the story of Amelia and Riley, bad kids from bad Brookfield High who have transferred to Ashbury High for their final year. They’ve been in love since they were fourteen, they go out dancing every night, and sleep through school all day. And Ashbury can’t get enough of them.

Everyone’s trying to get their attention; even teachers are dressing differently, trying to make their classes more interesting. Everyone wants to be cooler, tougher, funnier, hoping to be invited into their cool, self-contained world.

But they don’t know that all Amelia can think about is her past — an idyllic time before she ran away from home. Riley thinks he’s losing her to the past, maybe even to a place further back in time. He turns to the students of Ashbury for help, and things get much, much worse.

Stand alone or series: It is part of a series of books set at Ashbury High/Brookfield schools but can be read as a stand alone.

How did I get this book: Bought

Why did I read this book: It called to me. Honestly. I had not read any reviews, nor any of this author’s previous books. I saw the cover and the title and IT WAS LIKE DESTINY CALLING MY NAME.

Review:

It was a dark and stormy night (when I started reading The Ghosts of Ashbury High). The rain fell torrentially and the trees outside rattled against my window occasionally. The house was silent and I was all alone. The lights in the street were out and I was reading by candlelight (ok, not really, but just go with the flow…). Reader! Hear the truth of my words! I had a strong sense of foreboding and a feeling of impending DOOM right after the first few pages and I felt I could faint at any moment.

And why, do you ask? The ghosts?, were you scared of the ghosts? Yes, Ghosts!!!! I say. I was too scared of the ghosts but no!!!! That sense of impending doom came upon the realisation that this book is INCREDIBLE and that I would have to go and buy Jaclyn Moriarty’s entire backlist, even if that made me bankrupt!! Even if I had to walk the miles to the bookstore in that DARK AND STORMY NIGHT!!!!!!

You know, gothically speaking.

It is the last year of High School for the students at Ashbury High and most of the story takes places during an HSC (High School Certificate in Australia) English exam on the topic of, yes, you guessed right, Gothic Fiction. The students have been asked to write a personal memoir which explores the dynamics of first impressions, drawing on their knowledge of gothic fiction. Thus, the majority of The Ghosts of Ashbury High’s narrative is via that exam question but also with letters, minutes from the school boards’ meetings, IM transcripts, blog entries (another assignment: write about Your Journey Home) interspersed throughout. Most of them alternate between the same four kids’ writings: Riley, Emily, Lydia and Toby and it mostly involves Riley and…Amelia.

“The first time I saw her I knew that my Amelia was a ghost”

Riley

Riley and Amelia are new at Ashbury High, a private school for rich and privileged kids, recently transferred from the neighbouring Brookfield public school on scholarships. From the get go Riley and Amelia take over everybody’s imagination with their aloofness, their mysterious comings and goings and their complete, obsessive involvement with each other at the expense of everybody else. Soon, they are excelling at everything: swimming, essay writing, arts. But there is just something not quite right about these two kids…….

I love epistolary novels. I LOVE them, in fact one of my all time favourite books is Wilkie Collins’ The Woman in White. Jaclyn Moriarty made me remember why exactly I love this form of narrative with this excellent novel. Starting with infusing these letters and essays with so much character and voice that it would be easy to recognise which of the characters is writing what even if it wasn’t stated at the beginning of each part. The mysterious, dark Riley; the reliable, deep Toby; the almost serious yet spoiled Lydia; the drama queen Emily.

“It was the first day of Year 12.I had set out that morning with trepidation. I did not, in all honesty, see a crow, a raven, or any other black bird on the way to school that day. And yet! I was trepidatious.”

Emily

BUT!!!!!

Those are first impressions dear readers. Because this book is terminally clever: as the kids write their memoirs and starting with their first impressions of Riley and Amelia, we, as readers, are doing the same with the kids. And by the end of the book, none of them are left standing – within the book or within the reader.

It starts very, very light, hilarious even with each of them writing in what they think a Gothic narrative should be (complete with excess of exclamation points!!!!) and because of that, the reader never knows if what we are reading is true or not. Yes, epistolary narrative always has a degree of unreliability because we are wholly dependent on whoever is writing and whether they have chosen to write the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

BUT!!!!!

Even what a narrator chose to leave out of its narrative is important. And because there are four distinct narrators, a certain degree of truthfulness always end up making its way into the story. Sometimes they narrate the same event even, from such a completely discrepant point of view and yet both have got to be true somehow.

“There was the first time I saw this exam question. It happened just now. (…) my first impression of this question is that it sucks. Nothing has happened so far to change my mind.”

Lydia

As the story gains momentum and the plot thickens, I could not turn the pages faster. The story is almost like a farce, definitely gothic (ghosts!), a lot of comedy and so much heartbreak and character growth that I don’t even know how or when it happened but all of a sudden I am not reading the book I thought I was reading when I first set out.

This is a story about rich kids, poor kids, how their surroundings influence and the parenting that each has, shaped their present and possibly the future. About the opportunities the State and life give them (or not), and about abuse and about turning a blind eye to abuse and how adults sometimes suck so much (I could sucker punch the school’s principal if I could after a conversation he has with Emily) and how friendship and resilience and smarts can help with changing things.

BUT!!!!

That is not all. Somehow in the middle of it, Moriarty manages to go all historical as Toby’s narrative is actually him telling a story of an Irish convict who is sent to Australia when it was still a penal colony. Tom Kindaid’s story intermingles with the other narratives and is as interesting as the rest of it all.

“I have just noticed that the exam question asks for a personal memoir. So you want to hear from me – Toby Mazzerati – not some Irish convict dude named Tom Kinkaid who lived here in 1804. Hence, please disregard the above, and I will start my answer now.Thanks for your time”

Toby

And also: BLACK HOLES!!!!

And if you think for a moment that all of this is too much, please trust me when I say this. It is not! I can’t stress that enough!!!! With extra exclamation points!!! It is of UTMOST IMPORTANCE that I get this point across!!!!!! All is flawlessly linked and you only realise that in the EXTRAORDINARY ending when every.Single.Plot.Line comes together and my head exploded (gothically speaking) with the sheer brilliance of this book.

It is imaginative, poignant, heart-warming AND heartbreaking. Hilarious too.

PLUS!!!!

It has awesome GIRLS. Who talk to each other about many, many things other than boys. Although boys are involved and for example, the romance between Lydia and Seb which we see happening via Emily’s narrative (because she is a “student of love”), is amazing. But not as amazing as the girls themselves and how smart, talented yet flawed they are and what they will do for each other and how afraid they are of the future because this is what this book is all about: the future and how to get there and how terrifying that moment between the end of your teenage years and the beginning of your adult life is.

Above all though, this is a book about second chances (for everybody. And I do mean, EVERY SOUL) and how without them there is NO future.

I can’t think of a single thing that does not work in this book and I loved it with every bit of my being (brain and heart!) and I re-read it before writing this review and still it managed to evoke this feeling of greatness and warmth and it is awesome and I URGE you to go and read it. Your life may depend on it!!!!! You know, gothically speaking.

Notable Quotes/ Parts:

There was also the first time I saw them. It happened in roll call, the first day of the year.

He had a pair of swimming goggles slung over his shoulder. She
had bloodshot eyes. He sat on the window ledge, facing the room.
She turned and pressed her forehead to the glass to look out.
They were talking to each other.

I remember he called her Ame. Like aim. Like a command. And I
thought that her bloodshot eyes were looking out the window for a
target.

I remember she called him Riley, like his name could not be touched.

They both had wet hair, only hers was brushed back into a long
ponytail. From behind, I could see that the ponytail was leaking:

Thin watershadows formed on her school shirt.

As I watched, he rubbed his hands over his head. He was friendly
and rough with his head, as if it were a dog. Now his hair stood up in
spikes.

And then something happened.

She reached a hand toward him and he reached his hand toward
her, but his eyes found the eyes of strangers in the room. Their hands
almost touched but did not.

I saw cobwebs in the slender, empty space between those hands.

* * *
Later, at lunch, I told my friends about them.

“There’s two new people,” I said — and a storm rattled the windows
of the room.

I said they’d been together for years. I said they were swimmers. I
said they trained every day, and that swimming was her passion but he
went along just to swim beside her. I said she had a secret that was
breaking his heart.

Everything I said was based on my impression of Amelia and Riley
at the window in the classroom.

But nothing has happened so far to change my mind.

Additional Thoughts

Jaclyn Moriarty has written three other books in The Ashbury/Brookfield series – all of them epistolary novels, be still my heart:

The first (which I already read and it is GREAT too) is:

Life is pretty complicated for Elizabeth Clarry. Her best friend Celia keeps disappearing, her absent father suddenly reappears, and her communication with her mother consists entirely of wacky notes left on the fridge. On top of everything else, because her English teacher wants to rekindle the “Joy of the Envelope,” a Complete and Utter Stranger knows more about Elizabeth than anyone else.

But Elizabeth is on the verge of some major changes. She may lose her best friend, find a wonderful new friend, kiss the sexiest guy alive, and run in a marathon. So much can happen in the time it takes to write a letter…

The second one, also has different titles in the US and UK/Australia

When Lydia, Emily, and Cassie are assigned pen pals among the thugs at Brookfield High, they respond in characteristic style:

Cassie: “I always think it’s funny when a teacher tries to be cool. I want to sit them down and say ‘It’s okay, you’re a grown-up, you’re allowed to be a nerd,’ and they will look up at me confused but also relieved and teary-eyed.”

Lydia: “I am a fish. You wouldn’t think so to look at me, what with my uniform and the hair on top of my head and all that. But it’s true. I am a fish.”

Emily: “Don’t get me started about chocolate! My nickname might be ‘Em,’ but sometimes it’s also Toblerone! I think this is an angiogram of Thompson, which is my last name.”

And their pen-pals? Sebastian is an artist, a black belt in Tae Kwan Do, and a major hottie. Charlie is utterly gullible, a car expert/occasional thief, and a really sweet guy. But Matthew is…well, he’s either a psychopath or a figment of Cassie’s imagination, neither of which is a good sign. And what starts out as a simple letter exchange leads to secret assignments, false alarms, lock picking, legal drama, mistaken identities, Dates with Girls, and all-out war between the schools . . . the biggest challenge Lydia, Cass, and Emily’s friendship has ever faced.

And the third:

The Motive
Bindy Mackenzie is the most perfect girl at Ashbury High. She scores in the 99.9th percentile in all her classes. She holds lunchtime advisory sessions for her fellow students. She keeps careful transcripts of everything said around her. And she has been Kmart casual Employee of the Month for seventeen months straight.
No wonder somebody wants to kill her.

The Suspects
Bindy is horrified to learn she must take part in the Friendship And Development Project – a new class meant to provide a “life raft” through “the tricky seas of adolescence.” Bindy can’t see how airheaded Emily Thompson, absentminded Elizabeth Clarry, mouthy Toby Mazzerati, malicious Astrid Bexonville, silent Briony Atkins, narcissistic Sergio Saba and handsome, enigmatic Finnegon Blonde could ever possibly help her.
(Well, maybe Finnegan could.)

The Crime
But then Bindy’s perfect life begins to fall apart. She develops an obsession with the word “Cincinnati.” She can’t stop feeling sleepy. She fails an exam for the first time ever. And – worst of all – she just doesn’t care.
What could be the cause of all these strange events? Is it conspiracy? Is it madness? Is it . . . murder?

The Truth
Lots of people hate Bindy Mackenzie – but who would actually kill her? The answer is in Bindy’s transcripts. The detectives are the members of her FAD group. But Bindy has made every one of them into an enemy . . . and time is running out.

I shall read them all and review them soon.

What about you: are you a fan of her books? Which one is your favourite. And WHY DID YOU NOT TELL ME ABOUT HER BOOKS BEFORE?

Verdict: The Ghosts of Ashbury High is stupendous. Engaging, clever narrative and with the amazing characters. The plot itself doesn’t let go and the ending is….perfect. Straight into my top 10 of 2010 it goes.

Rating: 10. TEN!!! It is as perfect as only an Ana-Book could ever be.

Reading Next: My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger

Title: Go, Mutants!

Author: Larry Doyle

Genre: Speculative Fiction, Horror, Comedy, Young Adult

Publisher: Ecco
Publication Date: June 2010
Hardcover: 368 Pages

The author of I Love You, Beth Cooper returns with an ingenious contemporary satire set in an alternate universe populated by the aliens, mutants, and atomic monsters of B-movie legend.

It came to Earth . . . and now its spawn goes to high school.

Earth has survived repeated alien invasions, attacks by hordes of mutants, and the ravages of ancient beasts brought back to life. Now we’re in the blissful future…for most.

J!m, the son of the alien who nearly destroyed the planet, is a brooding, megacephalic rebel with a big forehead and exceptionally oily skin. Along with Johnny, a radioactive biker ape, and Jelly, a gelatinous mass passing as a fat kid, J!m navigates a particularly unpleasant adolescence in which he really is as alienated as he feels, the world might actu-ally be out to get him, and true love is complicated by mis-understanding and incompatible parts. As harmless school antics escalate into explosive events with tragic consequences, J!m makes a discovery that will alter the course of civilization, though it may help his dating life.

Replete with all the rock ‘n’ roll, hot-rod racing, and heavy petting of classic teen cinema—and packed with famous film-monster cameos—Go, Mutants! is fun strapped to an atomic rocket, and Doyle’s deadpan delivery and razor-sharp wit will have you laughing out loud before he even starts the ignition sequence.

Stand alone or series: Stand alone novel

How did we get this book: (Autographed) ARCs from BookExpo America

Why did we read this book: Funny story, actually. Thea initially had this book highlighted on her BEA calendar as MUST GET OR DIE – based on the awesome synopsis and sweet cover. Ana wasn’t really interested…until she saw the line for the book, saw the awesome cover, and read the blurb too. Thus, both armed with autographed copies, the two book smugglers vowed to do a joint review for the book – and soon, given the release date.

And here we are. (Yes, we know we’re changing pronouns and tenses all over the place. But this is all in the spirit of Go, Mutants! Seriously.)

REVIEW:

First Impressions:

Thea: If this were a job interview and I had to describe Go, Mutants! in three words, they would be: Bizarre. Neato. Diabolical.

Well, it’s also nostalgic, a sweet mashup/homage to B-movies and classics (both of the horror and teen angst variety), hilarious, and raunchy good fun. (I was never good at the three words question) While Go, Mutants! does have its drawbacks and falters in its delivery, at times trying too hard (and there’s nothing more square than trying too hard, daddy-o), overall, the novel succeeds in its own weirdo, radioactive kind of way.

Ana: Thea you so crack me up, but yeah, I agree with you, babydoll. Ugh, sorry, I can’t do the back-to-the-60s speak but Larry Doyle can. And that’s what’s important. Although there is a certain unevenness feel to the writing (which I will address later) , the book is rollicking good fun, with characters I positively loved and some sequences that were pure genius – including the ending.

On the Plot:

Thea: Imagine a 1950s world in which aliens, mutants, and other assorted B-movie monsters are integrated into regular society. Imagine that these aliens, mutants and monsters are parents, teachers, and other taxpaying, law abiding citizens. And they have children – children that are going to high school, alongside human kids, getting into the same sort of shenanigans, going through the same pubescent awkwardness, sexual frustration, and angst. Go, Mutants! follows young J!m, the son of a feline extraterrestrial mother and a large-brained, matter-energy devouring father – a father that also happened to, ahem, try to destroy the world (unsuccessfully). J!m makes his way through high school in the manner of many teen boys – armed with a generous heaping of male ennui, tight jeans, and a impenetrable aura of brooding. With his friends Jelly (whom you may recognize from a classic film about an amorphous blob from outer space) and Johnny (son of the union between a beautiful blonde and her ape-captor), J!m walks the treacherous halls of High School – avoiding human bullies, dealing with awkward sexual urges, and, of course, falling in love. Of course, J!m has quite the family legacy to live down, making his journey through high school a little more complicated than the average teen’s – especially when the proverbial poop hits the fan, again, and J!m uncovers a truth about his family past that no one wants to believe.

Story-wise, Go, Mutants! is a solid, if strange, romp that reads like a hybrid of Rebel Without A Cause meets The Twilight Zone. This isn’t exactly a plot-driven novel (it’s much more character-centric), but the world that Larry Doyle has created (or remembered and reimagined) is compelling stuff. I love the premise of the book, with aliens and mutants as part of the everyday world (however discriminated against they may be), and the choice of following one such outsider through high school; it gives a whole new meaning to the word “alienation.” There’s also an awesome homage to numerous films: the aforementioned Rebel Without a Cause (down to the planetarium!), The Blob, the numerous Godzilla films, King Kong, and more. My love for the allusions in this book are perhaps best shown in this line:

the monsters were lined up on Maple Street.

referencing the Twilight Zone episode of the same name (one of my personal favorites) – “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street.” What’s so great about this line is that it references an episode that focused on the evils that humanity inflicts upon itself – paranoia and fear of possible aliens causes the residents of Maple Street to turn on themselves, leading to a mob mentality, over and over again (as the experiment, carried out by – you guessed it – aliens, yields the same results time and time again). In Go, Mutants!, it’s a clever, very appliable analogy – as the fearful, paranoid, self-interested humans round up the so called “monsters.”

It’s lines like this that make Go, Mutants! work – there’s this subtlety, this biting absurdism and sardonic wit. However, by the same token, there is a feeling of trying too much at times. The initial chapters of the book are a bit confusing, as is the general background for the novel. Getting into Go, Mutants! is not an easy thing, especially as the technicalities and history are so vague and covered with so much techno-jargon. It’s not really clear why so many people and creatures have mutated, nor is it clear what certain technologies are – and the overall impression is of one trying to be witty and absurdist, but not exactly succeeding. Gripes with writing style aside, the movie/tv/pop culture references were enough to keep me engaged and hungry for more.

But, more importantly, as much as this is a science fiction/horror drive in special kind of a book, it’s also very much a book about its characters – which is where the book truly shines.

Ana: I had a hard time with the book to start with and I think part of it stems from

1) a certain vagueness with regards to what was happening to the world and a lack of specifics with regards to technical terms, etc. There is no info dump and the reader is just thrust in the middle of this alternate America. Whereas this is usually a good thing, I thought it was rather confusing at least in the beginning. Once I got used to it all, and got to know the characters, it was easier. Plus, something that happens in the end explains the use of language and I for one, found it AWESOME.

2) and from my own specific background. English is not my mother tongue and some of the language used is really, I don’t even know which word to use to describe but for example words such as “imbide”, “effervesced” and “obsolesced” were used in day to day language and I had to stop and think about them. Plus, I don’t feel I have enough knowledge of American culture to appreciate and “get” all the puns and all the movie/tv/pop culture references. For example, the Twilight Zone reference that Thea quoted above was totally lost on me although I am proud to say I think I got some others which definitely made it for a fun read – trying to connect all the dots.

As I said, once I got used to the language and the zany execution of plot, I was completely onboard. More than the specific reference to pop culture though what I liked the most were all the political paranoia, the underlying themes of racism, prejudice and bullying all deftly dealt with by the author without being preachy. There is also a very, very clever, keenly cynical sequence about how the religions in the world reacted to the knowledge that we are not alone in the universe.

“Some adapted. The Unitarians changed their name to the Cosmotarians and expanded their refreshments; Reform Jews retroactively added another dozen tribes. Roman Catholics, seldom living in the same century as everyone else, issue the Dei Verbum, (…)”

Even though yes, I agree with Thea, it seems that the author is trying too hard to be clever and witty with regards to language and plotting, I have to say that the characters were awesome and just right.

On the Characters:

Thea: As I said before, Go, Mutants! is very much a character driven novel – it is because of the strength of its characters that the book really works as well as it does, especially in the face of some hit or miss writing. J!m’s story – as the teen that is living down his father’s infamy, his mother as something of an Oedipal nightmare, his unrequited love for neighbor (and intelligent popular girl) Marie, and his own bodily changes – is what truly made the book for me. I loved J!m’s sense of humor, his ability to stand up to those significantly stronger than himself, and his grappling with his own feelings of inadequacy (especially when it comes to Marie). And Marie, as J!m’s love interest and friend is more than deserving of his attentions. Hilarious, smart, sassy (in a subtle way), I loved Marie just as much as I did J!m. Then, of course, there’s the bevy of supporting characters – the funny, gelatinous Larry and tough guy Johnny as the two main standouts. There’s also the hilarious story of a girl named Sandra Jane and her enormous gazungas (and her own self esteem problems), a bully and his sister, and assorted others.

Even the characters met en passant are fleshed out and genuine, adding to novel. I must say, I am very impressed. One final note worth mentioning here – I loved how overtly sexual the book is. Not just because it goes with the tradition of the 1950s nostalgia that Go, Mutants! pays tribute to, but because these are teenage boys after all – and it really bugs me that so many YA books are sanitized of even the mentioning of sexual content. J!m – and the other characters in the book – are sixteen and horny (both guys AND girls). It’s refreshing to see that isn’t glossed over.

Ana: Totally agree with Thea here – that’s where Go,Mutants becomes a darn good book. From the get go, I fell in love with J!m. Even as I struggled with the world he lives in, I saw the potential for this character from page one and Larry Doyle did not disappoint me. His arc was well done, and I felt sympathy, compassion, sometimes anger for the kid, as he struggled with being bullied, or just being a brooking teenager. Loved his sense of humour and his repartee with his teachers, friends and foes. And how much did I root for him to hook up with Marie? LOADS, that’s how much.

The secondary characters were awesome too but I loved especially Johnny who was always there for J!m and J!m’s mother, a strong woman trying to raise her son and who did not put up with BS.

Final Thoughts, Observations and Rating:

Thea: Although I did have some roadblocks in my enjoyment of the book initially, the strength of the characters and the awesome shoutouts to classic films, television, and other sundries made Go, Mutants! totally worth it, for me. Definitely recommended to someone that like a little humor, old school horror/scifi mashups, and hormone-fueled romp.

Ana: I really enjoyed Go, Mutants , in spite some initial reservations. Although I don’t think this is a book for every reader, it is definitely recommended to those who enjoy whimsical, humorous, character-driven stories. Or, if you like Douglas Adams or Mark Henry’s books or The Simpsons, you should be safe.

Notable Quotes/Parts: A perfect example of character + language:

“J!m’s ears folded down and his cheeks burned Bunsen blue, lit from beneath by an amygdalal inferno of humiliation, as he absorbed oil and an object lesson: why worry about dying sometime in the future – say, tomorrow night – when he was dying every second of his life”

Additional Thoughts:

Go, Mutants! has a freakin’ sweet website – with music, multimedia nostalgia, and lots of book info. We highly recommend you go forth and check it out.

And in other big news, the book has been optioned for film by (so sweetly fitting) Universal. Here’s to hoping the film adaptation is just as enteratining as the book!

Rating:

Thea: 7 – Very Good

Ana: 7 – Very Good

Reading Next: Crossing Over by Anna Kendall

Title: Girl Genius (Omnibus Vol. 1)

Author: Phil and Kaja Foglio

Genre: Comics, Steampunk, Comedy, Adventure, Romance, Speculative Fiction

Publisher: Studio Foglio
Publication Date: November 2006 (omnibus edition)
Softcover: 312 pages

Stand alone or series: Collects volumes 1-3 of the ongoing Girl Genius webcomic (updated every Monday, Wednesday and Friday online)

Agatha Clay is a student at Transylvania Polygnostic University and a complete klutz. But when the University is overthrown and a mechanical monster stalks the streets, it begins to look as though Agatha may carry a spark of Mad Science after all! This convenient backpack-sized, black and white edition contains the first three volumes of the Girl Genius collection and is a perfect gift for anyone new to the series.

How did we get this book: Bought (although you can read the series for free in its entirety online)

Why did we read this book: We have heard NOTHING but praise for Girl Genius. By multiple accounts, this is the definitive steampunk comic. And given that neither of us had read or even heard of the webcomic before, we were eager to jump in.

REVIEW:

First Impressions:

Thea: Holy crap, Girl Genius is freaking fun. This is a manic, hilarious, adventure-filled gem of a comic, and I cannot believe I have only just heard of it now. Basically, from the opening frame, I was hooked. From the zany writing (lots of extreme emotions) to the crisp artwork, I loved this book. And you can bet your Agatha-style Victorian undergarments that I’ll be back for more.

Ana: Oh dear lord, I can’t express how much I loved Girl Genius.Oh wait, I CAN: I loved this collection like you wouldn’t believe. Firstly, it is as Steampunk as it can be in every sense of the word (or genre). Secondly, it is SO much fun to read. Not only because it is actually a pretty funny book but also because of all the adventure and manic plot and the awesome characters. I have to say, I did not see this one coming. Loved it.

On the Plot:

Thea: This omnibus edition collects the first three “issues” of the Girl Genius series. In the first issue, titled “Agatha Heterodyne & The Beetleburg Clank” introduces us to a pretty, frazzled young student named Agatha – who, despite her imagination and ability to visualize complex mechanical designs, cannot build anything that works. Her life is turned upside down when she’s first accosted by two soldiers, who steal her beloved beetle-locket (the only remaining keepsake she has from her deceased parents). Then the despotic tyrant ruler, Baron Wulfenbach, his son Gilgamesh, and their armed guard of clanks (automatons) and Jagermonsters (hilarious, fierce “monsters” that speak with over-the-top accents) drop by Beetleburg and visit the university laboratory where Agatha is working as an assistant…and, inadvertently, they end up blowing up Dr. Beetle (Agatha’s mentor). Enraged, depressed, and kicked out of the university, Agatha returns home to relay the events of the day to her surrogate parents…who seem disproportionately concerned about Agatha’s loss of her locket. Soon, more chaos ensues as a rogue clank is unleashed on the town by an unknown maker – and Baron Wulfenbach believes it must be the work of a new Spark; that is, one gifted with the ability to create intricate machinery. The search is on for the new Spark – and it leads to Agatha’s home.

The second and third issues, “Agatha Heterodyne & The Airship City” and “Agatha Heterodyne & The Monster Engine,” follow Agatha as she is whisked aboard the Baron’s secret airship city, and the ordeals she goes through as she discovers that she, indeed, is a Spark. And not just any spark – she’s got a whole legacy to her name, and now everyone wants to kill her, or follow her.

What can I say about the writing of this fantastic comic? That it’s uproariously funny? It’s surprisingly intricate? That Agatha’s journey of self-discover is hilarious, touching, and empowering at the same time? Girl Genius is all of these things, and more besides. The universe the Foglios have created here is deceptively complex – there’s a tyrant who really doesn’t want to be a tyrant, an empire at peace but at the high cost of fear and enforced servitude, a whole magical hierarchy of Sparks, monsters that have peculiar tastes and mannerisms, science experiments gone amok, cities in the sky, legendary tales of the Heterodyne boys…the list goes on. Suffice to say that there is a lot going on in this comic – in a good way. Although it’s a little strange at the beginning (seriously, this book moves at a manic pace), I was quickly, hopelessly immersed in Agatha’s universe.

I should also say that the art in this book is fantastic. I’m not much of an artist by any stretch of the imagination, but I loved the contrast between the first issue and the second and third (different shading techniques), as well as the crisp, clean strokes the Foglios employ. These first three issues were originally published in black and white (though they are fully colored online now), and the omnibus stays true to that, which is cool. I also quite like how curvy Agatha is and I luuuuuuuuuuuurve her oversize glasses.

Ana: What Thea said. Every word of it. I think the most important thing to say is how the story at first, comes across as deceptively light and simple read when in fact it is not. With every single page, details of the world-building were being added, details of the character’s history were being revealed and what started as the story of a girl caught in something she is not prepared for ended up being a LOT more than that: full of complex comes and goings, relationships, mysteries and plot twists. I am completely, utterly enamoured with this book.

The amount of detail is staggering: because the story deals not only with Agatha but with the entire world as well. There are repercussions about everything and the more the particulars were being revealed to the reader, the more glued to the pages I was. These details also appear in the art where every single thing in each panel is beautifully drawn – I too love the art here.

On the Characters:

Thea: Ahhh, Agatha. Agatha, Agatha, Agatha. She really grows on you. Upon first meeting, she gets beat up by a soldier (seriously! smacked around!), and she’s prone to bouts of frustration and headaches, which are pretty hilarious. As the comic progresses, we learn that she’s always felt like a moron, however, on account that nothing she builds works. And then, she’s forced to confront the truth that she is, indeed, a spark. It’s a cool progression, and I loved this zany, sleepwalk-in-her-underwear-prone character. What’s coolest about Agatha is how she stands up for others AND for herself – when she’s made offers of marriage or seen as the ‘damsel’ in distress, she’s able to hold her own.

The other main characters are similarly – surprisingly – well developed, too. I love how there’s this ambiguity throughout. We readers are told who the “good” and “bad” guys are – but there are extenuating circumstances. A “hero” character, for example, turns out to be a ridiculous Zapp Brannigan type of dude, meanwhile the tyrant Baron is shown as having no patience for politics and gives off the air that he’s tyrant just to keep the peace…because no one else will.

And then, of course, there’s young Gilgamesh and what appears to be the budding romance between him and Agatha. Hilarious. Awesome. Did I mention, hilarious? Yeah. It’s like that.

Ana: At the risk of sounding like a fan-girl (but what the heck, that’s exactly what I became after reading it): the characters are completely awesome. They have depth, they have flair, including the villains. All of them, the Baron and Von Pinn (I am not going there as to not spoil but Von Pin is seriously, seriously made of win) for example actually have shades of grey which makes them way believable and relatable.

The awesomeness of Von Pinn

Agatha, our protagonist is as Thea says: she grows on you as she grows on page. Her arc is an interesting one – even if not especially original.

Finally: Gilgamesh and the romantic developments. I am so totally on board of THAT ship.

Final Thoughts, Observations and Rating:

Thea: If you couldn’t tell, I loved Girl Genius – and I cannot wait to finish reading the series online, and follow along with the droves of other dedicated fans each week for more Agatha Heterodyne! Absolutely recommended – this is a comic appropriate for all ages, and for all readers.

Ana:The series is made of win and I have only one regret: that I didn’t know about it sooner. Do yourself a favour and go read it now, NOW.

BUT IS IT STEAMPUNK?!

Thea: Yup. The technology is central to the plot, and the world is undoubtedly steampunky in style and substance. I say, yay.

Ana: Oh yes, most definitely. However, the author doesn’t seem to think so, preferring to call it Gaslamp Fantasy. I am completely amused by the fact that as soon as I find something that I DO consider Steampunk, I am told it is not. Oh, well: I still consider it Steampunk. I will go as far as to say it is one of the most Steampunk reads I’ve ever seen.

Notable Quotes/Parts: Take this exchange, “The Falling Machine” (here are the first two pages, you can read the full chapter in its entirety online):

Additional Thoughts: We’ve recently received another steampunk webcomic recommendation that warrants mention. If you like Girl Genius, you might want to try out 2D Goggles, the ongoing Lovelace and Babbage saga. Take, for instance, the origin:

Rating:

Thea: 8 – Excellent

Ana: 8 – Excellent

Reading Next: The Alchemy of Stone by Ekateria Sedia

Title: Arcadia Snips and the Steamwork Consortium

Author: Robert C. Rodgers, illustrated by Todd Wills

Genre: Steampunk, Fantasy, Adventure, Comedy, Young Adult

Publisher: Steam-Powered Press
Publication Date: October 2009
Paperback: 288 pages

In an era of bygone anachronisms and steam-powered ambulatory engines, a sharp-witted street-thief with a heart of semi-precious metal finds herself locked in a battle of wits against a secret plot to bring the city she loves to its knees. Arcadia will need to enlist the help of a reformed mad scientist, a stern suffragette, and a persnickety pigeon to unravel the mysterious past of the Steamwork Consortium – and stop the cabal of sinister mathematicians who would use that past to destroy all of Aberwick. Arcadia Snips and the Steamwork Consortium is both a cautionary tale against reckless mathematics and an accurate historical account all rolled up into one. In fact, the story is so accurate that you might consider it more of a history lecture than an illustrated novel.

Stand alone or series: Stand alone novel

How did I get this book: Review Copy from the author

Why did I read this book: Though we mostly review books from larger publishers, we also like to share the love with independent/self/small-presses too – provided the book sounds like something we want to read. When we received a review query from the author of the book last year, I read the synopsis and first chapter online and was instantly hooked – and what better a time to review this novel than during Steampunk Week?

Review:

“Dear Madame,” the letter read. “Although we remain appreciative of your continued attempts to bring a feminine touch to the world of aeronautics, the Royal Society of Aviation regrets to inform you that your design shall fly only once swine have taken to the skies.”

The letter was framed and mounted on the dining room wall.

So begins Arcadia Snips and the Steamwork Consortium (henceforth Arcadia Snips), described quite aptly in its tagline as “Being A Wholly Accurate Historical Account Concerning Matters Of Steam, Skullduggery, And The Irresponsible Application Of Reckless Mathematics In The 19th Century.” Of all the books I’ve read this week (so far), Arcadia Snips is by far the most traditionally Steampunkish (Steampunky?). Taking place in the late nineteenth century, the novel includes no shortage of creative machines, flying contraptions, and other steam-powered miscellanea. There’s even political intrigue, a dash of romance, and Great Peril – all of this in spades. Alternating storylines between “the past” (twenty years in the past), in which an unlikely partnership forms between three far-sighted individuals, and the present, in which a thief named Arcadia finds herself in the employ of a powerful Count, as his consultant in the Watts and Sons Detective Agency’s investigation of the murder of Basil Copper.

Arcadia Snips, the titled protagonist, is a delightfully quirky heroine in this delightfully quirky book. Just look at our initial introduction to her:

Beneath Arcadia Sinps’ derby hat and short black curls was the face of a silver-fanged cherub — a mocha-toned antel with enough charm to sell a pack of matches to a man doused in lamp oil. But whenever she grinned, the very tip of that silver fang would tuck over the edge of her bottom tooth. It gave her a savage, frightful look.

It is also worth mentioning that we first meet Arcadia as she is shackled in prison (having escaped from jail twice, and about to accomplish this wriggling, lock-defying feat for the third time in a row). She’s a thief, a wise-cracker, and, again, altogether delightful with her wit and verve. And while Arcadia on her own as a protagonist would be enough personality for this book teeming with silly cleverness, she also has a male counterpart in young William Daffodil, the son of two “mad scientists” (that greatly endangered the city of Aberwick in the past storyline) and a young man that is much more interested in the safety of mathematics than the perils of mad science. This pair…well, they just work.

Beyond these protagonists, there are the “past” characters that are wonderful in and of themselves – Abigail Parsley, for example, has one of the best opening sequences in the book. We also get into the minds of villains, a most unique perspective.

What I loved the most about Arcadia Snips, beyond the characters, was the pure delight of reading the book entails. It’s silly, to be sure, but so witty and absurdly fun, it’s all the better for it. Dialogue between characters verges on the persnickety and crazed at times, but the authenticity and eminent readability of this novel make it all worth it. For every misstep, there’s a gem like this:

The city of Aberwick was a topographical nightmare wrested from the laudanum-fueled fever dreams of half-mad cartographers. It was cradled in a yawning canyon of volcanic rock, with communities swelling up into massive heaps of brick and timber; the trains flowed aside, above, and even through these mounds.

As I said, truly wonderful stuff.

I also should mention that Arcadia Snips is an illustrated novel, with the visual stylings of artist Todd Wills. While I’m not a huge fan of the cover (a bit cartoony and a strange color scheme – does the cover version of Arcadia look like Calamity Jack to anyone else?), I do love the black and white illustrations within as they capture the book’s mood perfectly.

I’m always a little bit scared of taking on independently or self-published books – but books like Arcadia Snips remind me of why I agree to do so in the first place. Every now and then a true undiscovered gem comes along, and I’m happy to say that this book is one of them.

Whole-heartedly recommended to all looking for a farcical, somewhat deranged (in a good way!) steampunk read. Arcadia Snips and the Steamwork Consortium is a delight.

BUT IS IT STEAMPUNK? Oh, hell yes. It’s the most traditionally steampunk novel I’ve read this week!

Notable Quotes/Parts: From the introduction:

ACT 1

“In yet another example of tragically misapplied genius, the mysterious anarchist who calls himself Professor Hemlock has done it again—several of the Eastern Aberwick Bank’s calculation engines have been crippled through the irresponsible application of reckless mathematics. The rogue chaotician claimed responsibility for the financial disaster in a letter delivered to the Isle Gazette (see page 9a), citing the company’s cutthroat business tactics, support of imperialism, and rude bank tellers as justification. Authorities continue to investigate the anarchist’s activities while urging all citizens to behave no differently during this time of fiscal duress. Meanwhile, one question lingers upon the lips of every man, woman, and child: Who is Professor Hemlock?”
—Front page of the Isle Gazette, ‘PROFESSOR HEMLOCK STRIKES AGAIN’

Additional Thoughts: The coolest part about Arcadia Snips and the Steamwork Consortium? It’s available in its totality for FREE online!

You can check out the book’s website HERE and the illustrator’s website HERE. To download a free PDF copy of the book, go HERE. You won’t regret it.

Rating: 7 – Very Good

Reading Next: Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

“Inspirations and Influences” is a new series of articles in which we invite authors to write guest posts talking about their…well, Inspirations and Influences. The cool thing is that the writers are given free reign so they can go wild and write about anything they want. It can be about their new book, series or about their career as a whole.

Today’s guest is Molly Harper, author of the awesomely hilarious, compulsively readable Jane Jameson (“Nice Girls Don’t…”) series. Part chick lit, part urban fantasy, part paranormal romance, with a healthy dose of snark and comedy throughout, Molly Harper’s got the writing thing down pat. When we were offered a chance to read and review her books, we were ecstatic – and we loved them. Then, when we were given the opportunity to have Molly over here to chat about her sources of inspiration and various influences, and to participate in an interactive Q&A with YOU, dear readers, we were even more stoked.

Ladies and gents, please give it up for the lovely Molly Harper!

I know there’s a post-Millennium backlash against holding your parents responsible for how you turn out, but really, my parents have no one to blame but themselves.

My parents are voracious readers. They can sit down with a good book and finish it in an afternoon. So it wasn’t a huge surprise to my mom when four-year-old me started sounding out words on the Lucky Charms box. My parents indulged my love of reading with trips to the library and a membership in the Especially for Girls book club. Sunday afternoons were usually marked with a sojourn to Waldenbooks and a new Babysitters Club paperback.

There were early warning signs. People asked what I wanted to be when I grew up- I said, “Mad Scientist.” I checked out those non-fiction “Mysteries of the Paranormal” books from the school library so many times that the librarian sent a concerned note home. I was repeatedly caught reading Stephen King tucked inside my seventh-grade English textbook while everybody else was working on diagramming sentences.

(I ended up marrying that seventh-grade English teacher’s nephew, David. If I had known that the Stephen King incidents would be brought up at every major family event for the rest of my life, I probably would have just done the assignments. Learn from my example, kids.)

My family is “blessed” with a dry, sarcastic wit. If you want to survive Thanksgiving, you learn to quip. Writing was a chance to get all the words in my head out on paper, because no voice could keep up with my runaway brain. I liked the puzzle that writing presented, fitting the different words together in a way that sounded pleasing, but still got my point across. And it turned out that while my humor was probably inappropriate in say, a Sunday School setting, it was pretty darn funny on paper. The self-deprecating thoughts I didn’t dare express to friends, the comebacks I couldn’t come up with on the fly, they all came out on paper. And eventually, I could voice those thoughts and sling the comebacks… and survive Thanksgiving.

Still, I never considered a career in writing until a teacher compared my voice to a young Erma Bombeck. After I looked it up and realized that was a good thing, I developed an interest in journalism and humor columns. My parents were baffled. I said I wanted to be a newspaper reporter and my mom asked, “What happened to Mad Scientist?” We’d never had a writer in the family before. We were a staunch clan of nurses, teachers, construction foremen. And it wasn’t exactly the sort of talent you could “show” people. Their friends’ kids were musicians and dancers and athletes. What was my dad going to do, pull one of my essays out of his back-pocket and show his buddies my thoughts on being flat-chested?

Still, they supported me. I said I wanted to study at a college we knew nothing about. They took me on a campus tour. I spent my summers doing newspaper internships that paid very little. They helped me survive the rest of the year. I got a job writing for our hometown paper. They didn’t gripe when I wrote columns poking fun at them.

For six years, I covered education for The Paducah Sun, writing about school board meetings, quilt shows, a man “losing” the fully grown bear he kept as a pet in his basement, and a guy who faked his death by shark attack in Florida and ended up tossing pies at a local pizzeria. There was also an incident involving potentially explosive feminine products. But I think a statute of limitations has to run out before I’m allowed to discuss it publicly.

When people wonder where I developed my sense for the odd and quirky, I tell them I was steeped in it like overbrewed sun tea. Weird things happen in Paducah. My hometown has been featured on Unsolved Mysteries twice, which is twice more than any town deserves. Combine that with the bizarre tales David brought home from his police shifts and you have a recipe for dark, hyberbolic comedy.

I loved my job at the paper. I loved meeting new people every day and never knowing where I would end up. But somehow, the ever-shifting schedules of a police officer and a reporter did not equal “family friendly.” One of us needed to take a normal job for the sake of our young daughter. I took a secretarial position at a local church office, which left me with dependably free evenings for the first time in my adult life. We were living in “The Apartment of Lost Souls” while building our new home. This was the place where appliances and small electronics went to die. Every night I would tuck our snoozing child into bed and wait for the washing machine to start smoking or the dishwasher to vomit soap on the floor. It was either write a book or go nuts. I think I made the right choice.

I wanted to write something I would enjoy reading; something funny, outlandish, Southern. I wondered what would be the most humiliating way possible to be turned into a vampire- a story that a vampire would be embarrassed to share with their vampire buddies over a nice glass of Type O. Well, first, this poor woman just got canned so her boss could replace her with someone who occasionally starts workplace fires. She drowns her sorrows at the local faux nostalgia-themed sports bar and during the commute home she is mistaken for a deer and then shot by a drunk hunter. And then she wakes up as a vampire. And thus, Jane Jameson and the wacky denizens of Half-Moon Hollow were born.

It took me almost a year to complete and edit a draft of the book. My mom, a lifelong romance reader, was a great barometer for what worked in the story and what didn’t. David figured this was a weird way to spend my time, but if it kept me out of a padded room, he was happy. Dad promised to never, ever read a love scene I’d written. Ever.

I spent three months using agentquery.com to ruthlessly stalk potential literary agents. I was gently rejected by at least half of them. I corresponded with some very nice, very patient people, but ultimately signed with the fabulous Stephany Evans of Fine Print Literary Management. The book sold quickly, which was great. Then came the hard part, telling family members, my employers at the church, heck our own church family, that I was about to be launched as a vampire romance author. Some were shocked, confused. One sweet little old lady, pursed her lips and said, “But you’re such a nice girl.”

For my parents’ part, and David’s, they just shrug and tell me they figured this was how I would turn out. Decidedly odd, but theirs all the same.

Molly Harper is a former newspaper reporter and humor columnist. She studied print journalism at Western Kentucky Unversity. She lives in western Kentucky with her husband and children.

Check out Molly’s web site at mollyharper.com. For a daily dose of snark, friend her on Facebook or follow her blog at singleundeadfemale.blogspot.com.

A huge THANK YOU again to Molly!

And now, for the Giveaway:

As with our Adrian Phoenix interactive Q&A last month, Molly will be here to answer your questions. And it gets even better – courtesy of Simon & Schuster and Molly, we’ve got TWO sets of the Jane Jameson (“Nice Girls Don’t…”) books up for grabs. Entry is easy and simple – just leave a comment here asking Molly a question (about her I&I post, her books, her writing process, her favorite authors or films, etc). The contest is open to residents of the US only, and will run until January 30th at 11:59PM (PST). Good luck, and let the questions begin!

Today and tomorrow we are having a Molly Harper Spotlight. Earlier today we joint reviewed Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs the first book in the Jane Jameson trilogy; Now, we take a look at Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men (book 2) and Nice Girls Don’t Live Forever (book 3) . And tomorrow, the author will be stopping by to talk about her inspirations and influences and to answer YOUR questions – plus you will have a chance to win a set of all three books!

Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men

Publisher: Pocket
Publishing Date: August 2009
Paperback 400 pages

Summary: Once a devoted children’s librarian, Jane Jameson now works at a rundown occult bookstore. Once a regular gal, she’s now a vampire. And instead of a bride, she’s an eternal bridesmaid — which leads her to question where exactly her relationship with her irresistibly sexy sire, Gabriel, is headed. Mercurial, enigmatic, apparently commitment-phobic vampires are nothing if not hard to read. While Jane is trying to master undead dating, she is also donning the ugliest bridesmaid’s dress in history at her best friend Zeb’s Titanic-themed wedding. Between a freaked-out groom-to-be, his hostile werewolf in-laws, and Zeb’s mother, hell-bent on seeing Jane walk the aisle with Zeb, Jane’s got the feeling she’s just rearranging the proverbial deck chairs.

Meanwhile, Half Moon Hollow’s own Black Widow, Jane’s Grandma Ruthie, has met her match in her latest fiancé. He smells like bad cheese and has a suspicious history of dead spouses. But Jane’s biting her tongue. After all, would a nice girl really think she has a future with a vampire?

Review: In Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men, Jane Jameson, former librarian turned vampire after she was accidentally killed when a deer hunter mistook her for a deer , is still coming to grips with her life as one of the undead. If that was not enough, her best friend Zeb is getting married to a werewolf and the two families are not getting along, to put it very mildly; Zeb’s mother (AKA Mama Ginger or the Mother From Hell) is bent on getting Zeb to marry Jane instead and the werewolves are not very keen on Zeb either who now has one less toe, the result of one of a myriad of pranks they play on him. The wedding is to be Titanic themed, with an Iceberg and everything and Jane is supposed to wear the most horrendous bridesmaid dress of all time.

On top of that, Gabriel, Jane’s sire and boyfriend keep going away on business, disappearing for days without contacting her, never answering the phone. Jane is certain he is cheating on her but her lack of self-confidence prevents her from confronting him. Then her Grandmother Ruthie, a serial Widow starts dating someone new and Zeb starts sending really weird vibes her way. All of sudden, Jane maybe well be the sanest person around ,which just goes to show how insane this whole book is.

Drama: this book has in spades. Only, of the funny variety. Although, less hysterically funny than the first book, I still had a smile pretty much the entire time I was reading. Although a comedy at heart, this is also a character-driven story and Jane continues to grow as a character. And in this book, it is all about her circle of relationships and how she interacts or reacts (or not) with them. Sometimes, she manages to be proactive, sometimes she just shuts down completely. I also LOVE to read about the other character’s relationships especially that between Andrea and Dick Cheney. I am so rooting for them!

On the flip side, I was not very keen at all about the whole Grandma Ruthie storyline and could have done without it. I was also very frustrated with the relationship between Gabriel and Jane. He was hardly ever around and I could not, for the life of me, understand how Jane did not deal with that for most of the book. BUT that is part of their story and definitely part of Jane’s arc.

On to the next one!

Notable Quotes/ Parts:I love how Jane is a Jane Austen enthusiast. Her dog is named Fitz after Fitzwilliam Darcy from Pride and Prejudice for example. But she also loves Sense and Sensibility. I loved how in several scenes in Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men, she would be in situations and she would muse whether she should behave like Elinor (and be logical) or Marianne (and be emotional).

Verdict: Although not the best in the series, this book is still funny and sexy and quirky.

Rating: 7 Very Good

Nice Girls Don’t Live Forever

Publisher: Pocket
Publishing Date: December 2009
Paperback: 336 pages

Summary: Nothing sucks the romance out of world travel like a boyfriend who may or may not have broken up with you in a hotel room in Brussels. Jane Jameson’s sexy sire Gabriel has always been unpredictable, but the seductive, anonymous notes that await him at each stop of their international vacation, coupled with his evasive behavior over the past few months, finally push Jane onto the next flight home to Half Moon Hollow — alone, upset, and unsure whether Gabriel just ended their relationship without actually telling her.

Now the children’s-librarian-turned-vampire is reviving with plenty of Faux Type O, some TLC from her colorful friends and family, and her plans for a Brave New Jane. Step One: Get her newly renovated occult bookstore off the ground. Step Two: Support her best friend, Zeb, and his werewolf bride as they prepare for the impending birth of their baby…or litter. Step Three: Figure out who’s been sending her threatening letters, and how her hostile pen pal is tied to Gabriel. Because for this nice girl, surviving a broken heart is suddenly becoming a matter of life and undeath..

Review: Warning. Contains spoilers for books one and two.

Nice Girls Don’t Live Forever picks up where Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men left off, with Jane and Gabriel touring Europe. Gabriel is still been a mysterious pig. Although it is obvious that he loves Jane, he is hiding something as the phone calls, letters (who read like love letters by the way by someone named Jeanine) and sudden business meeting prove. And he simply refuses to explain what is going on. Then, back home someone breaks into her new bookstore and she decides to leave Gabriel behind and go back home.

Back in Half Moon Hollow, thinks are as manic as usual. Zeb and Jolene are pregnant (and who knows how many babies a werewolf mother may give birth to) ; Dick and Andrea have moved in together; the ghosts of Mr. Wainsworth and Auntie Jettie are going steady; then Jane decided to join the Chamber of Commerce (where all the members are named Courtney) and whomever was writing letters to Gabriel start threatening her.

This book is slightly more serious than the previous books but this is because Jane has come a long way as a character. This is where she finally takes definite proactive actions. Seeing all of her friend settled and happy makes wonders to her life; her new business starts to grow (and does really have a love for books and literature) she settles her issues with her sister and confronts Gabriel . I have to admit I actually grew fonder of the guy with this book but Dick Cheney takes the cake for best make character of this series. His arc with Andrea was the best romantic arc in the books and I loved the way it ended for both of them. They provided me with laughter and even a bit of tears (which is to be admired considering this is supposed to be a Comedy).

But this is also a more balanced book and the best one in the series. The author has also grown as a writer and it shows. The story has less zigzagging and I thought a cleaner , simpler plot that worked out really well.

On the whole, I really enjoyed reading this series. I think these books are really funny and heart-warming with a bunch of great characters. I will miss reading about them but I don’t wish for more books in the series. I generally think that series tend to go for too long which a lot of the time results in series exhaustion, character assassination, jumping the shark, etc. I think Jane and Co are in a really good, happy place right now. Let them be.

Notable Quotes/ Parts: Because I am such a romantic at heart, I have to say I loved the interactions between Dick and Andrea. And there is one scene between Dick and Jane that was so cute. And adorable. I have a crush. So sue me.

Verdict: The strongest book in the series, it is a perfect ending for the trilogy.

Rating: 7 Very Good leaning towards a 8

Make sure to come back tomorrow for a chance to learn more about the series and ask Molly Harper your own questions, and for a chance to win a set of all the books in the Jane Jameson series!

Title: Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs

Author: Molly Harper

Genre: The spine says “Paranormal Romance” but really, it is Chick Lit and Comedy, with a dash of Romance thrown in.

Publisher: Pocket
Publishing Date: March 2009
Paperback: 384 pages

Stand Alone or series: Book 1 in the Jane Jameson trilogy

Why did we read the book: We’ve seen nothing but great reviews online for these books and many Smugglivus guest mentioned them in their posts. They sounded like fun and we wanted in.

How did we get the book: Review copies from the publisher

Summary: (from amazon.com)
Maybe it was the Shenanigans gift certificate that put her over the edge. When children’s librarian and self-professed nice girl Jane Jameson is fired by her beastly boss and handed twenty-five dollars in potato skins instead of a severance check, she goes on a bender that’s sure to become Half Moon Hollow legend. On her way home, she’s mistaken for a deer, shot, and left for dead. And thanks to the mysterious stranger she met while chugging neon-colored cocktails, she wakes up with a decidedly unladylike thirst for blood.

Jane is now the latest recipient of a gift basket from the Newly Undead Welcoming Committee, and her life-after-lifestyle is taking some getting used to. Her recently deceased favorite aunt is now her ghostly roommate. She has to fake breathing and endure daytime hours to avoid coming out of the coffin to her family. She’s forced to forgo her favorite down-home Southern cooking for bags of O negative. Her relationship with her sexy, mercurial vampire sire keeps running hot and cold. And if all that wasn’t enough, it looks like someone in Half Moon Hollow is trying to frame her for a series of vampire murders. What’s a nice undead girl to do?

REVIEW:

First Impressions:

Thea: Wow. When I first saw the cover (and title) for this book, I wasn’t exactly jumping with joy – my first impression of Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs was one of disinterest. But then I started hearing all these wonderful things about Molly Harper’s Jane Jameson books, and then there’s the unstoppable force of nature that is Ana, and then we got an offer to review the books. I took it as a sign from the universe and jumped in…

And wouldn’t you know it? I really, really liked this book. Heck, I loved it. It’s smart, it’s funny, it’s sexy (without being embarrassing), and… well, it’s just so much fun. Sometimes the best reads are the ones that take you completely by surprise, that force you to get off your silly ‘taking-yourself-waaaaay-too-seriously’ high horse, and just fall in with an entertaining, totally engrossing read. Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs did just that.

Ana: Ha. I told you so, Thea! I had been dying to read these books for a while now and the fact that so many people mentioned them in their top reads of 2009 only increased my interest. I couldn’t believe my luck when we were offered the Jane Jameson books and basically jumped up and down with joy when we got that email.

And Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs was everything I was hoping for, meeting all of my expectations, and even surpassing it in some points. I loved the narrative voice of the main protagonist, how downright hilarious it is (comedy can be so difficult to get it right) and the bit of romance was just the cherry on top.

On the Plot:

Thea: As I was telling Ana in an email, Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs reminds me of Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse books – except, in my opinion, better. The world that Molly Harper has created has a lot of similarities to Sookie’s Bon Temps – including vampires coming out of the coffin (and local anti-vamp/fang-banger human reactions), and the abundance of were-creatures, witches, etc. in a small town. Vampires themselves are portrayed as sexy (well, some are), superhumanly strong, and deathly allergic to sunlight. So, the world building is familiar, right down to the southern hospitality and synthetic blood. BUT, Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs is what you’d get if Sookie, Bill, Eric and company didn’t take themselves so damn seriously. (No broody-pants/oversexed vampires here, thank goodness.) And that makes ALL the difference in the world.

The tone of the book, the writing, the breezy style and pacing feels so natural and effortless, it’s easy to get caught up in the story and cast aside all cynicism. Yeah, the story itself isn’t really original or a nailbiter, with only a marginal mystery to propel the plot forward (someone, apparently, has it out for heroine Jane, framing her for a murder and pulling increasingly nasty and violent pranks on her). But the joy of Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs lies with the strength of Jane’s awesome, smart narrative as she tries to adjust on multiple levels. First, she’s fired from her job at the library – a job that she loved. Then, she’s gotta adjust to the fact that she’s been shot by a drunk (who mistook her for a deer) and subsequently been turned into a vampire. She’s gotta adjust to her new life as one of the undead, being unable to eat her favorite foods, drinking from humans, being able to read other people’s thoughts, and all the other drama that comes with being a minion of darkness. She’s gotta adjust to how her overbearing family will take to her new lifestyle (it forecasts an awkward coming-out conversation). She’s also gotta adjust to her best friend falling in love and feeling like she’s been left her behind. Finally, she’s gotta adjust to her vampire sire (the omnipresent, sexy 100+ year old Gabriel Nightingale – that’s his real name), being accused of the murder of another of her kind, and the more-than-friendly attentions of yet another vamp (hilariously named Dick Cheney).

Seriously, this is fun stuff. I was never bored with this book, reading it all in basically a single sitting. Molly Harper accomplishes a rare feat here as she manages to take familiar tropes across numerous genres – Gabriel is very much the historical romance alpha hero, there’s the comedic chick lit feel with the many real-life issues Jane has to deal with (unemployment, a family that won’t believe she’s independent and grown up, the nonexistence of a love life), there’s an abundance of humor, and some contemporary urban fantasy what with the supernatural creatures living alongside humans and all – and it all just works.

Ana: Thea is right. I too, was reminded of the Sookie Stackhouse books when I started reading Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs and as much as I love Sookie and her world (perhaps not fair to compare, but impossible not to, the worlds are too similar), I think I ended up enjoying this one even more.

The story is very funny (the scene where Jane wakes up after being turned made me laugh till my sides hurt) and entertaining without being brainless; through all the – seemly – breezy narrative there is a clear character arc. This is Jane’s coming of age – or coming of vampire – story. There is one important moment where she says that she was a human her life was stagnant, she had reached a point where she was satisfied with her career and even sort of ok with her lack of love life. But now as a vampire, she has to adjust a whole new life, new conditions find a new job, deal with her family (which is horrible, by the way), deal with her sire-possible boyfriend Gabriel and a myriad of other threads.

If I had one minor problem with the book was how the ending felt a little bit rushed, both the conclusion to major point and the revelation of something that Gabriel did. I could have done with a little more of meat there. All in all, I really enjoyed the read and I picked up the second straight away.

On the Characters:

Ana: I love Jane and her voice. Smart, funny and with a tendency to burst into trivia-listing when mid conversation, she is a completely interesting character. Although not without her flaws (and which really good character doesn’t have them?) with her penchant for sometimes burying her head in the sand, she is a terribly good protagonist and a sympathetic one too. Her modesty does not mean that she doesn’t know what she is good at and what how deserves to be treated and she absolutely stands up for herself in all circumstances. Well, maybe expect when talking to her mother.

Other than Jane, there is a whole plethora of secondary characters that add so much flavour to the story because they are not only interesting but they are indeed intrinsic part of Jane’s life errr, death. I really like her best friend Zeb and his relationship with werewolf Jolene; the ghost of dear Aunt Jettie, adorable Mr Wainwright, new friend Andrea. And I really, really love Dick Cheney (yeah, seriously) the sleazy sexy vampire. When Jane makes fun of his name, it’s awesome.

One last word. On the subject of Hot Male Vampires (because I can’t seem to control myself), I am not too sure where I stand about Gabriel. He seems to be too shady to me, to be honest. Sometimes, he is too cute for words and seems to be a southern gentleman, sometimes he comes across as a creepy alpha jerk. I sit firmly on Team Dick Cheney. (Although it seems Gabriel is the hero of this trilogy).

Thea: Oh the characters! How fun they are! This is where Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs really shines – and it’s all because of awesome, smart, self-deprecating, funny, trivia-master Jane Jameson. Jane’s voice as she narrates this book in the first person is genuine, unassuming, and, well, fun. She’s the kind of quirky, intelligent heroine that’s easy to fall in love with. She unleashes enough pop-culture quips and is so knowledgeable of useless factoids, she’d make Quentin Tarantino proud (well, minus the f-bombs). Furthermore, despite lacking courage when it comes to her family and job, she’s not exactly a pushover when it comes to her love life, which is SO freaking refreshing. When Gabriel tries to pull his possessive “MINE!” nonsense, she calls him out on it. When he’s done other…questionable vampire acts, she calls him out on it. She doesn’t immediately melt into a pile of sexually aroused hormones. And that’s a good thing.

Besides Jane, I gotta agree with Ana – there is no shortage of awesome characters here. Gabriel, Jane’s sire, is probably my least favorite of the bunch (as her creator, he blurs the line between “daddy” and “lover” and it’s just a little possessive and creepy), but he’s definitely much more tolerable than another small-town, Civil War-era emo vampire *cough*Bill Compton*cough*. I loved Jane’s friend Zeb, Zeb’s new girlfriend Jolene, vampire pet human Andrea, and especially Jane’s spectral Aunt Jettie. Everyone felt varied, real, and alive (even the undead ones)! Jane’s family – her passive-aggressive, manipulative mother, her understanding father, her heinous bitch of a sister – adds a dimension of awesomeness to the book too. Jane’s experiences are something familiar for many twenty-somethings, and the blend of tension overlying genuine love is a potent thing.

And, I gotta side with Ana. My favorite secondary character had to be:

“I like you,” Rich grinned and bowed over my hand in a courtly manner. “Richard Cheney.”

“Nice to meet you,” I said, shaking his hand under his nose, making it much more difficult to him to kiss. “Wait, Richard Cheney, as in Dick Cheney? You’re a vampire named Dick Cheney? Somehow, that makes you seem more evil. “

I loved Dick Cheney (now THAT’S a sentence I never thought I’d write). He’s such a Sawyer – down to the nicknames he calls Jane (“Stretch”) and his charming, roguish demeanor. Dick’s just so much fun. I’m gunning for him and Jane at some point.

Final Thoughts, Observations and Ratings:

Thea: Really, really liked it. Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs completely took me by surprise, swept me off my feet, and kept me solidly entertained. I definitely think this is a book worth checking out for any reader looking for a comedic, fun getaway. I cannot wait to jump into the next two books!

Ana: I always say that Comedy is one of the most difficult genres to write. It is difficult to get it right, in tone, in style and it must be in the right measure. I think the Jane Jameson books are Comedy gold, they are just right: for me. I also like that the comedy is not at the expense of character development so it makes it all the better.

Notable Quotes/Parts:

Chapter 1

1

Vampirism: (n) 1. The condition of being a vampire, marked by the need to ingest blood and extreme vulnerability to sunlight. 2. The act of preying upon others for financial or emotional gain. 3. A gigantic pain in the butt.

I’ve always been a glass-half-full kind of girl.

The irritated look from Gary, the barrel-chested bartender at Shenanigans, told me that, one, I’d said that out loud, and, two, he just didn’t care. But at that point, I was the only person sitting at the pseudo-sports bar on a Wednesday afternoon, and I didn’t have the cognitive control required to stop talking. So he had no choice but to listen.

I picked up the remnants of my fourth (fifth? sixth?) electric lemonade. It glowed blue against the neon lights of Shenanigans’ insistently cheerful decor, casting a green shadow on Gary’s yellow-and-white-striped polo shirt. “See this glass? This morning, I would have said this glass isn’t half empty. It’s half full. And I was used to that. My whole life has been half full. Half-full family, half-full personal life, half-full career. But I settled for it. I was used to it. Did I already say that I was used to it?”

Gary, a gone-to-seed high-school football player with a gut like a deflated balloon, gave me a stern look over the pilsner he was polishing. “Are you done with that?”

I drained the watered-down vodka and blue liqueur from my glass, wincing as the alcohol hit the potato skins in my belly. Both threatened to make an encore appearance.

I steadied myself on the ring-stained maple bar and squinted through the icy remains of the glass. “And now, my career is gone. Gone, gone, gone. Completely empty. Like this glass.”

Gary replaced said glass with another drink, pretended to wave at someone in the main dining room, and left me to fend for myself. I pressed my forehead to the cool wood of the bar, cringing as I remembered the smug, cat-that-devoured-the-canary tone Mrs. Stubblefield used to say, “Jane, I need to speak to you privately.”

For the rest of my life, those words would echo through my head like something out of Carrie.

With a loud “ahem,” Mrs. Stubblefield motioned for me to leave my display of Amelia Bedelia books and come into her office. Actually, all she did was quirk her eyebrows. But the woman had a phobia about tweezers. When she was surprised/angry/curious, it looked as if a big gray moth was taking flight. Quirking her brows was practically sign language.

My joyless Hun of a supervisor only spoke to people privately when they were in serious trouble. Generally, she enjoyed chastising in public in order to (a) show the staff just how badly she could embarrass us if she wanted to and (b) show the public how put-upon she was by her rotten, incompetent employees.

Mrs. Stubblefield had never been a fan of mine. We got off on the wrong foot when I made fun of the Mother Goose hat she wore for Toddler Story Hour. I was four.

She was the type of librarian who has “Reading is supposed to be educational, not fun” tattooed somewhere. She refused to order DVDs or video games that might attract “the wrong crowd.” (Translation: teenagers.) She allowed the library to stock “questionable” books such as The Catcher in the Rye and the Harry Potter series but tracked who read them. She kept those names in a file marked “Potential Troublemakers.”

“Close the door, Jane,” she said, squeezing into her desk chair. Mrs. Stubblefield was about one cheek too large for it but refused to order another one. A petty part of me enjoyed her discomfort while I prepared for a lecture on appropriate displays for Banned Books Week or why we really don’t need to stock audiobooks on CD.

“As you know, Jane, the county commission cut our operating budget by twenty percent for the next fiscal year,” Mrs. Stubblefield said. “That leaves us with less money for new selections and new programs.”

“I’d be willing to give up Puppet Time Theater on Thursdays,” I offered. I secretly hated Cowboy Bob and his puppets.

I have puppet issues.

You can read more here.

Rating:

Thea: 7 – Very Good

Ana: 7 – Very Good

Reading next: Archangel’s Kiss by Nalini Singh

Today, we give you a supernatural double-shot of goodness, in the spirit of Smugglivus! First up, it’s the lyrical stylings of Ryan Mecum, followed by a zombified version of a holiday classic from Adam Roberts…

Vampire Haiku by Ryan Mecum

Publisher: How
Publication Date: August 2009
Paperback: 144 pages

Summary: (from amazon.com)
You hold in your hands a recently discovered poetry journal – the poetry journal of a vampire. William Butten was en route to a new land on the Mayflower when he was turned into a vampire by a fellow passenger, a beautiful woman named Katherine. These pages contain his heartbreaking story – the story of a vampire who has lived through (and perhaps caused) some of America’s defining events. As he travels the country and as centuries pass, he searches for his lost love and records his adventures and misadventures using the form of poetry known as haiku.

Read along, and you just may find a new appreciation for – and insight into – various events in American history. And blood.

Review:

Earlier this year, Ana and I read and reviewed Ryan Mecum’s delightful Zombie Haiku – and we liked it so much, we of course responded with alacrity when he invited us to review his new poetic book, Vampire Haiku.

Like Zombie Haiku, Vampire Haiku is written entirely in a series of haiku (that’s a three line poem, with 5-7-5 syllables per line), but tells an overall story. This novel is the poetic journal of a man named William Butten, a translatlantic passenger on the good ship Mayflower in 1620. En route, William meets a lovely married woman named Katherine – who isn’t exactly what she seems, as becomes clear to William when she drinks his blood and turns him into a vampire. Over the next few centuries, the vampire William documents his adventures, his conquests, and his love for Katherine in his journal (all in haiku form, of course).

And what can I say? Mr. Mecum does it again with his winsome Vampire Haiku, capturing a slightly different interpretation of American history through a vampire’s eyes. This slim, glossy book comes in a cool package – the interior of the book, the accompanying illustrations, photographs and blood spatters are gorgeously composed – and the haiku are as fun as ever. A few favorites:

The syllable count
for “vampire” is confusing.
Two? Three? I’ll guess two.

Blood tastes like cherries
mixed with a lot of copper
and way too much salt.

When a mosquito
pierces my neck and drinks blood,
is that irony?

I just saw Twilight.
It’s labeled a vampire film,
but I don’t know why.

These were not vampires.
If sunlight makes you sparkle,
you’re a unicorn.

Even better than the humor, though, is the unrequited love story between William and his Katherine over the ages – it adds a touch of bittersweet heartache to the book.

Though I think I still prefer Zombie Haiku (as a zombie fan first and foremost, this is a – pardon the lameness of the pun – “no brainer”), Vampire Haiku is a wonderful little book, and another solid entry from Ryan Mecum. Perfect for a stocking stuffer, or for someone looking for a quick, quirky pick-me-up. Definitely recommended.

Rating: 6 – Good

I Am Scrooge: A Zombie Story for Christmas by Adam Roberts

Publisher: Gollancz (UK)
Publication Date: October 2009
Hardcover: 160 pages

Summary: (amazon.com)

Marley was dead. Again. The legendary Ebenezeer Scrooge sits in his house counting money. The boards that he has nailed up over the doors and the windows shudder and shake under the blows from the endless zombie hordes that crowd the streets hungering for his flesh and his miserly braaaaiiiiiinns! Just how did the happiest day of the year slip into a welter of blood, innards and shambling, ravenous undead on the snowy streets of old London town? Will the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future be able to stop the world from drowning under a top-hatted and crinolined zombie horde? Was Tiny Tim’s illness something infinitely more sinister than mere rickets and consumption? Can Scrooge be persuaded to go back to his evil ways, travel back to Christmas past and destroy the brain stem of the tiny, irritatingly cheery Patient Zero? It’s the Dickensian Zombie Apocalypse – God Bless us, one and all!

Review:

Since the wild success of Seth Grahame-Smith’s Pride and Prejudice and Zombies earlier this year (reviewed HERE), the taking of an established classic work of literature and zombifying it has become something of a trend. Adam Roberts’ I Am Scrooge: A Zombie Story for Christmas takes Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and twists it into something a little more…silly (and by “silly” I mean bloody, gorey, and brains-y).

The basic story is thus: Ebeneezer Scrooge, the miserliest of misers, he of the “bah humbugs,” turns out to be the only person in the world immune to the encroaching zombie plague (which he discovers after a re-animated Marley bites him on his backside). On Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by three spirits (Present, Future and Past) for a specific purpose – to see the extent of the zombie plague, and to give him the motivation to stop it (by putting the maniacal mastermind behind the zombie outbreak to a preemptive death).

If you buy I Am Scrooge, you already know what you are getting into. This is a silly book that isn’t really about zombies as metaphor for human failings. It’s not George A. Romero. It’s not Kim Paffenroth or Robert Kirkpatrick. But, for what it is – a good, healthy dose of the ridiculous followed by a serving of Christmas Puddi-er-Brains – I Am Scrooge is wonderful. Mr. Roberts does not make the awkward mistake of trying to ape Charles Dickens’ prose (as Mr. Grahame-Smith attempted with Jane Austen), nor does he rely on A Christmas Carol too much. Instead, he takes the basic premise of the novel and writes a wry, brisk, slip of a book (it’s only 150 pages), that involves time travel, some famous author cameos, and the strategic location of Australia.

Seriously.

Add to that a sometimes-narrator that has fun with the english language, i.e:

‘Brains!’ moaned the beast, its arms flung wide as if in greeting. It writhed, slowly, jerkily, upon its wooden-knob of impalement. Of its impaling. Its impaleness. Of its Impellor.

Of its being impaled. Yes, I think that’s the right one.

…and you’ve got a party. I Am Scrooge is absurdism at its best – the final showdown will have you rolling your eyes, and yet strangely delighted. At least, I know I was delighted. I appreciated how off-the-wall silly this book was, and devoured it in a single sitting. It’s not War and Peace (or even A Christmas Carol) – but then again, it’s not meant to be. And for what it is, it rocks. Recommended, if you’re looking for silly, fast, and escapist. With brains.

Rating: 6 – Good

Reading Next: Raiders’ Ransom by Emily Diamand

Title: Eyes Like Stars

Author: Lisa Mantchev

Genre: YA (Fantasy)

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Publishing Date: July 7, 2009
Hardcover: 368 pages

Stand alone or series: Theatre Illuminata Act 1 (of 3)

Summary:All her world’s a stage.

Bertie Shakespeare Smith is not an actress, yet she lives in a theater.

She’s not an orphan, but she has no parents.

She knows every part, but she has no lines of her own.

That is, until now.

Why did I read the book: I love the internets. I first saw the cover of this book at The Story Siren’s blog. I then googled it and was directed to the book’s webpage and immediately KNEW I had to read the book. I then twitted about it and lo and behold, the writer saw my twit and very generously offered a review copy.

Review:

“Welcome to the Théâtre Illuminata, where the characters of every play ever written can be found behind the curtain. They were born to play their parts, and are bound to the Théâtre by The Book–an ancient and magical tome of scripts. Bertie is not one of them, but they are her family–and she is about to lose them all and the only home she has ever known.”

Act 1 – Open Curtain

Enter stage right

Beatrice Shakespeare Smith or Bertie, is a 17 year old girl who lives in the Theatre Illuminata ever since her mother left her there as a child. She grew up surrounded by characters from every play ever written and there were never truer words than the words “all her world is a stage”– literally speaking. In a world where any character from any play can be called upon by writing their name in the Call Board, she spends her time surrounded by people like Nate, a pirate from the Little Mermaid, the ait spirit Ariel from The Tempest and Ophelia, from Hamlet.

Bertie is high-spirited, good natured and … mischievous.

Free from most limitations that girls her age have, without parenting guidance and with the instigation of her sidekicks, the four fairies from A Midsummer’s Night Dream – Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth and Mustardseed – she constantly gets into scrapes that drives the Stage Manager insane. After the latest disturbance though, she is called to the Theatre Manager’s office and is given an ultimatum: she is to prove that she is invaluable to the Theatre or she has to leave. And she only has a few hours to do so.

At the prospect of having to leave the Theatre and everything she has ever known , Bertie sets out to prove her worth with the help of her friends. Her plan is to become a Director, a role that is pointless in a place where the characters know their parts by heart. But her ingenious idea is to shake things up by directing Hamlet….in Egypt. Needless to say, Chaos ensues. The players of Hamlet are distraught. The Stage Manager is not too happy. She is urged to use Badinage and Persiflage to convince people that she is a Director.

What she didn’t know would happen was that the changes to Hamlet cause a certain unbalance to their world. And Ariel, once he realises that if Bertie can leave the Theatre ,then she might be able to set him free, proceeds to tempt her.

Then, the Book disappears. And Bertie realises that she does need to find a role for herself or else her entire world will crumble down. She may not be a Director but there is something else she can do.

And the result is one of the most creative, fun, enjoyable books I had the pleasure to read lately. The premise is brilliant – with a bit of magic and a lot of talent, Lisa Mantchev created a world that I cared for and wished I could live in. It is the Theatre and it has Tragedy, Comedy, Drama and Romance and as I turned the pages I was engrossed by the imaginative story. I mean how could I not?

When Hamlet’s Ophelia walks around the theatre looking for puddles in which to drown; or if there is any drama, the Chorus starts to sing all around them; Or Ariel, the air spirit from The Tempest who wants nothing but his freedom and who says it is not enough to be set free every night on stage; or how in the Props department, Bertie finds Alice in the Wonderland’s DRINK ME potion and proceeds to drink it and the result is a Most Excellent Scene of the romantic variety.

There are friends, sidekicks, and of course villains: from the Stage Manager to the Sea Goddess from the Little Mermaid, every character has a role to play and a stance to take. Even Chaos and Mayhem become main characters at one point.

Except for Bertie, at least at first. Truth be told, when the book started I was surprised at how immature this 17 year old girl was. But then it hit me: of course she is. With the companions that she has and no parents or role to play , it couldn’t have been different. Which is the point after all: Eyes Like Stars is a coming of age tale for Bertie, in which she finally finds her place in life. From the truths she comes to find, choices she has to make and even the awakening of her sexuality ( there is a love triangle – Ariel x Nate. I am on Team Nate although Ariel is a glorious Bad Boy) to the realisation that this damsel has to rescue a person in distress and a heritage to discover.

Bertie IS all the things I mentioned before but she is also full of fire, vibrant and an adventurous spirit. And I simply can’t wait for Act 2.

Curtain

Standing Ovation

Notable Quotes/ Parts: I loved the interaction between Bertie and the fairies who were ever so funny:

“The only reason I’m friends with any of you is because I outgrew the von Trapps, one annoying Austrian at a time.”
“You could have joined the Lost Boys,” Moth said.
“They did nothing but whiz on trees, and I’m not properly equipped for that”.
“So you’re stuck with us because of your innate inability to pee standing up?”

“We’ve more important things to worry about right now than food”.
Mustardseed said reproachfully, “I’m certain you don’t mean that”.
“She’s under duress,” Peaseblossom said.
“I don’t care if she’s under duress, over it, or alongside it,” Moth said, “Nothing in this world supersedes cake”.
“Pie does,” Cobweb corrected.
Moth glared at him. “Are you under duress, too?”.

Verdict: Funny, creative and a wonderful coming of age story.

Rating: 8 – Excellent

Reading next: The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Title: What Happens in London

Author: Julia Quinn

Genre: Historical Romance

Publisher: Avon
Publishing Date: June 30, 2008
Paperback: 384 Pages

Stand Alone or Series: It is a stand alone but main female character is the best friend of the heroine from The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever.

Summary: Rumors and Gossip . . . The lifeblood of London

When Olivia Bevelstoke is told that her new neighbor may have killed his fiancÉe, she doesn’t believe it for a second, but, still, how can she help spying on him, just to be sure? So she stakes out a spot near her bedroom window, cleverly concealed by curtains, watches, and waits . . . and discovers a most intriguing man, who is definitely up to something.

Sir Harry Valentine works for the boring branch of the War Office, translating documents vital to national security. He’s not a spy, but he’s had all the training, and when a gorgeous blonde begins to watch him from her window, he is instantly suspicious. But just when he decides that she’s nothing more than an annoyingly nosy debutante, he discovers that she might be engaged to a foreign prince, who might be plotting against England. And when Harry is roped into spying on Olivia, he discovers that he might be falling for her himself . .

Why did I read the book: Because it is a Julia Quinn book. Simple as that.

Review:

This is what happens in London: gossip mongers say that Sir Harry Valentine killed his fiancée. His next door neighbour, the curious and beautiful Olivia Bevelstoke decides to investigate and proceeds to observe Harry as he works in his office, from her bedroom window. She thinks she is being subtle but Harry knows his nosy neighbour is there watching him.

This is what happens when they first meet, officially: they do not like each other. Olivia thinks Harry is arrogant and annoying and a number of other things but

“Synonym retrieval required a far clearer head than she could achieve in his presence”

especially when he dared to refer to seeing her watching him! Harry on the other hand is equally unimpressed with Olivia – he thinks she is just another mindless, pretty young girl, unintelligent and cold.

But then, Harry – who works for the War Office as a translator – is told to keep an eye on Olivia because one of her suitors is a Prince Alexei from Russian who is suspected of being a spy. Next step is to pay Olivia a visit and it’s then that these first impressions are revised – Harry realises that the person she is in public is only what she is supposed to be. What people expect from her – to be pretty and nothing else because that was enough. But behind the lady- like façade, she is smart, witty, unusual. Unlike many of her contemporaries she likes to read the newspapers, for example.

When Olivia is direct and sincere about what she thinks and Harry is equally direct and sincere, one my favorite things in romance happens: they become friends. They have that sense of communion, of things in common, they share laughter. How I love to see a couple laughing of things only they understand. There is laughter in their talks, in their teasing, when they kiss. There is one word that I don’t use a lot in my reviews but I have to use it here because it is the most appropriate one: what happens between Olivia and Harry is cute. Like when they talk to each other from their windows – or how they discuss the gothic novel Miss Butterworth and the Mad Baron. Or Olivia’s mental lists – or epigraphic oddities – like the one “ How I Would Like To Kill My Brother version 16”.

I just adore when the “falling in love” process is shown in such a positive way, with so much joy – there is no other word to describe what Harry and Olivia feel when they realise they are in love with each other: a sense of pure, unmitigated joy – like in this moment:

“(…) he could not resist one last look at her face.
And in that moment he finally understood what people meant when they said someone’s eyes lit up.
Because when he told her to be at her window at six, she smiled. And when he looked into her eyes, it was as if the whole world was bathed in a soft, happy glow, and all of it, every little bit of good and fun and happiness – it all came from her. From this one woman, standing next to him at her front door in Mayfar.
And that was when he knew. It has happened. It has happened right here, in London.
Harry Valentine had fallen in love.”

Altogether now please: hand to your hearts and awwww.

They go from animosity to friends and from there to falling in love. Their story is easy, smooth (well, except for the few pages toward the end when there is a secondary plot with the Russians and then all of a sudden , we are reading a suspense novel and that really could have been entirely left out), light and extremely funny and romantic. This is not to say that they lack depth: Harry for example has had a seriously sad childhood (he can tell you how many times, exactly, he has cleaned his drunk father’s vomit – what kind of childhood is this when a child keeps tabs of things such as cleaning a parent’s vomit?) but he does not brood for it has shaped the man that he is , in the way that he does not drink alcohol for example. He behaves like an adult who knows his family’s shortcomings but it not overly traumatised by it. His relationship with his brother is one that is not explored in depth but the small amount of time dedicated to them is significant (Harry left as soon as he was able to, to join the army and left his brother alone with his parents) and I would not mind reading about Edward at a later book.

In fact, I wouldn’t mind reading about several of the characters that appear in the book, specially Harry’s cousin Sebastian who is a Reprobate Rake – normally I would scream “sequel bait” about most of them (well expect for Sebastian, but really who would NOT want to read about Sebastian? You tell me, when you read the book) but they are so interesting you do wish they had their own book. Even the infamous Smythe-Smith Musicale (old timers would remember them from the Bridgerton novels) makes an appearance and do you know that one cousin that KNOWS that they are appallingly bad? If there is one heroine that deserves a book is her and I don’t even know her name – maybe she will be paired off with Sebastian or maybe with Winston, Olivia’s identical twin.

I just know I will be there. Because this is what happens every time I read a Julia Quinn novel: I laugh, I sigh. I feel content and end up hugging the book . Every.single.time. If you don’t do the same when you finish reading this one? After the amazing proposal scene? I will eat a Russian hat.

Notable Quotes/Parts: Throughout the book the characters read and discuss one of those infamous Gothic Novels. Harry presents Olivia with a copy of “Miss Butterworth and the Mad Baron” and they have hilarious discussions as Olivia reads the book and is part repulsed by the clear commercialism of it all and part attracted to the wonderful exaggeration. Rings a bell?

Anyways: there is this one scene where Prince Alexei from Russia asks Harry to read a part of the book, then Harry’s reprobate cousin Sebastian arrives and starts reading (quite dramatically) from the book and next thing you know, the entire household is there and I was laughing so much, like a lunatic. Behold part of it:

“It was a dark and windy night,” Sebastian began, and Harry had to admit he did bring a great deal of drama to it. Even Vladimir was leaning forward to listen, and he didn’t speak English.
“- Miss Priscilla Butterworth was certain that at any moment the rain would begin, pouring down from the heavens in sheets and streams, dousing all that lay within her purview”
Dear God, it almost sounded like a sermon. Sebastian had clearly missed his calling.
“’Purview’ is not used correctly” Prince Alexei said.
Sebastian looked up, his eyes flashing with irritation, “Of course it is”
Alexei jabbed a finger in Harry’s direction. “He said it is not”
“It’s not”, Harry said with a shrug.
“What’s wrong with it?” Sebastian demanded.
“It implies that what she sees is under her power or control”
“How do you know it’s not?”
“I don’t”, Harry admitted, “but she doesn’t seem in control of anything else”. He looked over at the prince. “Her mother was pecked to death by pigeons”
“That happens,” Alexei said with a nod.
Both Harry and Sebastian looked at him in shock.
“It is not accidental”, Alexei demurred.
“I may need to revisit my desire to see Russia, “ Sebastian said.
“Swift justice” Alexei stated. “It is the only way”.
Harry couldn’t believe he was asking, but it had to be said
“Pigeons are swift?”

Verdict: What Happens in London is vintage Julia Quinn: quirky, light, funny and very, very romantic.

Rating: 8 – Excellent

Reading Next: Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh