Book Spotlight: The Friday Society by Adrienne Kress

An action-packed tale of gowns, guys, guns –and the heroines who use them all 

Set in turn of the century London, The Friday Society follows the stories of three very intelligent and talented young women, all of whom are assistants to powerful men: Cora, lab assistant; Michiko, Japanese fight assistant; and Nellie, magician's assistant. The three young women's lives become inexorably intertwined after a chance meeting at a ball that ends with the discovery of a murdered mystery man.

It's up to these three, in their own charming but bold way, to solve the murder–and the crimes they believe may be connected to it–without calling too much attention to themselves.

Set in the past but with a modern irreverent flare, this Steampunk whodunit introduces three unforgettable and very ladylike–well, relatively ladylike–heroines poised for more dangerous adventures.
from goodreads.com

This story follows three very different girls. Cora is a lab assistant, smart and capable, with lots of personality. Nellie is a magician’s assistant, quirky and fun, but with a heart of gold. Michiko is a Japanese fighter assistant, a little quiet, but with a heart of a warrior. The three girls meet at a chance encounter and soon as the city is plunged into panic, the three determine to do something about it. The plan leads them into the heart of danger, but together they do what girls do best, conquer. 

The Friday Society was a very interesting read for me. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect going in considering the story revolved around three different characters. I’ve read multiple characters before, but they were usually stories alternating first person chapters between the three (or five). This book wasn’t the case which I found interesting. 

I loved getting to know the characters. The girls are all very different, so to see how Ms Kress written them was a bit fascinating. It’s always great to see how authors tackle unusual points of view or ways of writing and I had fun reading about these three. 

However, I wanted a little bit more of their personalities to stand out. I wanted to know a bit more about all three, but I guess that’ll come in later books. Can’t have it all in book one right? Also, more romance! I’d love to see all three of these girls develop relationships. The one that did, oh that was too cute! Also, the world Ms Kress created was believable and up front. I loved that I could picture what she was talking about. 

Overall, this was a great read. I’ve fallen in love with the steampunk genre and want to read all things steampunk, so this was a good one for me! I’m not sure if there will be more books featuring The Friday Society, but I’m definitely up for me! 

The Friday Society comes out December 6th, 2012. Let me know what you think! 

Happy reading, 

Valia 

Book Spotlight: Innocent Darkness by Suzanne Lazear

Noli Braddock and her best friend V’s incident with a flying auto have landed them in a heap of trouble. And when Noli is sent to a spirit-squelching reform school in San Francisco, she’s sure that her rebellious adventures are over.
Meanwhile, Kevighn Silver has been ordered by the Faerie Queen to bring a mortal girl back to the Otherworld. The magic requires a blood sacrifice every seven years, and only a mortal girl who shines with the Spark—a girl like Noli—will keep the Otherworld from complete destruction.
When an ill-timed wish sends Noli tumbling into the Otherworld, she’s more homesick than ever . . . until V arrives to save her from an untimely demise. But who exactly is V? And if he helps Noli escape, who will save the realm of Faerie from utter annihilation?


From Amazon.com


Thanks ATWAT for the book!

Innocent Darkness is a story about a girl named Noli, who is nothing like the proper lady of her time. She is rebellious, fun seeker, who rather tinker under a flying car than wear pretty dresses. Despite her social status she is best friends with Steven Darrow, otherwise known as V and she constantly gets him in trouble. When a joyride is caught by the police Noli is sent to a boarding school to “fix” her ways. Separated from her best friend and her mother, Noli must fight the pressures of the boarding school and discover for herself who she truly is. The boarding school is not what it seems and for Noli that’s where the adventure begins. 

There is so much to say about this book. I’m still in the beginning stages of loving steampunk and I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about this book but I really wanted to give it a try. I wasn’t disappointed!!! 

I loved Noli as a character. She has a lot of growing to do, and she constantly has to prove to the world that staying true to herself is the best option. She goes through many changes throughout the book but she continues to portray her strength and never giving up. It takes her a while to figure out her feelings on some matters which in itself is sweet and realistic. Speaking of feelings, there’s V. 

I adore V’s character to pieces! From the beginning, I knew there was something about him that’s going to capture my heart. Sure, I felt for Kevighn at times but V has truly won my heart. He is such a sweet, unexpected hero that it makes me squee with happiness anytime he comes across the pages. I love his friendship with Noli and how he makes her a better version of herself. 

The ending took me by surprise! I literally grunted at some things in the last pages. The aspects of Noli that I loved so much are taken to the highest test and I’m really curious to see how book two and three are going to play out. Nervous? Yes. Excited? Most definitely!

Suzanne creates a world that is so real it could be the one we read about in history books. Full of memorable characters, fascinating plots, and flying contraptions (yes, I had to throw that in) Innocent Darkness is a beautiful debut! It comes out August 8th, 2012! I would love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading, 

Valia