Susan Dennard

"In an alternate nineteenth-century Philadelphia, Eleanor Fitt sets out to rescue her brother, who seems to have been captured by an evil necromancer in control of an army of Undead"--

Something Strange and Deadly

ashley hopkins

I honestly thought I wouldn't enjoy this book after I started reading it, but boy was I wrong I soon fell in love with the story and characters. The mystery and suspense on what was going on with Elijah was just one of the many things that held my attention.

I haven't actually finished it yet, but I'm about 100 pages away.

New York Times bestselling author Susan Dennard adds a “never before in print” e-novella and a gorgeous new cover to the first book in the Something Strange and Deadly trilogy. Perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare's Infernal Devices series. Sixteen-year-old Eleanor Fitt’s brother is missing. After discovering the Dead are rising and wreaking havoc in Philadelphia, she knows that her brother is involved. So Eleanor enlists the help of the Spirit-Hunters. This motley crew, hired to protect the city from supernatural forces, is after the necromancer who has been reanimating corpses. Their skills can save her brother. Yet as Eleanor spends time with the Spirit-Hunters and their handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. Now not only is her reputation at risk, but her very life hangs in the balance. In Something Strange and Deadly, Susan Dennard weaves together beautifully imagined scenes of action, adventure, and vivid Victorian life to create an entertaining steampunk tapestry of humor, horror, and romance. Readers will be intrigued from the start.

Jessica Williamson

4 stars

As a fan of Dennard's Witchlands series, I knew I would enjoy the writing of this book and I definitely did. 

I love Eleanore, she's a total misfit like the rest of us, and more so as the story continues on. She was fun to read.

The other characters were great as well. Well-written and different from what I had been expecting.

Highly recommend this for anyone who likes novels with any combination of romance, historical, fantasy, and horror. 

Fun, quick read. Think I'll be staring the next one tomorrow!

laura

Such a strong and fast pace read. I love the characters and the plot. The story was complex and unique and i can't wait to read the sequel next

Siobhán

Review Post on Blog: http://totallybookalicious.blogspot.c...

I had been coveting this book since I first seen the cover a few months ago. I am a sucker for a pretty cover. Especially ones with dresses. Yip, it is a trend I will never tired off!! And the blurb just sounded amazing. So you can imagine my excitment with I got approved to review the e-arc. I was honestly fangirling, dancing everywhere. However, with a pretty cover sometimes the story inside doesn't live up to the cover. Was this the case here? HELL NO!!!! It was amazing, one of my favourite reads of 2012 so far!!

Something Strange and Deadly was nothing like I was expecting it to be. I knew it had zombies and paranormal elementals but for some reason I had no idea it was set in Victorian times. Now usually when books are set in Victorian time or even a pseudo-Victorian time it is a hit or miss with me. But this works perfectly, there is no way this story could have worked in any other time period. It was perfect.

The main character in this story is Eleanor, a young lady who is head strong and determind to find her brother and resue him. She is such a strong willed person that it is impossible not to like her courage. Especially with the fact that this is set at time where it isn't proper for a young lady to be roaming around alone and getting up to mischief. I have nothing bad to say about her. I adored her, she is one of those characters you want to be around and hear more of their stories. A character you really root for.

The story is one of those that grip you from start to finish. I honestly found it really hard to put down and if my home live wasn't so hectic I think I could have read this in one sitting. It just flows wonderfully that you get wrapped up in the story and the characters and block out everything else around you. The biggest thing I loved about this was that Susan took a risk with the romance. Or I should say the lack of romance really. There is no instalove (thank god) it's not until about 3/4 into the book the romance develops. However, it doesn't overshadow the main plot and I applaud the author for this. I do like a good romance in books but I actually prefer one that has is full of action and the romance to be an bonus to the story.

Susan has created a kick ass story that's fun and action packed and with twists I did not see coming with Zombies that will give you the creeps. They are proper Zombies that given the chance will eat you!! My only negative is that I need to wait until Summer 2013 to read the sequel I need it now!!!

b.andherbooks

The 'walking dead' have invaded a cemetery in Philadelphia and threaten the expensive World Exhibition and a beloved brother is missing in this YA horror tale. Young Eleanor needs to find her brother while avoiding the hordes of the dead. To do so she finds assistance from a scruffy group of misfits who use Steampunk-esque tools to fight the dead (and spirits too). The various mysteries are a bit light, but the action and horror is fun. The main heroine is feisty, and her love interest is intriguing and intelligent but the romance feels a bit one-note. Quick, easy, fun read. Hopefully the sequel will have a bit more meat.

Ann-Loy

Not bad. Certainly not as dreadful as Stalking Jack The Ripper.

Patricia Santos

Opinião do blogue Chaise Longue: http://girlinchaiselongue.blogspot.pt...

Há livros que nos chamam a atenção. Há livros que adorámos. E há livros que parecem que foram escritos para nós. Something Strange and Deadly foi amor à primeira vista e depois, à primeira palavra. Depois de anos a namorá-lo, meses a guardá-lo na estante, finalmente ganhei coragem para o ler e, se tinha medo de ter demasiadas expectativas, rapidamente esse medo se evaporou pois este livro não só correspondeu ao que esperava, como foi ainda melhor. Com uma escrita elegante mas mórbida, e um humor delicioso, Susan Dennard traz-nos uma história sombria e misteriosa, uma história tão capaz de nos arrepiar como de nos fazer rir, uma história que mistura os bons costumes vitorianos com irreverência, e que é capaz de nos manter em suspenso até ao final. 
Sessões espíritas que correm mal, segredos bem guardados e um cemitério onde os cadáveres deixaram as suas tumbas, são apenas alguns dos ingredientes que tornam este livro um intricado puzzle, tão assustador como charmoso, onde não falta nem magia nem engenhocas. Numa narrativa onde, tanto se pode citar Shakespeare como, tentar matar um zombie com uma sombrinha, acontecimentos aparentemente dispersos e sem ligação dão lugar a uma complexa teia de intriga e conspiração, que irá revelar-se, peça a peça, num enredo onde, a tensão é crescente e o mistério adensa-se a cada página. Com um ambiente requintado, mas nem por isso, menos demente, onde, num momento se está na ópera e, no outro a tentar salvar a pele, esta história é uma sequência de momentos que nos faz suspender a respiração, enquanto nos deslumbra e cativa, tanto pela diferença que o caracteriza, como pelo mistério que a envolve.
Doce, mas amargo. Belo, mas marcado por cicatrizes. Antiquado, mas com laivos de rebeldia. Assim é Something Strange and Deadly, uma mistura de sombras e luz, de beleza e fealdade, de raciocínio e demência, de justiça e vingança. Nunca sabemos o que esperar da próxima página. Nunca sabemos quem são os inimigos ou os amigos. Nunca sabemos onde realmente se esconde a traição ou onde se guarda a verdadeira coragem. Em cada momento há uma surpresa, uma reviravolta, um segredo. Por isso, está é uma leitura que nos prende a atenção, que nos ilude, que nos fascina. Porque nada é o que pensámos, nada é o que parece.
Cada personagem tem um passado, um segredo, uma perda. E todas elas, de alguma forma nos criam empatia, mesmo que umas mais do que outras. Como o mal- humorado, inteligente e teimoso Daniel. Ou o corajoso e misterioso Joseph. Ou Jie Chen, que não é o que aparenta. E depois há Eleanor. Respondona, inteligente e doce Eleanor. Incapaz de estar calada, incapaz de ficar parada, ela já era razão suficiente para que ler este livro valesse a pena, porque é só, só, das poucas protagonistas que gostava mesmo de ser.
Escrito à minha medida, Something Strange and Deadly é mais do que um caso de amor imediato. É a resposta para quem procura algo diferente. É o livro a ler para quem gostou de Eterna Saudade de Lia Habel ou da trilogia As Origens de Cassandra Clare. É a forma perfeita de recordar Anastasia e Dimitri. E se tudo isto não bastar, ele basta por si próprio.

Something Strange and Deadly

Reviews