Book Review: Manners & Mutiny by Gail Carriger

Series: Finishing School Book #4

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 326

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

How I Got It: Purchased

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal

Publisher: Little Brown Books

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

Lessons in the art of espionage aboard Mademoiselle Geraldine's floating dirigible have become tedious without Sophronia's sootie Soap nearby. She would rather thwart dastardly Picklemen, yet her concerns about their wicked intentions are ignored. 

Who can she trust? Royal werewolf dewan? Stylish vampire Lord Akeldama? Only one thing is certain: a large-scale plot is under way. Sophronia must be ready to save her friends, her school, and all of London from disaster.

Review

I love Gail Carriger! Her voice as a writer is so unique and intoxicating. There's often tongue-in-cheek humor, but she isn't afraid of dangerous situations. She's able to blend all of this together effortlessly.

This was a perfect ending. Of course I would love to spend more time with many of these characters, but I don't need it. Now, I want to re-read The Parasol Protectorate just to be in this world again. I also want to read the other books she's written.

This review is pretty vague because I'm trying to avoid any spoilers.

Sophronia is a spectacular heroine and I loved going on this journey with her. The friendships and relationships were written well and with great nuance. 

I'm just so glad I read this series and was able to enjoy it. Everyone I picked it up I felt myself smiling.

Thanks for reading!

Holly

Book Review: Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger

Series: Finish School #2

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 310

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

How I Got It: Purchased

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Steampunk

Publisher: Hachette, Little, Brown, & Co.

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

Sophronia's first year at Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality has certainly been rousing! For one thing, finishing school is training her to be a spy--won't Mumsy be surprised? Furthermore, Sophronia got mixed up in an intrigue over a stolen device and had a cheese pie thrown at her in a most horrid display of poor manners.

Now, as she sneaks around the dirigible school, eavesdropping on the teachers' quarters and making clandestine climbs to the ship's boiler room, she learns that there may be more to a field trip to London than is apparent at first. A conspiracy is afoot--one with dire implications for both supernaturals and humans. Sophronia must rely on her training to discover who is behind the dangerous plot-and survive the London Season with a full dance card.

Review

I'm loving this series. This book was so close to five stars. I'm still kind of confused, but I don't even care. I'm just along for this ride with Sophronia. I can't wait to finish the series and I also want to re-read the Parasol Protectorate Series, because of the overlapping characters.

Ms. Carriger is a great writer. Full stop.

Her style is unique and fun to read. And she creates fantastic and engaging characters. I particularly like the relationships/friendships she creates. And the names. She is best namer out there.

Some new characters showed up and I'm definitely interested. There was a new guy who is intriguing and a little mysterious. But if there is a romance I'm really hoping it is the one I liked from the first book. I just gobble up all the little suggestions of that ship. So, I'll keep my fingers crossed.

If you couldn't tell, I'm currently obsessed with these characters and the series.

Thanks for reading!

Holly

Book Review: Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

Series: Finishing School Book #1

Format: Trade Paperback

Pages: 307

Rating: 4 Stars

How I Got It: Purchased (Pretty sure)

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Steampunk

Publisher: Little, Brown Books

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is a great trial to her poor mother. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners--and the family can only hope that company never sees her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. So she enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. 

But Sophronia soon realizes the school is not quite what her mother might have hoped. At Mademoiselle Geraldine's, young ladies learn to finish...everything. Certainly, they learn the fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but they also learn to deal out death, diversion, and espionage--in the politest possible ways, of course. Sophronia and her friends are in for a rousing first year's education.

Review

I love Gail Carriger's voice as a writer. She's quirky and fun and dignified.

Sophronia is an interesting main character. She's adventurous and headstrong. She's also unexpectedly friendly and supporting of those around her. She also doesn't know a lot about the world she's thrown into so I also don't know a lot. I trust things will be explored, but I also wish I knew more NOW!

I feel like there may be a romance which I am here for. (It's inter-racial and that is one of my favorites since I was raised in an inter-racial home). But I'm not 100% sure it will happen so I'm going to hold off on commenting too much.

I really liked the connections to the Parasol Protectorate series. There are a few-mainly characters-which are pretty obvious. I'm excited to see if there are any more connections as the series continues. And it kind of makes me want to re-read the Parasol Protectorate series. Personally, I think that's a good thing in a book/series.

Thanks for reading!

Holly