Something Strange and Deadly

Jul 21, 2012 Giselle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, own, steampunk, zombies, dystopia-or-post-apocalyptic

EDIT 07/20/12: Did anyone else not notice the gears behind the girl on the cover? Because I hadn't until just now O_O Awesome!

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When I went into this, I was expecting a zombie book in a steampunk setting with some mystery elements. What I actually got was a paranormal fantasy with a cute romance, a fun mystery, but not nearly enough zombies for my tastes. I still enjoyed it for the most part, it was simply different than what I was expecting.

Zombies are how we get introduced to this world Susan...more EDIT 07/20/12: Did anyone else not notice the gears behind the girl on the cover? Because I hadn't until just now O_O Awesome!

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When I went into this, I was expecting a zombie book in a steampunk setting with some mystery elements. What I actually got was a paranormal fantasy with a cute romance, a fun mystery, but not nearly enough zombies for my tastes. I still enjoyed it for the most part, it was simply different than what I was expecting.

Zombies are how we get introduced to this world Susan has created. A memorable start during a zombie attack, to which begins the mysterious plot of the book: what has happened to Eleanor's brother, and who is controlling these undead. These aren't your diseased, all consuming brain eating zombies; in Something Strange and Deadly, the zombies are literally plucked from their graves, and controlled by a necromancer. This was easily my favorite part of the story, but as I stated, these undead are merely on the back burner, making very few appearances, while Eleanor works with the spirit-hunters to find her brother and expel the evil spirit on her trail.

Creativity is definitely at work in this story. The steampunk world, the language, the attire - it all stems from an incredible imagination. I could easily picture everything vividly, and in no way did I feel overwhelmed by the detailing or contraptions that can sometimes happen in a steampunk setting. The plot itself is full of intrigue and even tough it's not necessarily action-packed, I was made to care about the characters to such degree that I constantly wanted to know what was in store for them next. I was also kept engaged by the myriad of mysteries woven into this novel. Some of it is predictable, but for the most part I was in the dark until the very end.

Eleanor is an easy to connect with character. I particularly loved her feistiness throughout, especially when dealing with the stubborn spirit-hunters. The romance, though not a huge part of the story, is played in nice and sweet giving us enough to quench our thirst, but making us positively longing for more. I found this much more refreshing than an instant connection. It's believable and gives us time to get to know them independently before being thrown lustfully together.

A highly creative, well written paranormal fantasy novel, I would recommend Something Strange and Deadly to all fans of the steampunk genre. Don't anticipate a true zombie book like I did, and I'm certain you will be quickly absorbed in this Victorian world full of secrets and lies.

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For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

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Sep 09, 2012 Blythe rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Blythe by: Amanda The Book Slayer

Shelves: netgalley-edelweiss-arc, judge-a-book-by-the-cover, 2012-reads, i-totally-saw-that-coming, didn-t-see-that-coming, hand-me-some-tissues, gimme-the-next-book, read-reviewed, highly-anticipating-2012, exceeded-my-expectations, 2012-favorites, deserves-the-hype

Holy crap this was awesome. I don’t even want to write a review; I just want to bask in the awesomeness that is Something Strange and Deadly. (But you know, I kind of have to write a review, so here goes it.)

Eleanor Fitt is a sixteen-year-old living with her mother in Philadelphia, in the dawn of attacks from the walking Dead brought upon Philadelphia by a mysterious and unknown necromancer. To make matters worse, Eleanor receives letters from her long-lost brother, Elijah, and the content of...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Sam rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-or-galley, fantasy-or-paranormal, fantasy-or-pn-favourites, science-fiction, romance, paranormal, historical, steampunk

3.5 stars

The Dead alarm rings out across 1876 Philadelphia as animated corpses walk out of Laurel Hill Cemetery. Eleanor Fitt of the Philadelphia Fitts, or just Eleanor to you and me, is caught in the middle of a Dead attack when one of the decaying bodies delivers her a letter – a letter from her missing brother, Elijah. In her determination to locate Elijah, Eleanor ventures into the labs of the so-called Spirit Hunters, a small force designated to the role of protecting the city from the Dead...more 3.5 stars

The Dead alarm rings out across 1876 Philadelphia as animated corpses walk out of Laurel Hill Cemetery. Eleanor Fitt of the Philadelphia Fitts, or just Eleanor to you and me, is caught in the middle of a Dead attack when one of the decaying bodies delivers her a letter – a letter from her missing brother, Elijah. In her determination to locate Elijah, Eleanor ventures into the labs of the so-called Spirit Hunters, a small force designated to the role of protecting the city from the Dead, only to find nothing more than an infuriating inventor, a girl who pretends to be a boy, and an old man named Joseph. With no other hope, Eleanor is forced to risk facing her mother’s wrath and the frowns of the gossip-mongers as she decides to ask the Spirit Hunters for help…

The setting was perfect for me. A historical backdrop is hardly my favourite kind, but Susan Dennard makes her world simple and accessible without feeling too lacking or underdeveloped. With a light Victorian dusting and crafted with parasols, carriages and proper etiquette, Philadelphia in 1876 was far more appealing to me than it made sense for it to be. It’s not all skirts and petticoats though; there is a strong paranormal aroma in the air as Dennard’s zombie-like creatures turn this story into one full of excitement and action. It’s a fast-paced ride but never an overwhelming one.

The story, however, is not my favourite part of this book; it is the characters. Eleanor is so incredibly likeable. While not the most intelligent or durable of female main characters, she is never exasperatingly dim or particularly unrealistic. I loved her stubbornness, her natural curiosity and her willingness to transgress expectations in order to find her brother. She was a refreshingly sweet character who did not lack fire. And not only Eleanor – I also adored the love interest, Daniel the inventor. He was a little typical at times, but never boring. I loved the tension and chemistry between him and Eleanor. Not a smidgeon of insta-love in sight.

My only major criticism for this book is its high levels of predictability. The mystery behind who the necromancer was turned out to be incredibly easy to piece together, even for me. Although it didn’t fully take away from my overall enjoyment of the book, it did dampen my enthusiasm occasionally. For maximum suspense, I wish certain twists had been a little less expected or the plot a touch more intricate.

Regardless, Something Strange and Deadly proved to be a surprisingly good read, more so than I thought it would be. The light steampunk elements, wonderful set of characters, and pleasant writing made this story one that I fully enjoyed, even if it wasn’t quite perfect. I will definitely be reading the sequel and finding out what is in store for Eleanor Fitt next. I just hope Susan Dennard ensures book two is just as entertaining, if not more so.

(This review also appears on my blog)
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Jul 18, 2012 ♥Rachel♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, arc, edelweiss

3.5 Stars

Sixteen year-old Eleanor Fitt lives in a time of corsets and petticoats. A time where a lady's behavior is governed by strict rules of decorum. A time when Eleanor's mother is dead set on her finding and marrying a rich man to rescue their family from impeding financial ruin. But this is also a time of the Dead. The Dead are reanimated corpses plaguing the city, and Eleanor is afraid her brother, Elijah, has been captured by the one commanding them, the necromancer. The day Elijah is su...more 3.5 Stars

Sixteen year-old Eleanor Fitt lives in a time of corsets and petticoats. A time where a lady's behavior is governed by strict rules of decorum. A time when Eleanor's mother is dead set on her finding and marrying a rich man to rescue their family from impeding financial ruin. But this is also a time of the Dead. The Dead are reanimated corpses plaguing the city, and Eleanor is afraid her brother, Elijah, has been captured by the one commanding them, the necromancer. The day Elijah is supposed to return home to Eleanor and her mother, a letter is delivered to her by one the Dead. Elijah explains that as long as he helps a mysterious "him," he should be able to come home. This is very little to go on so Eleanor seeks the help of the Spirit-Hunters. They're group hired by the city to control and get rid of the corpses that walk and terrorize the living. Soon Eleanor is tied up with this small band, looking for and stopping the necromancer, the one she fears is holding her brother. Instead of putting all her efforts into securing the most eligible bachelor, Clarence Wilcox, she's running all over the city uncovering clues and helping devise plots to destroy the necromancer. Whether she's interested or not, however, Clarence seems to be connected to recent murders, and Eleanor has no choice but to get close to him, to find out what secrets he hides.

This story was full of sass, action and gore. Sass on the part of spunky heroine Eleanor and Daniel, one of the brilliant but flippant Spirit-Hunters. Their interactions reminded me of Han Solo and Princess Leia, especially when Daniel would call Eleanor "Empress." I cracked up at this:

*He wagged a warning finger. "Don't think I'll look after you, though--the world would be better off with one less princess." "I'm not a princess," I huffed, beating my brain for some worthy retort.
"A queen then?"
"No! That's not what I meant--"
"Oh, an empress. I see. Pardon me, Your Majesty." He swooped into a crouched bow, and when his torso sprang back up, a smile floated at the edge of his lips.

I liked Eleanor's pluck and courage, and connected with her character right away. However, I had a hard time feeling Eleanor's distress at her missing brother, Elijah. Their relationship is touched on so briefly and superficially that I had a hard time caring that he was missing or in danger. While I had fun overall reading this, I must say that this story sort of dragged for me until I reached the half-way point. It wasn't until then, that the story exploded into non-stop action, and my heart was pounding as I read the pages. Also, at this point the romance finally started to come together, and turned out to be very sweet. However, the ending sort of made my mouth drop, and I hope we have some further development in this area in the next book. So while it took a bit to really get going, I thought it was very promising start to this series. I'll definitely pick up the sequel.

*Quote taken from uncorrected proof and may differ from the final copy.

Thank you to Edelweiss and Harper Teen for allowing me to read this.

You can find this review and more at The Readers Den.
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Jun 11, 2012 Maja rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-2012, are-you-kidding-me, debut-author, edelweiss, historical-fiction, i-see-dead-people, incredibly-stupid-choices, ya, zombies-zombies-everywhere, reviewed-in-2012

Ever since her father passed away, Eleanor Fitt’s life hasn’t been the same. Her brother Elijah is away in college, the money is seriously lacking, and her mother is obsessed with regaining their place in society. When her brother fails to arrive home for the second time and a walking corpse brings his vague note instead, Eleanor becomes convinced that Elijah is a victim of some necromancer and starts moving heaven and earth to find him. With no one else to turn to, she goes to the Shadow Hunter...more Ever since her father passed away, Eleanor Fitt’s life hasn’t been the same. Her brother Elijah is away in college, the money is seriously lacking, and her mother is obsessed with regaining their place in society. When her brother fails to arrive home for the second time and a walking corpse brings his vague note instead, Eleanor becomes convinced that Elijah is a victim of some necromancer and starts moving heaven and earth to find him. With no one else to turn to, she goes to the Shadow Hunters, a pretty odd group of people who travel from town to town, fighting the spirits and the undead.

Something Strange and Deadly is a lovely, well-written and fast-paced adventure, but the worldbuidling leaves a lot to be desired. There is no background, there is no context, you get thrown into a sink-or-swim situation and you must either take it in stride or give up entirely. Two different types of dead are walking: the slow ones and the fast, hungry ones; there are evil and powerful spirits about; the Shadow Hunters, employed by the city, have a way of fighting the undead; Eleanor is in the middle of it all right from the start, and yet, we are given no explanation whatsoever. Why is it normal, almost accepted, for the slow corpses to walk, but not the fast ones? Why are séances the most popular entertainment of high society? Who raises both types of the dead?

The pacing was so fast, it reminded me of a rollercoaster ride at times. I never really got a chance to catch my breath. This worked doubly to Dennard’s advantage: for one, the story was so easy to get into, and besides, even when I knew I should be irritated by one of Miss Fitt’s especially rash conclusions, I just didn’t have time to think about it too hard.
To give credit where credit is due, though, Dennard did surprise me a couple of times and that doesn’t happen often these days. Her story had quite a few unexpected twists and turns and was rather original in some ways.

Oddly enough, romance was my favorite part, and I’m usually not a romance-is-my-favorite-part kind of girl. It was entertaining and subtle, not relevant to the story and certainly not in the spotlight. I liked Daniel a lot, he brought so much humor into every scene and his constant teasing of Eleanor, even in most dire of situations, made me laugh out loud several times. Her bristling and reluctant respect were also quite amusing.
He was grinning wide. The rascal was teasing me! And before I could summon a worthy retort, he whistled brightly and sauntered ahead of me.
Blazes, he was cocky. And entirely too dashing for his own good – or for my own good, rather.
I think the word rascal describes Daniel pretty well.

Do I think this book has something new to offer, despite the faulty worldbuilding? Yes! Will I be reading the sequel? Yes, yes, yes. Susan Dennard knows how to keep her readers interested without resorting to a vicious cliffhanger that would make them feel cheated. I just wish she would write a bit faster.

Also posted at The Nocturnal Library (less)

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May 16, 2012 Bonnie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, zombies-like-brains, steampunk, arcs-read, read-in-2012, edelweiss

2.5 stars

I'm a huge fan of world building. To me, it's vital that you set the scene with a proper introduction in order to hook the reader from the very first page. Unfortunately, you don't get a lot of that with 'Something Strange and Deadly' initially so it took me a while to get into it. The opening scene dives right into the action where Eleanor is picking up her brother from the train station not realizing that the walking dead is everywhere. The zombies are explained a bit further later in...more 2.5 stars

I'm a huge fan of world building. To me, it's vital that you set the scene with a proper introduction in order to hook the reader from the very first page. Unfortunately, you don't get a lot of that with 'Something Strange and Deadly' initially so it took me a while to get into it. The opening scene dives right into the action where Eleanor is picking up her brother from the train station not realizing that the walking dead is everywhere. The zombies are explained a bit further later in the book but using this as the opening scene didn't work in my opinion, especially since it continued to be fast paced and ceased to slow down any time soon.

The 'zombies' really played a small part in the story, much less of a part than I had expected. Plus they weren't truly zombies, they were dead bodies which were being controlled by a necromancer which is completely different. The magic and the steampunk and the explanation was explained fairly well; however, I found it to be too over the top.

This book was chalk full of characters that appeared to be quite shallow and essentially difficult to like. I had difficulty liking Eleanor at first (I kind of came around to liking her by the end though) and I immediately disliked Clarence because, really... Clarence? Besides his name, he was quite pompous and clearly thought he was better than anyone and everyone. Hard type of person to like, even if you want to feel bad for him because his name is Clarence. And then there was the immediate familiarity between Eleanor and Clarence. At the seance that her mother was hosting at the very beginning of the story, Clarence and Eleanor had never met yet after a single conversation not only is Clarence bossing her around but Eleanor is as well, expecting him to explain himself.

"I would greatly appreciate it if you would keep our conversation in the hall to yourself."
"Of course," I said primly. "Thought I want some explanation of your behavior."
"How about a bouquet or roses instead? Or a new hat?"

The book lacked a whole lot in the explanation area too. It did more of the 'simple state' rather than talk about something and show with supporting evidence. Considering this is a steampunk story and explanation can be difficult I'd give it a pass; however, I've read some well written steampunk stories so I do know that it's possible to pull off. Here are just a few circumstances that I had issues with:

"Can you stop a spirit like that?"
"Yes, in the same way I stop the walking Dead. I magnify an electric spark and break apart the soul."
Is that supposed to be a sufficient explanation?

"Your letter was covered in spiritual energy."
How exactly is that possible? It's KIND OF explained later that these particular goggles that can see said spiritual energy operate on magnetic energy, fluid with magnetic powder, and are calibrated with grave dirt... I don't know. You lost me completely. Steampunk and I do not get along.

Bottom line I can see the appeal but I don't think this was the book for me. (less)

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Mar 31, 2012 Ezmirelda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: can-t-wait, 2012, steam-punk, paranormal, romance, must-read

Update: I'm SOO SOOO excited to be on the ARC blog Tour for SS&D! I can't wait to start reading it!

The cover is so beautiful and the premise is enticing!
Zombies + Spirit-Hunters + handsome invetors *swoons* = winning
I absolutely can NOT wait to read this. =)

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Jun 25, 2012 Zoey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-release, cover-love, dac-challenge

Something Strange and Deadly can be a little scary. It can be funny. It can even be sexy.

While I was expecting more zombies, Something Strange and Deadly definitely didn't disappoint me. It's a book that you can easily immerse yourself in. I don't usually tend to read books set in the 1800s because they feel too formal and stiff to me. But SS&D isn't. At all. The setting is perfect the way Dennard portrays it. There's gossip, there's handsome men vying for women's hands, but behind it all, s...more

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Jul 30, 2012 Monika rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, inne

"I scoffed. And if you ever get in my way, I'll personally feed you to my mother."

Yay! Title and cover are sooo wonderful. Just look at that dress. Yummy :D

I am not a big fan of steampunk books but I enjoyed this one.
Now I wonder how long I have wait for the next one ( unfortunately 2013 ) to see where author will take her character next.

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Dec 17, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, zombies, steampunk, zz-2012, historical-fantasy, reviewed, pleasantly-surprised

3.5 stars, rounded high. [EDIT: Almost immediately after posting this review I decided 3 stars was too low, even with the flaws. The things I liked about it are enough to round up.]

As I said in my updates, the initial worldbuilding was somewhat awkward -- so here's the short version. In this world, zombies don't come from plagues, nuclear disaster, or mutated viruses. Moreover, it's not a condition you catch from bites. Instead they're controlled by necromancers (which are closely tied to voodoo...more 3.5 stars, rounded high. [EDIT: Almost immediately after posting this review I decided 3 stars was too low, even with the flaws. The things I liked about it are enough to round up.]

As I said in my updates, the initial worldbuilding was somewhat awkward -- so here's the short version. In this world, zombies don't come from plagues, nuclear disaster, or mutated viruses. Moreover, it's not a condition you catch from bites. Instead they're controlled by necromancers (which are closely tied to voodoo) & there are two varieties -- those under the direct influence of dark magic (aka Dead) & those that are roaming around untethered (aka Hungry). Whereas Dead can be commanded to eat, trample, or destroy (or even deliver bits of paper), Hungry are fast, mobile, & driven by pure feeding instinct.

Once you understand the basics (i.e., after the first 75 pages), the book is fairly easy to follow. Strange & Deadly is set in an alternate 1870s Philadelphia. Our heroine is Eleanor, whose bland daily life is interrupted when one of the Dead drops a note at her feet -- literally. The note is from her older brother Elijah, & it hints that something sinister has happened courtesy of an unfriendly necromancer. Disturbed by the implications, Eleanor takes the note to a group of supernatural experts (Spirit-Hunters) in hopes they can help her discover Elijah's fate. (And yes, it does occur to her that he might be undead.) Meanwhile, the Dead are appearing more & more often in Philadelphia, & a string of headless rich-boy corpses has the upper crust rattled. Eleanor slowly finds herself sucked into the mystery of the bodies & the quest of the Spirit-Hunters -- which is, of course, tied to the dreaded necromancer threat.

I thought Eleanor was a pretty good heroine. She reminded me a little of a Victoria Holt narrator. Though there are times when she's not the sharpest crayon in the box, she's eager to fill the gaps in her knowledge...and she does try not to be stupid, rather than continually running headlong into explosive situations just to prove she should be included. (Why yes, I hate that. :P) On the occasions she does put herself in harm's way, she has reason(s) for her actions. Unlike many dystopian/PNR heroines, she cares about her family & tries to treat them right. (She also wastes very little narration on angsty whinge-fests, which was such a nice change of pace.) Speaking of boys...I thought Daniel was a good love interest. He's gruff & standoffish, but at heart he's a gentleman & it shows in his treatment of Eleanor. Also, there was no insta-love. (Let me say it again: NO INSTA-LOVE.) The developing romance between Eleanor & Daniel felt natural to the story, but it didn't dominate the plot.

If you're a hardcore steampunk guru, be warned this book is very light on the technobabble. For some readers (like me :P), this is a good thing; intense steampunk sends my brain into overload, so keeping gadgets & science to a minimum is a blessing...but for others, that might be a turnoff. Likewise, the necromancer/voodoo zombie angle might annoy some readers. But personally, I thought the biggest downsides were the beginning (another 25-50 pages of set-up would have helped) & the mild predictability of the necromancer thing. (I say 'mild predictability' because I guessed two probable scenarios, one of which was [mostly] correct.) That being said, there were three distinct points where I approve the author's balls: (view spoiler)

Overall, I enjoyed this one & will be picking up Book 2 to see what happens.(less)

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Apr 12, 2013 Raya rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, oh-the-horror, thrill-me-adventures, addicting-books, quick-fun, steampunk, call-the-winchesters

As an avid reader, I know which books I am more likely to love or loathe, but then there are books — books like Something Strange & Deadly — that own territory I haven't quite invaded. Either it's new altogether or I've only skirted the outside and grazed a small amount. Why did I read this? Curiosity played a key role, certainly, because SS&D's plot strays far from my typical taste, but I also seek to pile more onto my genre plate: the more, the merrier. No reason presents itself that w...more

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Mar 24, 2012 Katy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

4.5 stars - I'm still trying to see whether or not I even like steampunk because I have yet to read one that I really liked (unless Clockwork Angel counted), and I think I can say I found my first.

I think the reason steampunk is so hard to get into because the language already takes a bit getting used to so it slows you down at first, and then, a lot of authors spend way too much time describing their steam world that that it takes you a while to get into the story itself. With this book, that w...more 4.5 stars - I'm still trying to see whether or not I even like steampunk because I have yet to read one that I really liked (unless Clockwork Angel counted), and I think I can say I found my first.

I think the reason steampunk is so hard to get into because the language already takes a bit getting used to so it slows you down at first, and then, a lot of authors spend way too much time describing their steam world that that it takes you a while to get into the story itself. With this book, that was not the case at all! It doesn't start out with a lot of nonsense talk (though Eleanor's mother is a ninny), and Dennard just jumped into the story and only elaborated on the contraptions when they were called for in the story.

Now, on to the story itself. You wouldn't think the storyline was really unique and amazing on its own, but Dennard's writing and her characters really made the book stand out from other books of its kind.

Eleanor was the perfect heroine. She has the naivety and and innocence of a Victorian teenage lady, but she also has a spark in her that's intriguing. But her sass was endearing - not how some authors write their feisty characters can be annoying.

I love Daniel from the beginning. There's just something about his attitude that's so alluring. It's one of those things where you don't know if you want to punch him or kiss him. And Clarence was such a great mysterious character. He had the appearance of a put-together, powerful, rich gentleman, but you can also tell there is a regret that's haunting him.

There's just something about the book - and I can't really put my finger on it - that just sucks you in. There's a lot of action, though the whole book is not filled with it, but you're gripped to the story as you fly through the pages to find out what happened to Elijah, what Clarence and Daniel are hiding, what the Spirit Hunters are going to do and how everything just ties in together.

The end left me a bit upset but leaves me with hope for the future as I anxiously wait for the sequel.(less)

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Mar 25, 2012 Cassie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own

This is my first experience with Steampunk and Zombies. The gene in general is not necessarily to my tastes, but I am in LOVE with Something Strange and Deadly. The characters and plot were so well rounded, and the pacing so TIGHT, that it didn't feel like a 400 page novel.

Here's a short summary of what SS&D is about:

Eleanor Fitt lives in a world were it is not "uncommon" for the dead to occasionally rise. Lately, though, it's become a huge problem, and when a corpse delivers a letter to E...more This is my first experience with Steampunk and Zombies. The gene in general is not necessarily to my tastes, but I am in LOVE with Something Strange and Deadly. The characters and plot were so well rounded, and the pacing so TIGHT, that it didn't feel like a 400 page novel.

Here's a short summary of what SS&D is about:

Eleanor Fitt lives in a world were it is not "uncommon" for the dead to occasionally rise. Lately, though, it's become a huge problem, and when a corpse delivers a letter to Eleanor from her brother, she is forced to make certain decisions. Her brother's life is at state, and she will stop at nothing to rescue him from the Necromancer that is reeking havoc on Philadelphia.

Are you interested now? Good, because now I can tell you all the things that I loved about SS&D.

First, the characters. Eleanor is an amazing protagonist. Some authors tend to make the plot "happen" to the character, but I feel that it's more enjoyable to see the protagonist take action and drive the plot forward. This is Eleanor to a T, when she's forced to take actions into her own hands to save her brother, Elijah. The twists and turns she takes you through will make your head spin (but in a good way of course). Then there's Daniel--ahhhh. Can we just take a moment to swoon?

*pauses*

Okay, swoon time is over. Now, I won't say much about Daniel, except that I'm very glad Susan Dennard left their relationship up-in-the-air. Their chemistry is spot-on, and it's definitely not a "love at first sight" thing (something I think we all can appreciate). I also have great respect for Susan for her attention to detail. I absolutely LOVED the historical background--it felt so REAL (something I'm sure was a result of extensive research). My only SLIGHT disappointment was that the "Spirit Hunters" weren't as "big" as I assumed they'd be. By the time I was halfway through the book, though, I forgot about that disappointment at let Susan's story speak for itself.

Something Strange and Deadly is filled with non-stop action, twists and turns, and amazing characters. It will make you laugh, smile, cheer, gasp, and gnaw at your cheek in fear. I eagerly anticipate the sequel.

OH! And thanks to Holly Dodson for hosting this FABULOUS ARC tour. (less)

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Jul 21, 2012 Soumi(in love with Puck) Roy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-e-galley, zombies, young-adult, steampunk, books-i-reviewed

“Even the greatest feats of man lose their luster when one's head is filled with storm clouds.”

I was always in love with steampunk novel, the corsets, the parasols, the automations; everything is so luxurious and mysterious in equal measure. And undead corpses in steampunk novel earned extra credits. The story begins at 1876 Philadelphia, where a necromancer is raising the deads from grave and killing members of the most respectful families. Elenor Fitt has plenty to worry about her brother, who...more “Even the greatest feats of man lose their luster when one's head is filled with storm clouds.”

I was always in love with steampunk novel, the corsets, the parasols, the automations; everything is so luxurious and mysterious in equal measure. And undead corpses in steampunk novel earned extra credits. The story begins at 1876 Philadelphia, where a necromancer is raising the deads from grave and killing members of the most respectful families. Elenor Fitt has plenty to worry about her brother, who has been held captive by the same necromancer, and her family is going through economical crisis. He mother wants to marry her off to any rich gentleman and all she wants to find out the truth of her missing brother. As the spirit hunters came to protect the town from the undead problems and Elenor has no choice but including their help.

description

The story was unique and amazing, gripping right from the start. The book was very creative work of author Susan Dennard. She didn’t go for details describing the whole 1876’s steampunk Philadelphia, she mainly inclined to the storyline which made the book fast paced and much more exciting. I also adore her writing style which doesn’t contain tough vocabularies as other steampunk novels yet very sophisticated writing, making the book easy and stylish read for anyone.

The heroine Elenor is just sixteen years old teenage girl struggling with problems of her own. She is mature than her age, naïve yet very deterministic girl. Her curiosities in order to find her brother lead her to make choices and overstep the social boundaries but she never gave up, even when she was aware of the consequences coming with it. She is the one who actually cares for her family’s welfare unlike her mother who is completely sallow and snob Victorian women knew nothing but how to maintain reputation.

There is Daniel, absolutely arrogant and alluring, I love every particular moment he appeared into the story. His presence is dark with his own secrets of past and light with his cocky attitude. Not only has an excellent fighter, Daniel invented scientific gadgets that help them fighting the undeads. He feels for Elenor, often calls her Empress, he is not afraid to fight with zombie, he is afraid of showing his feelings for Elenor. They conflict and pain in love touched me very deeply and the ending literally broke my heart.
The book has many fascinating character, like Jei, the Chinese spirit hunter girl in disguise of a boy, and later proven to be very loyal friend of Elenor, Clarence, a mysterious and charming guilt ridden young gentleman, who like Elenor and cares for her.

The book is not actually some gruesome zombie novel like we have seen in recent years, full of violence and blood. It’s rather different one where the story circled around undead but not entirely focusing on them. It has black magic, and necromancy, romance with lot of emotions and actions. Something Strange and Deadly is a fine and elegant debut of author Susan Dennard, and successful of capturing many reader’s
interest.

The beautiful fan art of Something Strange and Deadly is done by lovely Nati at deviantart.com. Visit her more awesome work http://nati.deviantart.com/(less)

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Aug 04, 2012 Angela (Reading Angels) marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Parasols, corsets, and ZOMBIES!! YES PLEASE!!!! I Neeeeeds this book :)

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May 26, 2012 Amanda The Book Slayer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 1st-books-in-must-read-series, favorites, must-read, steampunk, zombies, ya

Originally posted at Sisters Unedited

Recommend : This book rated right up there with Divergent and Angefall. It was quite original. Susan Dennard spins a tale about magic, hunters, and zombies. All you Steampunk fans will love this and those who have never read anything from that genre, well this is a good one to start with.

description

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"A breath later, somber bells rang out, and I knew it was all very, very real. That was the Dead alarm.

I'd heard of corpses awakening-hungry and dangerous though still quit...more

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Jun 13, 2012 Tee loves Kyle Jacobson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-must-reads, around-the-world-arc-tours, may-2012

July 12, 2012 Zombie Must Read!

Thank you so much to Around The World ARC and Edelweiss for allowing me to read and review Something Strange and Deadly. This was my first Zombie book and I LOVED every minute of it. Susan really out did herself when she decided to use the Victorian era and use Zombies. The way they dressed and talked was a great contrast with the walking dead.

The story starts out with Eleanor waiting at the train station for her older brother Elijah to come home. While at the trai...more July 12, 2012 Zombie Must Read!

Thank you so much to Around The World ARC and Edelweiss for allowing me to read and review Something Strange and Deadly. This was my first Zombie book and I LOVED every minute of it. Susan really out did herself when she decided to use the Victorian era and use Zombies. The way they dressed and talked was a great contrast with the walking dead.

The story starts out with Eleanor waiting at the train station for her older brother Elijah to come home. While at the train station she hears the warning bells that warn people the dead has risen and they are coming. Trapped at the train station everyone is in a mad rush to get away from the zombies. Only a zombie is following Eleanor and she is not sure why until the zombie gives her a letter from her brother. What she reads in the letter scares her but she has to pull it all together before she gets home to her mother.

On her way home Eleanor is still reeling from the letter she received from her brother when she realizes she has got to find out what happened to her brother and why he sent her that cryptic letter threw a zombie. But first she must survive her mother trying to play match maker. As Eleanor starts to realize she will need help finding her brother so she turns to The Spirit Hunters for help.

Once she meets The Spirit Hunters she realizes that there is more to them then what they lead on.She is instantly annoyed at Daniel because he is so rude and thinks that ladies can't track down Zombies let alone fight them. As the mystery of her brother grows closer to home Eleanor must figure out who she will trust and what she will do to rescue her brother.

Take a ride through the grave yard with Eleanor and Daniel while they try and figure out where the Zombies are coming from and how to stop them. This book gripped me so hard from the very beginning I could not put it down and I am so glad I was given the chance to read an ARC copy because I NEED MORE! I need to see what happens to Eleanor and her family.

THIS BOOK WAS ZOMBIE GRAVETASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Feb 01, 2012 Erin Bowman added it · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, young-adult, historical, horror, series-still-reading

Let me just say upfront that this book surprised me in the best way possible. I knew very little going in, and the cover lead me to believe the book would be filled with glitz and glamor and pretty dresses; a quieter type of read. There were plenty of corsets and parasols, but oh my goodness is this book packed with action! And when I say action I mean zombies, and escapes, and chases, and spirits, and scandals! Eleanor is such a fabulous protagonist — she is determined and stubborn but incredib...more

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Apr 01, 2012 Ornella rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Excellent book! Steam punk zombie story written beautifully. Great characters, loved Eleanor, she was a spunky heroine, brave, smart, witty, you could easily identify with her. There was action throughout the book, from page all the way till the end. The plot had it's twists and turns and kept you guessing, it even managed to catch me off guard at one point, which isn't easy since I am pretty damn good at figuring out the plot line. This is a definite read for everyone!

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May 04, 2012 Gayle Gordon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own, fiction

I picked up the advance reader's copy at the Texas Library Association conference in Houston. I don't usually read this type, although I have to say, I got caught up in it and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I loved trying to work out who was good and evil and what was really going on. I figured out some of it, but other bits surprised me.

I had a little difficulty with the description of people being a bit vague at first, only to find out more about their appearances later in the book and finding my ima...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Christian Marotti rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was just too damn slow...
There was also this love triangle and of course one of the love interests has be a giant dick head
when we meet him. I thought the story line was decent but it was meh for me, glad I didn't buy it.

-R.D.

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May 12, 2011 Sarah Maas rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY is fabulous, imaginative, and romantic! Eleanor is such a fantastic and strong heroine, and the world-building is top-notch. I absolutely adored it and can't wait for the sequel!!

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May 18, 2012 Katie marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Sounds Really Good Can't wait to read it:):)

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May 07, 2013 Rezman rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: endearing-heroine, hero-heroine-i-wanna-hug, vampire-werewolf-zombies-other-supe, loved-the-secondary-characters

Five stars (*****)

First of all, I love the cover. I hardly ever comment on book’s cover but this one just grabbed my attention; it is eerily beautiful with the backdrop of the metal cartwheels and the forest. I’m not a big fan of steampunk novel since I hardly came across one with the perfect contradictions of old and new but once I started Something Strange and Deadly, I couldn’t put it down. Dennard did a good job of incorporating the right amount of Victorian 1876 Philadelphia with light refe...more Five stars (*****)

First of all, I love the cover. I hardly ever comment on book’s cover but this one just grabbed my attention; it is eerily beautiful with the backdrop of the metal cartwheels and the forest. I’m not a big fan of steampunk novel since I hardly came across one with the perfect contradictions of old and new but once I started Something Strange and Deadly, I couldn’t put it down. Dennard did a good job of incorporating the right amount of Victorian 1876 Philadelphia with light reference of technology (I smirked over the reference of elevator as ‘vertical train’) combined with smooth writing, steampunk, and oh yeah zombie mayhem (!).

Love some of the costume descriptions so much so that I wish parasols would make a fashion comeback ☺ (yeah, I’m quite aware of how unlikely that is). The story starts off with the MC, Eleanor on a desperate search of her older brother, Elijah, whom she fears has been captured by the living dead. She eventually enlists the help of a group of spirit hunters to locate her brother and thus begins the adventure of stopping the necromancer and banishing the living dead.

I found Eleanor to be a very likable and sweet character. Yeah she is not perfect; there are times she makes some unrealistic decisions but she won me over with her innate goodness, curiosity and courage irrespective of the strict rules of decorum one would expect of a lady in that period. She is however not totally detached from certain expectations as she tries her best to appease her mother’s determination to find a suitable husband for her as a last resort to save their family from impending financial loss. She is strong, determined and spunky without being annoying. My admiration for Eleanor took root towards the end when (view spoiler)

I really liked that the romance did not take center stage and developed slowly as the story progressed. The chemistry and tension between Eleanor and Daniel are so palpable and very nicely handled. It was refreshing to see a male character without detailed description of his hotness (thanks Dennard) or that the heroine is obsessed with his looks. Daniel is a bit rough around the edges but definitely a good guy at heart. Another special thanks to Dennard for not making the romance an insta-love, that development felt very natural.

The secondary characters are pretty awesome too. Dennard created a diverse group of spirit hunters who are trustworthy and had a great group dynamic. Jei stood out for me as a very interesting and a loyal friend of Eleanor. She kicked major butt in the story and never once complained about anything….unheard of from a female character.

Some of the plot twists are kind of predictable but all in all I enjoyed the story and would definitely recommend this book to anyone and especially to the fans of steampunk genre. I can’t wait for the next instalment, A Darkness Strange and Lovely!(less)

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Apr 26, 2013 Maddie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-multiple-times-in-2012, books-who-have-amazing-covers, favorites-of-2012, favorites, signed-copies, best-books-ever, read-2012-and-2013

So, I heard about this book and kind of like, zombies aren't really my thing. But I bought and read it anyways. This is the one of the most amazing books I have ever read. Even now, over a month after I finished it, I am still obsessed. Seriously, its kind of creepy how obsessed I am with this book. I am a steampunk fan, and though this isn't full out steampunk, it still has some steampunk elements in it (which I really enjoyed) Also, Ms.Dennard did a wonderful job keeping the book historically...more

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Sep 20, 2012 Alz rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: alternate-history, ya-mg, paranormal

2.5 stars (All right, I'm splitting hairs, but somehow this isn't quite a solid 3-star for me.)

A very plotty book with a lot of plot points and clues leading toward solving the mystery and the resolution--which is not necessarily a bad thing, it just means that the book is definitely focused more on plot than character.

Unfortunately the plot does narrow down quite a lot at one point and there's a very obvious conclusion to arrive at that somehow nobody does until the Big Reveal. Something I thou...more

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Jul 02, 2012 AH rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, arc-edelweiss, historical, necromancer, paranormal, read-jun-2012, zombies, steampunk, babr-reviews

4.5-5 stars - A lot of fun, an intelligent female main character.

That was exhilarating! Something Strange and Deadly is a young adult novel with a feisty, unconventional heroine.

Something Strange and Deadly was an enjoyable read. Set in Philadelphia during the late 1880’s the book captures that era’s proper Victorian decorum. Gowns, corsets, parasols, gloves, chaperones, and tea are a part of this world. Meanwhile the Dead are on the loose, an imminent threat to the population.

The story begins...more

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Jul 30, 2012 Keertana rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: debut-author-2012, kick-ass-heroines, swoooon, rainy-day-re-reads

Rating: 4.5 Stars

You know how they say that some things that come into your life are exactly what you need and they always arrive at the exact time you need them? Well, my experience with Something Strange and Deadly was similar. I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump the past few days, reading books that I haven’t clicked with and writing steadily more and more snarky reviews for them, so when Something Strange and Deadly arrived on my doorstep, I was both overjoyed, excited, and just a tad...more

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Jul 21, 2012 Lisseth (Read-a-holicZ) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: wish-list, netgalley, summer-read, ms-q-summer-reads, books-i-ll-die-for, i-own

**Originally on Read-A-holicZ**

"This book is simply PERFECTION! Filled with the right amount of romance, action, twists, fighting, and mystery; it NEVER bores you & keeps you reading through the night!"

Going into this book i was a bit wary of this book at first because I haven't read many steampunk books that I actually liked. Especially ones with sorta zombies, well there called the "dead" but it thought that was an interesting concept. For me, it did NOT disappoint. I loved that the author...more

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Jun 03, 2012 Justine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: must-read-2012, paranormal, young-adult

Susan Denards new book, Something Strange and Deadly has two things that I absolutely love... Zombies and the Victorian era! As soon as I read the synopsis I had high expectations for this book, and it didn't disappoint!

Eleanor Fitz unlike many young women during this era is free thinking, brave and has an independent streak. Luckily, for her as her brother Elijah is missing and thanks to a letter delivered by one of the dead, Eleanor believes that whoever is controlling the dead also has her b...more

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Something Strange and Deadly (Something Strange and Deadly #1)

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