Thoughts: Etiquette & Espionage

Etiquette & Espionage

by Gail Carriger
Book 1 of Finishing School

~ Goodreads ~

Rating:  4.0 Stars

It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly.  It's quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time.  Welcome to Finishing School.


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.

This was an absurdly fun read with a lovely, humorous narration, as well as an interestingly created steampunk world!  I would totally count this towards my Reading Assignment challenge as well, except that I started reading it in February.  Darn...

I don't read a whole lot of steampunk, if only because I've never really had much exposure to them, but after this book, I might find myself exploring the genre more often.  Or at least, I know I'll be reading more from this particular series, and maybe even from this author.  I understand that Finishing School actually takes place in a world that Carriger created in another series, so I may pick up those books as well.

But meanwhile, I'm finding that Etiquette & Espionage stands out very well on it's own!

Sophronia wanted to say something about the prototype, but she knew when she was being dismissed.  She bobbed a curtsy.  "Thank you, my lady."

Lady Linette winced.  "Miss Temminneck, arrange after-hours lessons with Professor Braithwope, do.  We really must work on that curtsy of yours, dear."

"But I have advanced eyelash fluttering to practice, and a mathematics problem concerning how to order strychnine and a lamb dinner on a limited budget, and three chapters on court etiquette to read, and my handkerchief to starch, and the quadrille to memorize!"

"No one said learning etiquette and espionage would be easy, my dear."

While extremely entertaining as a whole, the book had started off a little slow, but that was to be expected considering all the introductions to the world, the finishing school, and to Sophronia, that needed to be made.  The first half of the book involved a lot of set-up, but fortunately, we even have a tiny mystery going on in the background, and some rather over-the-top comedic antics by almost all of our characters.

I had been expecting a darker setting, with the lessons on dealing death, and fighting vampires and werewolves, but the book kept to it's more comedic, nonsensical tone.  Supposing that this book is geared more towards a middle grade age, that makes a lot of sense, though I had expected a more mature voice until I remembered that Sophronia and friends are only around thirteen or fourteen years old.

And, my, what characters!  A little deliberate in execution, and somewhat more juvenile than I'd expected, as I mentioned, but I absolutely loved all the strange little quirks each character had.  I was only disappointed that some of the side characters weren't fleshed out just a little bit more, or that Sophronia's attempts at using the skills she's learned were less than graceful, to be frank.

There also appear to be a few loose ends here and there with a few of the side tangents.

And still, I had tons of fun reading this book and will certainly be moving onto the next book.  I'd just love to see more from the side characters such as Vieve, Soap, Pillover, and even Professor Braithwope.  I imagine we'll expand more on Sophronia's friendships as the series progresses?  Because that would be so very excellent.

So I've Published 1000 posts...

Truthfully, I should be more excited about the fact that I've reached another milestone in my blogging life.  But given the fact that I've completely forgotten that my 3rd Blogoversary had just come and gone... well, obviously I'm not much for sentimentality or celebrations.

Nevertheless, I decided to give mention to the fact that I just posted my 1000th post on my 3rd Blogoversary without even realizing it:  BookLikes Snakes and Ladders | Dice Roll #5 & #6

And while a couple years ago, I might have found these milestones worth creating an extensive post of all sorts of stats and links and other such stuff... in present day, I just find it amusing the coincidence that I just so happened to see that my number of published posts equals 1000.  And then, while thinking about interesting milestone, I just so happened to wonder if I'd missed my Blogoversary again... only to realize that it is in fact, at this moment, still March 12, wherein exactly three years ago today, I finally created a personal bookish blog to call home.

Fun, huh?

Anyway, without any other planned stats or content, I'll just leave everyone with a nice "Cheers!"

Now if you'll excuse me, it's obviously time to get off to sleep...

BookLikes Snakes and Ladders | Dice Roll #5 & #6

Well, lookie at that!  Looks like I finished listening to the rest of Leviathan in record time after all!  A little bit of multi-tasking, a little bit of being completely and utterly lazy while I played some mobile games and passively listened to an audio book...  It also helped that the book itself picked up quite a bit after that midway point.

And now here I am, onto the next dice roll, and moving up in the Snakes and Ladders world!

Fortunately, my newest square means that I'm safe from a snake for the next roll, at least, even though I also won't hit a ladder.

I've also increased the size of Dino Baby's marker, since I felt it was a good idea.

BookLikes Snakes and Ladders

hosted by Moonlight Reader & Obsidian Blue

Rules/Gameplay | Q&A | Master List of Players

My next dice roll got me an 11, so I happily missed another snake head and landed on Square 38: 'Newest release by a favorite author.'  In which case, I'm doing a happy dance, because I just finished reading Untouchable by Jayne Ann Krentz less than a day ago!

Am I lucky or what?  Untouchable is definitely JAK's newest release this year, with one of her other books (written as Amanda Quick) not slated to release until May 2019.  It must be kismet or something, because I'd just gotten this book via library loan after waiting on a hold for some time, and told myself to get it read first, both because I wanted to get back to focusing on other books, and because I needed a slight break from historical novels.

With my continued devouring of Jayne Ann Krentz, my mission to read all of JAK's booklist, as ready I usually am to pick up another one of her books, I think it's safe to say that she's one of my favorite authors.

And so I got to roll a second time and got an 8, taking me from Square 38 to Square 46: 'A book that has been on your tbr for more than two years.'  Well, technically, this could be just about any book I've read, or am reading, or might have already read, since my TBR has been a mountain high for a very long time now.

Unfortunately, no immediate third roll for me, because the other books I've hoarded for future use during this game have only recently been added to my TBR.

Even though I've been reading Pamela Clare's contemporary work for years now, I never actually found myself drawn to her historical romances until just last year when I decided to add more historical fiction to my reading list.  And Thunder on the Right had been picked up quite randomly about two month ago at the library.

So... I'm choosing to use Slightly Shady by Amanda Quick, which I'd just started reading, and which will count because I've had almost all of Amanda Quick's books on my TBR since the first book I read of hers back in 2016.  Slightly Shady was no exception.

And because it's an Amanda Quick book, the next roll will probably come around pretty quickly.  =D

And now excuse me as I finally roll into bed, way past my bed time.  I need to learn to have a better sense of respect for sleep, but I just got too excited to finish this post.  So here it is.

Currently Reading

Books Hoarded Read For Future Square Use

My Progress

Dates for each dice roll corresponds with respective update post.
Book titles link to reviews if written.
Completed books' covers (read and used for squares) following table.

Date	Dice Roll	Square/Prompt	Book Title / Author	Fits Square?
02/20	na	1.  Author is a woman	Sweet Release by Pamela Clare	Yes
02/22 (#1)	(2 + 4) 6	7.  Author's last name begins with the letters A, B, C, or D.	Carnal Gift by Pamela Clare	Yes
02/24 (#2)	(2 + 3) 5	12.  Author's last name begins with the letters T, U, V, W, X, Y, or Z.	SEAL for Her Protection by Paige Tyler	Yes
02/27 (#3)	(2 + 4) 6	18.  Set in a school	Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger	Yes
03/09 (#4)	(4 + 5) 9	27.  Set during WWI or WWII	Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld	Yes
03/12 (#5)	(5 + 6) 9	38.  Newest release by a favorite author	Untouchable by Jayne Ann Krentz	Yes
03/12 (#6)	(3 + 5) 8	46.  A book that has been on your tbr for more than two years	Slightly Shady by Amanda Quick	Yes
TBA	TBA
TBA	TBA
TBA	TBA

BookLikes Snakes and Ladders | Dice Roll #4

Well, it seems that I'm lagging behind a bit in this game, still hovering at the beginning of the board, though at least I'm on the third row now.  I was never lucky with this game when I was younger, though in truth, we played it as 'Chutes and Ladders', so I was hoping my cruddy luck with that version wouldn't roll over to this version.  But alas!  No ladders yet, and apparently I'm taking my sweet time with reading my books.

And then, as I'd mentioned before, I'm stubborn enough to search out specific books that will fit each square's prompt... at least until I can't.  I will rue the day I land on '95. Memoir' or '56. Published more than 100 years ago.'  I don't have immediate possibilities for these squares... not that I couldn't find them.  It's stuff like 'someone travels by plane,' or 'someone travels by train,' that may take a bit more research.

Anyway, I've finished reading two other books that I'm saving for possible future squares.  It's entirely possible, they'll just end up being used for the sake of being used.

And so here's the next update, now that I've finished reading Etiquette & Espionage!  A lovely book that took place in an elongated dirigible of a finishing school.  This book was so much fun!  I will have a review out soon.

BookLikes Snakes and Ladders

hosted by Moonlight Reader & Obsidian Blue

Rules/Gameplay | Q&A | Master List of Players

My next roll got me a 9, bringing me to Square 28: 'Set during WWI or WWII.'

I'm... going to take some liberties with this one.  Since this isn't a very restrictive game, I'm going to go ahead and insert Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld into this square.  Leviathan is an alternate reality steampunk fantasy that takes place during World War I.  Or at least it seems that World War I is brewing as the book progresses.

Of course, my only disadvantage is that I'm currently listening to this as an audio book, which usually takes me longer to finish than print books do.  Although truthfully, I'm not really too concerned with that, as I'll probably have hoarded a few more books to insert into future squares I may land on by then.  Then maybe I can just roll about three or four times in a row.  And also, I'm already halfway through the book and things are starting to get interesting (finally), so maybe I'll finish it earlier than I think I'd first thought.

Currently Reading

Books Hoarded Read For Future Square Use

My Progress

Dates for each dice roll corresponds with respective update post.
Book titles link to reviews if written.
Completed books' covers (read and used for squares) following table.

Date	Dice Roll	Square/Prompt	Book Title / Author	Fits Square?
02/20	na	1.  Author is a woman	Sweet Release by Pamela Clare	Yes
02/22 (#1)	(2 + 4) 6	7.  Author's last name begins with the letters A, B, C, or D.	Carnal Gift by Pamela Clare	Yes
02/24 (#2)	(2 + 3) 5	12.  Author's last name begins with the letters T, U, V, W, X, Y, or Z.	SEAL for Her Protection by Paige Tyler	Yes
02/27 (#3)	(2 + 4) 6	18. Set in a school	Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger	Yes
03/09 (#4)	(4 + 5) 9	27. Set during WWI or WWII	Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld	Yes
TBA
TBA
TBA

Reading Update for Furry Logic | Chapter 2

Furry Logic: The Physics of Animal Life

by Matin Durrani & Liz Kalaugher

~ Goodreads ~


Chapter 2: Forces: The Big Push

It's interesting how much physics can be used to describe certain animal characteristics--stuff that you probably don't think much about if you were strictly a biologist.  As I've mentioned before, this book is pretty informative, and I found the sections about the gecko and the trap jaw ant the most engrossing.

Though while I'm finding this book an easy read, it doesn't escape my notice that the chapters meander a lot from one subject to another.  The subject transitions aren't exactly smooth, and I sometimes find myself a little lost.

Meanwhile, I found this tidbit the most interesting:

'When you squirt a gecko with water, the water just flies off,' says Stark.  'It's really hard to wet a gecko.  The toe-pads are superhydrophobic and you can see the water beaded on top.'  In extremely wet conditions, the same property that makes the water bead up creates small pockets of air around gecko feet, according to Stark.  'If you push a foot that's really water-repellent through water, you've now got an air bubble around that material so that when they press down they stay dry and can make that close contact still.'

I would love some of that gecko trait in my next rain coat, please.

Here's a bit of ScienceNews I stumbled across while doing a cursory search of gecko's and their water-repellent feet:

Brief Thoughts: Thunder on the Right

Thunder on the Right

by Mary Stewart

~ Goodreads ~

Rating:  3.0 Stars

Artist Jennifer Silver has come to the picturesque, secluded Valley of the Storms in the French Pyrenees to meet with a young cousin who is about to enter the convent there — only to discover that the young woman has died in a dreadful car accident.  Or did she?

Lies abound in this strange and frightening place, but seeking the truth could lead Jennifer to her own violent death.

This was probably not the better of the Mary Stewart books I've previously read, though to be honest, I had chosen to read this book based on random accessibility, whereas I went out of my way to pick a couple of Stewart's more widely loved novels to begin with before this one.  The truth is, this book was sort of filled with a lot of over dramatic scenes as the book progressed, which is a pity since the premise, the introduction, and the writing were all excellent to begin with.

Meanwhile, the characters didn't really do much for me, nor did the barely existent romance.

I will say, this book had a great sense of forward movement, as there was action and anticipation almost at every scene's end, so there was no dallying in that respect.  This book started in on the story and just kept moving forward; coupled with the well-written, yet somewhat purple-y prose, it made for a rather easy to read experience.

Nonetheless, I don't think I've come across a Mary Stewart novel I didn't like, and this one is no different.  It may not have been her best, but it certainly was entertaining.

Brief Thoughts: Ride the Fire

Ride the Fire

by Pamela Clare
Book 3 (final) of Blakewell/Kenleigh Family trilogy

~ Goodreads ~

Rating:  4.0  Stars

Sometimes survival isn't just about staying alive...

Widowed and alone on the frontier, Elspeth Stewart will do whatever it takes to protect herself and her unborn child from the dangers of the wilderness and of men.  Though her youthful beauty doesn't show it, she is broken and scarred from the way men have treated her.  So when a stranger wanders onto Bethie's land, wounded and needing her aid, she takes no risks, tying him to the bed and hiding his weapons before ministering to his injuries.

But Bethie's defenses cannot keep Nicholas Kenleigh from breaking down her emotional walls.  The scars on his body speak of a violent past, but his gentleness, warmth, and piercing eyes arouse longings in her that she never imagined she had.  As Nicholas and Bethie reveal to each other both their hidden desires and their tortured secrets, they discover that riding the flames of their passion might be the key to burning away the nightmare of their pasts.

Whether it was because of the non-stop action, or the survival story line, Ride the Fire ended up being my favorite of the three Blakewell/Kenleigh Family trilogy books.  Nicholas ended up being my favorite of the three heroes presented in this trilogy.  Bethie, on the other hand, was really standard for a romance novel heroine, as a damsel in distress, and the kindhearted, innocent angel.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed the romance in this book more than I did the previous two books.  In a way, the two main characters were more on equal footing at the beginning, with Bethie not knowing Nicholas's true identity, only knowing that he's a trapper and frontiersman.  Unlike the previous two books, there was no sense that one party had more power than the other, that one side was more subordinate to the other.  Aside from all the kept secrets, the two of them seemed to get along quite sincerely and honestly.

Meanwhile, Ride the Fire also seemed more like an adventurous journey, as we followed our main couple through the frontier towards the east back to safer ground, away from the wars and battles between the Indians, the frontiersmen, and the British army.

In spite of the book being first and foremost a romance, this was also quite fun to follow.  In a way, it also kind of reminded me of one of Pamela Clare's contemporary romantic suspense novels, Breaking Point, if only because the main couple spends a good chunk of time trying to survive the harsh wilderness while avoiding human predators.  And the danger just never seemed to let up.

As I'd stated the adventure part really drew me in, and to be frank, after the two reach civilization, the book kind of plateaus.  And the battle scenes were pretty well-outlined, to be honest.  The romantic angst might have been overdone a bit.  And finally, the ending managed to wrench some FEELS out of me.  The reunion scene between Nicholas and his family was all sorts of heart-warming--kudos!

I really, really enjoyed reading this book.  And a lot more of the typical Pamela Clare style is starting to shine through--at least what I'm familiar with from what I've already read of her books.