After years of trying her poor mother’s patience, Sophronia Temminnick is being sent to finishing school. Mrs Temminnick is sure that an education in refinement will cure Sophronia’s habit of climbing, fraternising with technology and befriending lowly stable boys. Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality appears to be the perfect solution.

Appearances, however, can be deceiving. With the carriage being attacked before the party reach the school and the school itself being attacked soon after, Sophronia soon realises that Mademoiselle Geraldine’s may well be what she has been looking for. As promised, she will learn how to dress, converse, dance and charm; but only if she also applies herself to poisons, knives, diversion and lying.

Etiquette and Espionage is the first book in the Finishing School series. Set in the same world as the Parasol Protectorate series, Etiquette and Espionage is aimed at a slightly younger readership. In this case, however, I think that age recommendations should be summarily dismissed. Adults and teens alike will love this clever, irreverent Victorian-era steam-punk novel.

The writing style has been compared, with good reason, to Wodehouse. As in his works, Carriger’s voice is almost like another character in the book; quirky, witty and delightful. From the opening page it draws you in, imbuing everyday objects with motives and making the most tedious events into adventures.

Not to be outdone by the narration, Sophronia and her friends are amazing. For a group consisting primarily of girls they all have distinctive characters that aren’t bogged down in stereotype. Sidheag, with her rough manners and nonchalance about how the others see her, is my favourite, but the others are just as compelling. Dimity with her wish to be evil, even though she can’t help being lovely, and Vieve are both loyal and clever. Sophronia is the perfect lead character. She is complex and interesting; but her personality is the glue that holds this novel together. Her dynamic with other characters, her natural curiosity and her taste for adventure all meld together to keep the story moving forward.

Of the Victorian-era teen books I’ve read, this one strikes me as most historically accurate. Sorry, Cassandra Clare, and I love you, Libba Bray; but here it is. While the supernatural and steam-punk aspects would seem to counter any historical reality; the language, manners and values of the characters have something to them that just exudes old-fashioned sentiment. Characters, even the good ones, have no notion of political correctness when it comes to meeting other races. Even at the risk of blowing an operation, Sophronia point-blank refuses to wear trousers because she does not want to be a boy. The edges of the sharp bits of history have been blunted, but there’s still enough to hint at the unsavoury things that were, once upon a time, and I really liked that Carriger didn’t shy away from those things.

Etiquette and Espionage is a wonderfully funny start to what looks to be a great new series. I have seen Carriger’s Parasol Protectorate series around, but had dismissed it because I haven’t read a steam-punk novel that I’ve enjoyed before. I am happy to say that this is no longer the case. I’ll be reading Carriger’s other books while waiting for the second Finishing School novel.

Etiquette and Espionage – (Gail Carriger)

Little, Brown (February 5, 2013)

ISBN: 9781907411588

Hello fellow book geeks, we are David and Kelly. One rainy day when we had nothing better to do, we decided to start up our own site about the thing we love most – reading books. Here you will find reviews on the latest and best YA and fantasy books around as well as some favourites that never grow old.  Because Books Matter.

How often do you blog?

We blog around four times a week, generally trying to include two book reviews, a ‘Must Have Monday’ meme and a ‘Top Ten Tuesday’. Sometimes it differs if we are part of a blog tour or if we’re running a feature, things like that, but generally four posts per week.

How did you come up with the name for your blog?

When we were starting the blog, we knew that we wanted to focus on young adult books. We love books that fall under that category and it’s what we read most. So, we knew that we definitely wanted to include YA in the title. Eventually we decided to keep it simple and call ourselves YA Book Reads, as that it what we’d be talking about. =)

Favorite part of blogging?

David: Mine would definitely have to be the people. Blogging and vlogging allows you to come into contact with people that you would otherwise have never met or spoken to. It’s great to speak with people from all over the world about books. It’s like this universal thing that brings us all together and the reading community, especially the YA community, has so many wonderful people.

Kelly: Yeah again, I have to agree with David. The friendships I’ve made through blogging will last a lifetime and I’m lucky to have met some really awesome people. I also love when we get to interview some of our favourite authors and ask them questions we’ve been dying to know. That’s always awesome.

Which current reading trends have you been drawn to (dystopian, post apocalyptic etc)

David: I generally try to avoid trends, personally. I try to mix up my reading so that I don’t get bored with any particular genre. I do however really enjoy steampunk, so I’m glad see it as a trend. My main love is for fantasy and it’s been awesome to see this becoming more and more popular as the years go on. That being said, if the book sounds good, I’ll pick it up. I’ll even read vampire books to this day.

Kelly: I’m definitely a fantasy girl all the way. I have given contemporary novels a go more recently but to be honest – they’re not for me. Fantasy all the way. I must say recently I have read a lot of dystopian work and the more I read of it the more I want.

What is your favorite meme or post write up on your blog?

David: I like doing ‘Top Ten Tuesdays’. We have a lot of reviewers on our site and it’s so interesting to see how different each person’s answers are to the same questions. It’s a great way of finding out about new books, plus the geek in me loves writing out lists! =P

Kelly: I have to agree with David for this. I love doing the Top Ten Tuesday posts and pretty much for the same reasons as him. It is defiantly the one way I pick up on books that I hadn’t heard about and I love that they get me thinking about my top ten and usually cause an internal debate on which ones to choose.

Do you tend to like the hero/heroine/protagonist or the villain/antagonist?

David: I grew up on a healthy diet of Disney movies, Harry Potter books and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. As a result I’m a sucker for a book with magic, a kick ass heroine, and a happy ending.

Kelly: Yeah I’m a huge Harry Potter fan and so love books with a worthy hero in them. Anything kick ass packed full of action has me going!

Where can you find them?

David: YouTube, Good Reads and www.davidpurse.com

Twitter @yabookreads @DavidPurse @TheKellyMartin

Kelly: Goodreads

Above is our first fan art for Night Creatures. YAY!!!  Diana Pinguicha has imagined Retra/Naif! You can see more of her work at http://pinguicha.deviantart.com/

Meanwhile, thank you to all the blogger bats who took part in our cover reveal! <3 <3 <3

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the break-down of her parents’ marriage Elissa and her mum, Sarah, move to a new house away from the city for a fresh start. The house is beautiful; two storeys of polished wooden floors, expansive windows and elegant furniture. There’s just one catch; four years earlier in the creepy run-down house that Elissa can see from her windows, two people were murdered by their troubled daughter. And though she is said to be dead, her body was never found.

Settling in to the new house is not easy. Despite promises of a new beginning, Elissa’s mum goes back to her old ways, working late into the night at the hospital. The neighbours are judgemental, worrying more about appearances than basic human compassion; and Elissa’s dad has fallen out of contact all together. There is one glimmer of hope in all of the darkness though. Elissa meets Ryan, the only son of the murdered couple, and a boy who is sweet, caring and actually there. He is still living in the house his parents died in, trying to come to terms with the gravity of his loss. As he and Elissa establish a fragile connection, strange things begin to happen and she realises that the past may not have been laid to rest after all.

The House at the End of the Street is a film novelisation of the Jennifer Lawrence movie. It was written to accompany the movie and works well in conjunction with it. I watched the film at much the same time as I read the book so that I’d be able to contrast them. Both are light and enjoyable and, though only one is needed to get a sense of the storyline, reading and watching each will fill in gaps left by the other.

In this novel Lily Blake adds depth to the film’s emotional landscape without changing the atmosphere created by it. Character feelings and motivations are explored more thoroughly, as are their backgrounds. While Ryan remains largely a mysterious character in the film, in the book he has a well-developed sensitive side. Elissa too has a more well-rounded character in the books. She has a life back in Chicago and issues outside of Ryan and her mother.

It’s refreshing to read a book with a protagonist as independent as Elissa. She is strongly ethical but, beyond that, she comes across as a person rather than a character. Her relationship with her mother is rocky on the surface but strong at the core, she has a passion for music and, though she can be incredibly snoopy, it’s never unrealistic. The way she reacts to the danger going on around her is another point in her favour.

The fast pace builds to an unforgettable climax in House at the End of the Street. While the strong characterisation makes the story, you’re hooking yourself in for a plot-twister of a ride. Definitely a must read for fans of the film or anyone who enjoys a solid thriller.

The House at the End of the Street – Lily Blake

Atom (August 12, 2012)

ISBN: 9781907411991

Moonlight & Ashes by Sophie Masson is a gorgeous retelling of the Cinderella fairytale – though probably not as you know it.

Based loosely around the German Cinderella – Aschenputtel – this isn’t a story where you’ll find Fairy Godmothers and Princes who come along to rescue poor Cinders (renamed Selena here) whose fate is out of her own control. Nope, this gutsy heroine does it all herself … with a little help from a hazel twig and some pretty cool magics.

Moonlight & Ashes kicks off where we expect it would. Selena is a slave to her evil step mother and sisters, while her father remains distant and aloof, not seeming to care what becomes of his daughter with his first, deceased wife. Her existence is miserable by all accounts – her step sisters now own the beautiful dresses and jewellery that were once hers, her place is with the lowest of the servants, scavenging for food and a friendly ear. Society has shunned her and the family renamed her as Ashes. But this Cinderella has a secret, bigger than any of them can imagine, told to her by her dying mother: she is a Moon Sister.

Many years ago, magic was outlawed and the last of the Moon Sisters were captured or killed by the Mancers, a menacing and politically powerful association of men and sorcerers. Theirs is the only magic authorised by the government. Selena is, of course, terrified of being found out by the Mancers, and will do anything to stay under their radar and away from magic. She denies anything to do with her Moon Sister heritage. Then, on her sixteenth birthday, she dreams of her Mother and the hazel twig. And this is where things get interesting.

I loved Moonlight & Ashes. I loved that Selena is strong enough to not only take charge of her own life but also the lives of those who she cares for. She’s a fantastic heroine. Far from perfect, Selena makes plenty of stupid mistakes and takes risks that will have you cringing as you turn the page. The story moves quickly, with the Cinderella ball and prince storyline pretty much over and done with in the first eighty or so pages. From there, it’s all adventure, deceit and honour. Ah, and the romance bit. Well, this is based on the Cinderella fairytale you know. Yep, capital F Fairytale – and who doesn’t appreciate a little true love? Just don’t think you already know how this romance ends…

I do wish there had been space to investigate and learn more about the co-stars of this story such as Andel, the barge-dwelling philosopher, Olga, the Ruvenyan Werewolf and Tomi, who I felt was over-looked. They were seriously engaging and interesting characters. Maybe we can cross our fingers for a spin-off there?

Moonlight & Ashes is the first Sophie Masson book I’ve read, so when I looked the author up I was pretty happy to find she had a bit of a back-list. Like, in the vicinity of fifty novels. Fifty! I’ll be checking some of those out. And so should you.

Moonlight & Ashes by Sophie Masson

Published by Random House

Paperback, 318 pages

ISBN – 978 1 74275 379 9