girls in steampunk week

Steampunk has been one of the constants in my reading life since I started blogging.  The genre's fun meld of speculative fiction, science, and the allure of the Victorian age seemed to hit peak popularity at the same time that I was rediscovering young adult fiction.  In order to keep myself motivated to read the latest and greatest in an area I pretend to know something about, I hatched a plan.

Next week I’ll be blogging up a storm with an *event* that I created on a whim and a sugar high.  I’m making it up as I go, with some generous inspiration from previous steampink events organized by V of vvb32reads.  It’ll be fabulous.  Look out for Girls in Steampunk Week at Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia from May 12-15.  I’ll be reviewing recent steampunk releases that feature strong female leads, hosting a giveaway or two, and I'll probably throw a meme in for good measure.

Best of all, my delightful (real life!) sister Ginny made a fancy button for the occasion.  If you’d like to check back here for Girls in Steampunk Week content, it’ll be in the sidebar, available at the click of a button.  From the 12th on, the image will lead directly to the calendar of events/reviews. 

If you don’t know what steampunk is, please check out this description, then come back next week for more fun in worlds both strange and fantastic.

the strange case of finley jayne (+ steampink giveaway winners)

Kady Cross’ YA steampunk debut, The Girl in the Steel Corset, has already made fans out of skeptics of the genre. Of course, I already loved steampunk, and I enjoyed Cross’ novel. When I heard that there was a prequel out in the wide world, I made sure to acquire a copy. And you know what’s rather wonderful? You can download a free e-book copy of The Strange Case of Finley Jayne for yourself (Amazon + B&N)!

Finley Jayne knows she's not 'normal'. Normal girls don't lose time, or have something inside them that makes them capable of remarkably violent things. Her behavior has already cost her one job, so when she's offered the lofty position of companion to Phoebe, a debutante recently engaged to Lord Vincent, she accepts, despite having no experience. Lord Vincent is a man of science with his automatons and inventions, but Finley is suspicious of his motives where Phoebe is concerned. She will do anything to protect her new friend, but what she discovers is even more monstrous than anything she could have imagined…

This novella serves mainly as an introduction to Finley Jayne, the heroine of The Girl in the Steel Corset, but it functions quite well as a brief adventure also. As the summary states, Finley’s job is as a companion to Phoebe, but as she goes she learns about some truly astonishing and dangerous things. And I think that’s all you really need to know about the plot of a novella to start with, anyway. What remains? To say whether I thought it was any good, of course!

What this prequel did well: establish Finley Jayne’s likability factor and hook the reader with an exciting opening scene. What this prequel failed to do: set up a real sense of suspense or mystery, be unpredictable, or teach me anything new. Unfortunately, a promising premise came to slightly less than nothing. In good news: the novel is better (and if you have any doubts, you can always go read it for free yourself)!

As a consolation prize, check out this funny quote from page 47:

“She felt like a great eggplant atop the chestnut mare, despite Phoebe’s assurances that she looked ‘smashing.’ If that wasn’t bad enough, many of the young men she had danced with at the engagement party tipped their hats and said hello to her as they rode past in their modern vehicles, calling even more attention to her eggplantishness.”

AND…in other news…

The winners of my steampink giveaway have been selected. Please join me in congratulating:

Marlene Breakfield and Lauren G!

Each of these lucky ladies will win a YA steampunk book of their choice from my original list. If you didn’t win this time around, please check out my current giveaway for Julie Halpern’s latest release Don’t Stop Now. Have a lovely week!

the girl in the steel corset

There’s something beguiling about steampunk. It’s the Victorian era, with added spunk and style. And, of course, it seems to be very ‘in’ right now. This is good news – we’re bound to get more of it (quantity), and well-written stories, too (quality). I was excited to see another young adult steampunk story getting a lot of publicity – because a merger of two of my favorite genres can't be a bad thing. And now that I’ve read The Girl in the Steel Corset, I know for sure that it was a wonderful idea.

In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one…except the "thing" inside her.

When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch….

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits: Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.

Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help—and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.

But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on—even if it seems no one believes her.

Oh, this book was so FUN! It packed a punch from the start, and didn’t let up to the very end. I have to say that that is one of the great things about YA lit – that it can be so active and outrageous, and somehow work. The first scenes literally pulled me in and made me forget that I was worried that this blend of genres wouldn’t go over well. Hook? Perfect.

Another good element? The cast of characters. Finley Jayne is our heroine and focal point, and she’s a strong girl being pulled in multiple directions. I love that she does more than wait for the action to come to her. She is almost always a maelstrom of movement and intent and she learns and changes as the story progresses. I must say, it’s nice to read about a girl who can pull her own weight, both literally and figuratively (and I say that as an Amazon-sized person, myself).

The rest of the band each had quirks and talents that made them a mini-action force, and all were appealing in their own way. That said, my favorite character was Jack Dandy. Hold on to your hats, kids. I’m not saying I like love triangles (because I rather loathe them, and more on that later) – I’m just saying that the bits in this book that made me laugh out loud in happy surprise were usually Dandy’s part of the dialogue. I look forward to more of his rakish ways.

So I liked the action, the fast-moving plot, and the characters. At this point I might as well call it a day and get out the cherries and whipped cream, right? Wrong. I may have enjoyed the book, but I’m not blind to its faults, either (see? books are like relationships. or something.). Look away if you’re sensitive to criticism, because this next paragraph is about to get heavy.

Things I didn’t like: 1) Possible presence of love triangle(s). I’m over it. 2) Some nagging historical inaccuracies and/or unbelievable bits. Let me just be straight here: telephones didn’t work that way, the language was very modern, and the bits about the Queen of England? GAH. 3) Finley blushed about every other moment in the second half of the book. I mean, I get that she was embarrassed. There had to be another, less romance novel-y way of expressing it. 4) Absentee parents. Yes, it happens in steampunk-land too.

Having said all of that, I thoroughly enjoyed this romp through steampunk London. I felt as though I’d gotten inside an adventure, and the experience was entertaining. The good bits outweighed the stuff that would usually drive me batty. And though it definitely felt like a young adult novel and lacked some of the emotional gravity and wit I’d like to find in my reading, I had a rollicking good time with it, and can’t wait for the next volume.

Recommended for: fans of steampunk, fans of young adult lit, fans of fantasy and sci-fi, and anyone who isn’t picky about their clichés and won’t mind a good dose of fun with their reading. Innocent and amusing, to a T.

I read an e-galley version of this book courtesy of NetGalley and Harlequin, and am reviewing it in conjunction with steampink, an event to celebrate the feminine side of steampunk! You can enter to win a copy of the book here.

corsets & clockwork review (part two)

There are people who can’t stand an anthology. I think a lot of them read my blog. And you know what? I get it. For a long time, I hated the short story form. It was too brief, too unfinished, too…shallow. But now that I have the attention span of a gnat, I really appreciate short stories. I don’t have to stay up until 4am to finish the book. It’s there and then it’s not. Similar to how I can now eat mushrooms without gagging. Weird! It’s almost like I’m grown up or something (shhh…if we don’t tell anyone, it never happened).

In yesterday’s post I did mini-reviews of the first six stories in Corsets & Clockwork. Today I present you with the final seven. And also encourage you to check out steampink. And my steampunk giveaway!

“The Airship Gemini” by Jaclyn Dolamore

Take Siamese twins, put them on an airship over the Atlantic, and stir in a shapeshifter hoping to separate them. Result: a quirky tale just on the wrong side of believable. Part of the trouble undoubtedly lay in the length of the story (too short), but the combination of fantastical elements didn’t help either. Not without merit, but not essential.

“Under Amber Skies” by Maria V. Snyder

Snyder crafted a story of a technologically advanced Poland on the verge of World War II. While an engaging premise and mystery drive the plot, the dialogue felt forced and at times the heroine succumbed to TSTL syndrome (that’s Too Stupid To Live for you newbies out there). Partially redeemed by its twisty nature.

“The King of Greenlight City” by Tessa Gratton

A charming and surprising story that grabbed my attention and didn’t let go. It reminded me that magic is dangerous AND wondrous (which is the best sort of realization). Definitely an example of the kind of tale that takes you somewhere you didn’t expect to go, and teaches you something new about the world.

“The Emperor’s Man” by Tiffany Trent

A lovely little romance, this one. The author wove a dream-like fairy story, with just a touch of darkness for good measure and realism. Very light on steampunk, but entertaining regardless.

“Chickie Hill’s Badass Ride” by Dia Reeves

Oh. Dear. Me. Dia Reeves’ contribution took strange and turned it sideways. Not steampunk, but all sorts of weird and remarkable. I’m not sure I liked it or understood it completely, but it certainly made me sit up and notice. Bonus Factor: minorities in YA fiction!

“The Vast Machinery of Dreams” by Caitlin Kittredge

Bizarre, science-fictiony, and ultimately opaque. Written as a series of explanations of reality, this tale wasn’t straight-forward (sometimes a plus), but it also left one with a sense that they never truly knew any of the characters. If you’re here for enigmatic mysteries, this one’s for you.

“Tick, Tick, Boom” by Kiersten White

Girls dressing as boys in Victorian London? It’s becoming a cliché in steampunk circles. Thankfully White’s creation is something more than cliché. Although the romantic portion of the story feels a bit contrived, the feisty heroine is a genuine article and she (and her inventions) manage to pull off fun rather than boring. Good stuff.

As you can tell from today’s entry and part one, this collection had its moments. It was uneven, but when it was brilliant it was quite good. Frewin Jones and Tessa Gratton get A+ marks. I’m happy to report that steampunk has ARRIVED, and that I found several new-to-me authors through this short story excursion. Well worth my time, and yours, loves.

Recommended for: fans of YA paranormal romance, especially of the Clockwork Angel variety, steampunk devotees and neophytes, fans of light sci-fi, and anyone with a taste for historical fiction.

I received a finished copy of Corsets & Clockwork for review from Running Press.

corsets & clockwork review (part one)

How can you tell that a genre has ‘arrived?’ Specifically, how do you know that steampunk has arrived? I got a clue when I heard that a young adult steampunk anthology was on its way, and that several bestselling authors contributed stories to it. Way to go, steampunk! You’re all grown up and fabulous.

The anthology I’m talking about is Corsets & Clockwork: 13 Steampunk Romances, edited by Trisha Telep and published by Running Press in April of this year. I’ll be breaking up my review into two parts over two days for steampink (and because there were THIRTEEN stories, and my blog posts, while long, usually aren’t quite that long). Without further ado: Corsets & Clockwork!

Dark, urban fantasies come to life in the newest collection of Steampunk stories, Corsets & Clockwork. Young heroes and heroines battle evils with the help of supernatural or super-technological powers, each individual story perfectly balancing historical and fantastical elements. Throw in epic romances that transcend time, and this trendy, engrossing anthology is sure to become another hit for the fast-growing Steampunk genre!

This collection features some of the hottest writers in the teen genre, including: Ann Aguirre, Jaclyn Dolamore, Tessa Gratton, Frewin Jones, Caitlin Kittredge, Adrienne Kress, Lesley Livingston, Dru Pagliassotti, Dia Reeves, Michael Scott, Maria V. Snyder, Tiffany Trent, and Kiersten White.

“Rude Mechanicals” by Lesley Livingston

This first in the collection is a little tale with many references to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, much like Livingston’s other Bard-influenced fairy adventures. However, it suffers from too-flowery prose and too little charm. It is either saccharine sweet or I am a dyed-in-the-wool skeptic (or all of the above).

“The Cannibal Fiend of Rotherhithe” by Frewin Jones

A disturbing and darkling thing, this yarn…and yet full of allure and mischief as well. Contains both fairy tale and steampunk elements to good effect. Entertaining and elusive, just as a short story ought to be. Probably my favorite of the collection.

“Wild Magic” by Ann Aguirre

A classic forbidden romance between classes, which also pits magic against technology, and disenfranchised natives against privileged invaders, is the foundation of this entry. Predictable and sweet, it’s sure to please fans of YA paranormal romance.

“Deadwood” by Michael Scott

Old West, meet steampunk. This tale introduces two characters in an adventure too brief to do them justice. It feels a bit like the film Wild, Wild West, and skimps on personal development to describe a world that we might like better if we had more time in it.

“Code of Blood” by Dru Pagliassotti

A rousing adventurette set in Venice in the time of Napoleon, this story mixes steampunk with alchemical and magical elements. The third person narrative is a bit clunky, but the main characters are feisty and the result is fairly pleasing.

“The Clockwork Corset” by Adrienne Kress

A funny little story, in more than one sense. It’s slightly comical, and also a bit strange. Not sure what to think, but I do know that the privileged girl falling for lower class boy trope is getting a solid workout in this anthology!

Takeaways from this adventure in review writing: 1) READ “The Cannibal Fiend of Rotherhithe” if you don’t read anything else in this anthology. Totally awesome. 2) If you haven’t already, enter for a chance to win this book! 3) Check out steampink, and come back tomorrow for my mini-reviews of the rest of Corsets & Clockwork!

I received Corsets & Clockwork for review from Running Press. I have not been compensated, except that I got to read a fun story collection. Hurrah!

waiting on wednesday (10)

I’m participating today in "Waiting On" Wednesday. It is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, and its purpose is to spotlight eagerly anticipated upcoming releases.

When I read Fever Crumb late last year, I was bowled over by its brilliance. It wasn’t anything like I expected (and there lay most of its genius), and still it was clever, deep and set up a world that I wanted to know more about. Imagine my happiness when I learned that Philip Reeve had already written the sequel – A Web of Air!

Alas, for now it’s only available in the UK paperback version, and I am SUCH a snob about having matching books (until i’m not. but, you know.). Hold on a minute! Fever Crumb: Web of Air releases in a shiny US hardback version from Scholastic on October 1, 2011. Looks spiffy, no?

The second, thrilling adventure in the Fever Crumb trilogy from the brilliant and award-winning Philip Reeve.

Two years ago, Fever Crumb escaped the war-torn city of London in a traveling theater. Now, she arrives in the extraordinary city of Mayda, where buildings ascend the cliffs on funicular rails, and a mysterious recluse is building a machine that can fly. Fever is the engineer he needs - but ruthless enemies will kill to possess their secrets.

What books are you waiting on?

steampink commences (+ giveaway)

If you haven’t already done so, you should really head over and check out vvb’s steampink celebration. The event goes June 1-4 and will feature awesome steampunk lit (and more) with a female focus. For my part, I’ll be highlighting young adult steampunk novels with a strong heroine. Some of the ones I think fit the bill are highlighted below:

The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

Corsets & Clockwork edited by Trisha Telep

Leviathan and Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld

Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve

A Web of Air by Philip Reeve (sequel to Fever Crumb, UK edition)

The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

The Boneshaker by Kate Milford

The Fire Rose by Mercedes Lackey

The Native Star by M. K. Hobson

And just to share the steampink love, I’ll be giving away one book from that list to two separate winners. All you need to do to qualify is fill out the FORM. Giveaway is open internationally and ends June 4, 2011 [EXTENDED to 6/10] at 11:59pm EST. Winners will be picked randomly and notified via email. Books will ship from the Book Depository. Good luck!

steampink and giveaway winners

Twice I have had the opportunity to participate in steampink, an event hosted annually by Velvet at vvb32reads. We’re coming up on the third anniversary, and steampink is still going strong. What’s steampink? It’s steampunk with a feminine twist – steampunk books, activities, and all sorts of other goodness featuring a female protagonist or theme. Thus the PINK instead of punk.

This year steampink will run from June 1-4, and I’ll be participating with a book review or two (and a giveaway). If you’d like to get in on the themed fun, head over to V’s blog and sign up! If you’re not sure about the whole steampunk thing, you can still stay tuned for a chance to win a book.

In the meantime, congratulations are in order for:

Bee of Dreamcatcher’s Lair

and Orchid of The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia

These two lovelies have each won a copy of Corsets & Clockwork in my blog giveaway! Happy reading!

steampink giveaway winner

Last week there was a lot of steamPINK awesomeness over at vvb32reads. If you haven’t checked out the world of steampunk, Velvet’s blog is a great place to start. And to bring everything to a close, I’ll announce the winner of my own steamPINK giveaway. Please join me in congratulating:

marian!

marian will receive two steamPINK books of from the prize list. marian’s preferred method of transportation in a steampunk world “would be flying around on a Pegasus.” There were numerous highly original suggestions for travel, and I found myself wanting to try them out, too! Many thanks to everyone for participating, and look out for a new contest soon.

steampink week and a giveaway

Hang on to your train tickets and your Victorian-era headgear, everyone! Velvet at vvb32reads is hosting a steamPINK event. What does that mean? It’s a week of posts on female-centered steampunk stories (books, film, and other media included!). Velvet will also be hosting at least five giveaways this week, so you should definitely go over and check it out.

If you’re sitting there, scratching your head and wondering what steampunk is, much less steamPINK, let me enlighten you. As far as I’ve been able to tell, steampunk is an alternate universe (a world based on our own or like our own, but with a different history) where the Victorian-era sensibilities and an industrialized 19th century are overlaid with advanced technology. Or it’s science fiction set in a Gaslight-era historical context. Think dirigibles, advanced mechanics, bustle dresses and brass goggles. It sounds (and looks) very cool, yeah? If that still doesn’t make sense, check out better definitions here.

In the meantime, I’ll be hosting my own steamPINK giveaway! One winner will receive two books from the following list:

Clockwork Heart by Dru Pagliassotti

Soulless by Gail Carriger

Changeless by Gail Carriger

Blameless by Gail Carriger (pre-order)

Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

Steamed by Katie MacAlister

Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (pre-order)

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To enter:

Leave a comment on this post telling me how you’d get around (preferred method of transportation) in a steampunk world. Be as creative as you dare.

Please include your email address or another method of contact. Giveaway is open internationally. Comments will close on June 12 at 11:59pm EST, and I will notify the randomly selected winner via email.

Good luck!