This week’s book talks 5/14-17

A short week for me! I am at a union retreat in Hood River today, working hard, but also enjoying the local attractions. Consequently, I only booktalked 4 books this week. They are all books in a series…trying to get the kids thinking about summer reading plans. Summer is a great time to read a whole series.

Monday

Endling: The Last by Katherine Applegate…..This is the first in the series and the only book published so far.

Tuesday

Mark of the Thief by Jennifer A. Nielsen…There are two other books in this series.

Wednesday

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare…Six books in this series!

Thursday

Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger…This series has four books.

 

Custard and Parasols

Instead of spending Monday night glued to my radio listening to the speeches at the Democratic Convention, I went to Powells to meet Gail Carriger.

She is the author of the Finishing School series I finished in April.She was in town promoting her newest novel, Imprudence, the sequel to Prudence, and the second book in the Custard Protocol series.

  

Unlike many author presentations, Carriger gave a very brief presentation, covering topics she is asked about a lot. She spent most of the time answering questions of the packed house. Through the wide range of questions, we got to know Gail Carriger’s sense of humor, writing routine and plans for the future.

I’ve been reading her series out-of-order. I started with the Finishing School series, the began The Custard Protocol.  Now, I have her first series, The Parasol Protectorate,  in my queue.  Each of these series is unique unto itself, but they are all set in the Steampunk world she created and there are some characters that overlap. I loved how Carriger explained that each of these repeating characters seem to be a little different in each series because are shown as perceived by protagonist of the series. I was impressed and that helped explain why the Lord Akeldama of Prudence is so different from the Lord Akeldama of The Finishing School.

Of course, I took my moment to get my books signed and chat for a few moments with Gail.

When I got home, I learned I had missed some fabulous DNC speeches, but I didn’t mind. I could watch them online. I had enjoyed a marvelous evening and had a new book to read.

The end of the line

And so, I have come to the end of an era. I just finished listening to the last audiobook in Gail Carriger’s Finishing School  series. Melancholy sigh.

Yes, the steampunk adventures of Miss Sophronia  Temminnick are over. I will admit that the dramatic finale is most satisfying. All four books were narrated by read by Moira Quirk and her performance was equally as engaging as Katherine Kellgren’s narration of the Jacky Farber series, which I adored. In both cases, I listened to all the books on audiobook because their narration was so spectacular I felt that my silent reading of the books would pale in comparison.

Publisher’s Summary: If one must flirt…flirt with danger.

Lessons in the art of espionage aboard Mademoiselle Geraldine’s floating dirigible have become tedious without Sophronia’s sweet sootie Soap nearby. She would much rather be using her skills to thwart the dastardly Picklemen, yet her concerns about their wicked intentions are ignored, and now she’s not sure whom to trust. What does the brusque werewolf dewan know? On whose side is the ever-stylish vampire Lord Akeldama? Only one thing is certain: a large-scale plot is under way, and when it comes to fruition, Sophronia must be ready to save her friends, her school, and all of London from disaster–in decidedly dramatic fashion, of course.

Fortunately, Ms Carriger has more books of a similar ilk and I have already placed Soulless

the first book in the Parasol Protectorate  series on hold. I opted again for the audiobook. Although not narrated by Ms Quick, I have read that the narrator of this series, Emily Grey, is worthy of the task. We shall see.

“Espionage, Sophronia had learned, was tough on petticoats.”

I finished Waistcoats & Weaponry earlier this week. It is the third book in Gail Carriger’s Finishing School  series and the best one yet. I laughed out loud many time because the language is so sharp and witty.

‘“We are on the side of curiosity and evenhandedness. Once we know what’s really going on, then we choose.”

“That’s a very murky position,” objected Felix.

“So’s the weather. But this is England, we must learn to live with uncertainty.”‘

In one of my favorite  passages from early in the book, Sophronia is asked about the qualities she seeks in a young man. She has high standards and mentally lists things like understanding, intelligence and sensitivity. What she said out loud was “I want a man who stays out of my way.” Brilliant!

Goodreads Summary: Sophronia continues her second year at finishing school in style–with a steel-bladed fan secreted in the folds of her ball gown, of course. Such a fashionable choice of weapon comes in handy when Sophronia, her best friend Dimity, sweet sootie Soap, and the charming Lord Felix Mersey stowaway on a train to return their classmate Sidheag to her werewolf pack in Scotland. No one suspected what–or who–they would find aboard that suspiciously empty train. Sophronia uncovers a plot that threatens to throw all of London into chaos and she must decide where her loyalties lie, once and for all.

If you like historical fiction, but have never read any Steampunk, this would be a great series to pick up.

Into Overdrive

Up until this week, I have only listened to audiobooks on CD, usually in the car, but occasionally at home while knitting. Last week, desiring to listen to an audiobook that Multnomah County Library (MCL) only had as a downloadable audiobook, I decided to download the OverDrive Media Console so I could listen to  Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger.

It was incredibly easy and completely wonderful. This feels like one pod those life changing tech moments. I’ve been scouring the MCL catalog for others I can download. Here’s the downer part: I can;t download it onto my school laptop or iPad because it requires an administrator’s password. No one at y school has one, so I have to wait until the right authority is present and gives me permission.

I’m listening to Etiquette & Espionage for the HUB Challenge, so I’ll talk more about it on my next check-in.