Something Strange and Deadly Review

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TITLE: Something Strange and Deadly

AUTHOR: Susan Dennard

PUBLISHER: Harper Teen

PUBLICATION DATE: 7/24/2012

PAGES: 400

MY RATING:

BACK COVER BLURB: Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to anyone with a pulse. As if things couldn't get any worse, the Dead are rising in Philadelphia! Eleanor knows her brother is somehow involved, and she enlists the Spirit-Hunters to help find him. But her growing attraction to Daniel, one of the Spirit-Hunters, threatens to derail her efforts. With her reputation on the line and her life hanging in the balance, can Eleanor find her brother and manage to stay alive? Vividly imagined scenes and a perfectly proper Victorian setting create a wonderfully entertaining backdrop for horror and romance, making Susan Dennard's debut a great pick for fan of Clockwork Angel.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: I had some trouble with this book. I went back and forth between really liking it and being bored. The beginning of the book had a slow start. I didn't really start getting into the story until about a third of the way into the book. I think one of the reasons why I didn't enjoy this book was because I was confused for a lot of the first half of it. I didn't really understand why everything was happening and what Eleanor was trying to accomplish.

I got about halfway through the book before I decided to take a break from it and read something else for a little while. When I picked it back up I enjoyed it so much more. I found myself rooting for the characters at the end.

The ending of the book left me satisfied. Things were cleared up, but definitely left open for a sequel. I'm not sure if I'll be picking it up if it does get published, so we'll have to see.

CHARACTERS: I didn't connect a whole lot to any of the characters. There just weren't many characters that stood out to me. The only exception to that is Jie. She is one of the spirit hunters. She has a lot of spunk and does what she wants. I feel like she is a strong woman and not afraid to go after what she believes in.

COVER: I'm in love with this cover. It's the main reason the book caught my attention in the first place. I love the colors, I love the creepy tree in the back, I love the girl's dress and her hair. I also really like the title font.

*I received an advanced reader's copy of this book for my honest review.