Glass books, green shoes and a ZEPPELIN!

Since the last post I have read a novel that definitely made it onto my favorite list. "The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters." As a fan of the steampunk genre, not really depending on what kind of format it is in, and after I googled "best steampunk novels" I found this.

Am I a terrible person who simply buying books because they have a pretty cover? Because that is definitely what happened here. I regret nothing, because it was nothing short of amazing.

It was a thick novel, but I have never been a girl to back down from such a challenge (I did read "Snow and Ashes" which, in Swedish, is over 1200 pages. IN HARDBACK.) so it merely excited me. Of course the thing that excited me the most was the cover.

How can you say no to this?

It is shiny, my friends. SHINY. 

My copy had a very short caption about the plot, which meant I went into it with basically no background knowledge at all. (This is more than I knew when I bought it.) Without spoiling you, my dear readers, I will merely tell you the novel is about three special characters, Doctor Svenson, a physician, the sweet and marvelous Miss Tempe, a young woman who wants to know why her fiance left her and the mysterious Cardinal Chang, a hired killer. 

Together, though with very different intents, they form a sort of alliance and meet all kind of strange people on their way. 

I think what I loved the most about this novel was the well-worked characters. While Miss Temple could be bloody and locked in a room, she could still be excited about the return of her green footwear. This, I really felt, defined her as a character and it helped making her feel real to the reader. Before the start of the novel she was simply a sweet girl who, while with a rather unordinary childhood, was still a lady. 

Cardinal Chang has horrible experiences in his past, and despite his career of murdering you cannot help but to like him. He has honor, something I guess we all look for in a man. 

Doctor Svenson is interesting. At first I disliked him, not quite understanding how he could play a large part in this novel. He felt clumsy, annoying and his apparent lack of care for the prince simple bothered me. I don't know when that changed, but before I knew it, I cared if he got hurt and I was excited to read the chapters about him. 

This was actually quite an interesting concept of a novel, as most of the chapters are simply about one of these characters. It definitey made it a page-turner as you couldn't wait to find out what happened to Miss Temple while you were reading about the Cardinal, and vise versa when you were at another chapter. The literature student in me wish to call this a clever literary device, and so I did.

I loved the language of the novel, for the author managed to get the voice of the characters spot on. I remember reading novels where all the characters were speaking in the same voice, with no distinction what so ever between them. I also love the scenery which I felt was wonderfully described in just the perfect way. The settings were amazing, with hotels, brothels, basements and at one point... even a Zeppelin. 

I honestly cannot find a bad thing about this novel, and I would definitely recommend it so anyone who is in search of an absolutely amazing novel. I don't think I have anything more to say now. I will however return to you when I find the sequel I did not know exist. 

I am currently (starting the third paragraph with an "I") reading "the Spirit Rebellion" which is the second novel in the Eli Monpress series, if you remember. I simply love these novels, but I don't think I will write a review until I finish the tree published ones. I think this will happen as soon as I finish these blasted essays I need to hand it. 

Suggestions are always appreciated!

EDIT: Apparently my teacher has read both novels and liked them very much. Perhaps you didn't need to know this, but I thought I'd let you know anyway. 

This novel can be bought from Amazon HERE, but I suggest supporting your independent book-store if you can!

Anna and the french kiss.

The title suggest that a silly, romantic and girly novel is to follow, but I have to say that was not the case. I bought this novel after several people, some of them authors such as John Green, tweeted about how brilliant it was. His recommendations have never disappointed me before, so I followed his link and bought it.

Of course Amazon had to be a bit rude when I ordered it, giving me three different delivery date and them being a month apart. I waited, and waited but it never seemed to arrive. -Insert anger here.-

But it DID arrive (after a while) together with the rest of the books I ordered. For some reason the postal-service decided to make my three packages, all ordered from different places, to arrive at the same time.

Now, at first I didn't think I would have time to read it, having to deal with a rather stressful school at the same time. Then one evening I was feeling a little bit down, and I decided to start the adorable novel, to only read a chapter or two before bed. Two hours later I closed it.
'Oh, it was wonderful!' was my first thought. There is really no other word for it. Katherine Perkins, who is the author by the way (I seemed to have forgotten to mention that ) has written a novel that just heads straight for your heart. The characters seem so alive, so real, which I find some authors these days have problems with. There are too many "empty-shell" girls (read: Bella) who have no proper characteristics.

 In "Anna and the french kiss" we have a very clear leading lady, one who is special, who loves old cinema and someone whom people can still recognize. In the beautiful scenery, with Paris filling up every corner of the page. I remember the streets, the feeling and the people from when I was there.

Then, of course, there's the love interest of the novel. Oh. Oh. Oh. I think this is where the "real" characters come in again. Etienne St. Clair isn't just a pretty boy who runs around being pretty. He has issues, and I think the author has truly conveyed the issued really well. Same goes for the relationship between Etienne and Anna. It's truly complicated, and just lined with misunderstandings and awkward moments. It's real! They need each other in different ways, it isn't just one-sided. (Once again, read: Bella.)
I think this is one of my favorite YA novels ever. Filled with romance, sadness, anger, laughter, Paris and classic movies (those happens to be my favorites). The fact that St. Clair happens to speak with a British accent certainly doesn't add to my secret fantasies. Certainly not. At all.

I pushed the novel into my friend's hands just a few days after, not thinking she would actually have time to read it. Later that evening I get a text saying: "Page 80. F**kin hell. Where does St. Clair live and how do I contact him?" Half an hour later. "Fun. F**king. Tastic."
Approved? I think so.

I suppose this isn't much of a review, but it's all you're going to get.
I have four novels on their way to me now, "Behemoth," "The Spirit Rebellion," "The Spirit Eater" and "Water for Elephants." The last one is a recommendation from Filippa (hi Filippa) which is splendid, because I forgot I had planned to read it.
"Behemoth" is the second novel in the 'Leviathan' series by Scott Westerfeld and the Spirit novels are the second and third novels in a series called  'The legend of Eli Monpress.' Splendid, huh?