Series: Finishing School #2

 

This second installment of the finishing school series is still fun. There's an extension of the first plot where we discover what the prototype was ultimately supposed to be used for, and there's lots of stuff with vampires.

4 stars

review to follow

Curtsies & Conspiracies - Gail Carriger 

 

This was such a great follow up to the first book in the Finishing School Series.  Sophronia is up to her usual tricks, and there are new adventures to be had.  I loved the situations that Sophronia and her girls get up to.  But the best part of this was the fact that there were even some boys involved! And Miss Sophronia was getting the feels too.  

 

The vast conspiracies abounded and of course, Sophronia was the the one who was able to put it all together.  The way that the author is able to seamlessly weave all the moving parts to the plot together is so amazing.  I could just get drawn in for hours.

 

Add to that the fact that I was listening to this on audio and seriously, I was in heaven. Moira Quirk does a fantastic job with the narration. The way she can just project so many feelings into what she's saying just by changing her accent is amazing.  I could listen to her read just about anything.

 

Obviously, I have to continue on with this series. Things are just starting to come to light, and there's a new school year coming, sure to be full of new girls, new lessons, and new adventures! 

A couple of years ago, I first read Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate Series and fell in love with it. There was something about the author's style, mixed with the old-world steampunk setting, and engaging characters that pulled me right in. I read the whole series in less than two weeks and then went through a short withdrawal, unable to find a new book that satisfied for a while.

With Carriger's Finishing School Series, I found that same joy as soon as I began the first book, Etiquiette and Espionage. This time, I purchased the Audible version and was delighted with the narrator. Having the story told with the British accent was an added bonus, a perfect accompaniment to the story.

The books follow the main character, Sephronia, and her friends as they begin finishing school. However, this isn't your ordinary finishing school. These girls are not only learning manners, fashion, and etiquette, but also poisons, weaponry, and diversion, all while attending the most popular balls and shopping for the latest fashion accessories. The girls bond while attending school in the flying dirigible and deal with all of the normal teenage dramas with a good deal of espionage added in.

I'm being honest when I say that I couldn't wait to drive to work in the morning and take the dog for a walk in the afternoon. I listened every chance I got and enjoyed every minute. I found myself wanting to talk with a British accent and wishing I could have my own small mechanical sausage dog. I couldn't have asked for more. Such fun to read, with much action while still keeping a light-hearted feel to the stories. I highly recommend the Finishing School Series for both young adults and adults if you are a fan of the steampunk genre. If you are looking for something more edgy but just as engaging, try the Parasol Protectorate books. I will definitely be reading everything I can get my hands on from Gail Carriger!