IHeartYAFiction

Short and Sweet:Something Strange and Deadly is so much fun. This creepy, intriguing world is so captivating you may fall asleep at 3:00 am with your face in your book because you just can't sleep until you know what will happen! :)To Elaborate....First of all, I adore Eleanor. She is so brave in her own time. With expectations of her from every angle from society to her own mother, Eleanor is under a lot of pressure to look, behave, and dress a certain way. However, she sees beyond what 'should be done' and instead acts on what 'needs to be done' regardless of the consequences. Eleanor is beautifully fearless in this way. Along the way, she ends up really discovering how powerful and able she is and I can't wait to see that growth in her continue in A Darkness Strange and Lovely. Then there is Daniel, who is found most often verbally sparring with Eleanor in the most delightfully entertaining way. I enjoyed his moodiness/snarkiness and the way Eleanor responded to it. She is no shrinking violet and held her own..... most of the time. ;) They really are evenly matched and the dialogue between them was one of my favorite aspects of this book. I thought where they ended up at the end of the story was very curious and I'm interested in seeing what happens next with these two.I also really loved the dynamic between Eleanor and Jie. I so respect when an author includes positive female relationships in a story. Women are more than capable of having respect for one another and relating to each other on levels other than their relationships with men. Jie is also brave and independent, and completely at odds with expectations of women in her time. I loved every time she appeared in the story.Finally, this world where the Dead rise and leave the cemetery; where people go on living normally until the alarm sounds was so thoroughly engaging. I enjoyed every moment! Every character was unique and distinct. I loved the time period and the way Susan D. weaved so many mysterious aspects into one nearly flawless, layered tale. (Originally published at iheartyafiction.blogspot.com)