"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.
What will become of our proper young heroine when she puts her years of training to the test? Find out in this highly anticipated and thrilling conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Finishing School series!"
"Sophronia continues second year finishing school in style -- with a steel-bladed fan secreted in the folds of her ball gown. She, best friend Dimity, sweet sootie Soap, and charming Lord Felix Mersey stow away on train to return classmate Sidheag to her werewolf pack in Scotland. No one suspects what or who would be aboard the suspiciously empty train."
"Sophronia, second year at Miss Geraldine's Finishing Academy, helps Dimity avoid London kidnappers and Vieve 10 attend Bunson boys' school. Someone kills for malfunctioning guidance valves that can control 'aether' atmosphere level. Again, she flirts with 'sootie' coal-worker Soap from the boiler room, and cuts Felix, son of Duke Golborne, at come-out ball. Teacher Captain Niall turns werewolf; vampire Prof Braithwope braves 'tether'; mechanimal Bumbersnoot plays essential role."
Alright, this Curties & Conspiracies, the latest installment of this series, is hilarious. I can't help but feel so silly whenever I read this four hundred pages of greatness and humor. I simply adore this book. It's even better than its first book.
Cute part #1: The possibility of Sophronia having a love interest. Felix, son of Duke Golborne, is the new boy of this book. He's sort of charming, yet humorously doesn't know how to deal with girls. He is sort of frustrated all the time because Sophronia wouldn't admit she likes him. Ah! Their chemistry is great! I love how Felix was about how great this thing was and Sophronia called it "dung." It's just downright hilarious.
Cute part #2: Soap's the other love interest. However, Sophronia keeps on friendzoning him, so I don't think he will be one for long. Anyway, whenever he kisses her (yes, he did!), no sparks appeared. Sophronia was kind of like, eh... She really doesn't feel it. She's sort of like a robot when she talks about kissing Soap. All she wants to maintain her friendship with Soap. That's pretty much it.
The conspiracy: There's something very dark and supernatural going on with Dimity and her brother. Also, there's something very wrong with her vampire teacher. That's all I'm going to give you, for right now.
Sophronia is as awesome as usual. She's very likable and calm. Her mind goes a thousand miles a minute. I sometimes hope she would struggle, just a little bit. It's kind of like the tv show Agents of Shield. They have a challenge, then they get over it in an hour (or in a minute, to the viewers). Sometimes, it's too similar to a video game. Sometimes, there should be no answers to the solution. I guess the darker things of this series won't appear until much later.
The storyline, overall, is great. I enjoyed every bit of it. My favorite parts is the flirty banter with Felix. They (Sophronia and Felix) are so adorable. Everytime Sophronia does something Felix doesn't expect, Felix is stunned. Especially the part Sophronia dresses up as dandy. Anyway, his nickname for her is so adorable. It makes Aphrodite want to cry with joy. Those two better be... Okay, I'll stop shipping.
Rating: Four out of Five
"It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It's quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to Finishing School.
Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is a great trial to her poor mother. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners—and the family can only hope that company never sees her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. So she enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.
But Sophronia soon realizes the school is not quite what her mother might have hoped. At Mademoiselle Geraldine's, young ladies learn to finish...everything. Certainly, they learn the fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but they also learn to deal out death, diversion, and espionage—in the politest possible ways, of course. Sophronia and her friends are in for a rousing first year's education.
Set in the same world as the Parasol Protectorate, this YA series debut is filled with all the saucy adventure and droll humor Gail Carriger's legions of fans have come to adore."
OMG! I love reading this book as I wait for Ally Carter's United We Spy's release date. (So, so soon. It will be September 17 soon.) Etiquette & Espionage is a spy book, obviously. (Anyone know any other good spy books? There's a lot of time for me to kill. I'm a fast reader and I need a book a day. I can't wait for United We Spy. Did you read the first chapter? It was awesome!)
Etiquette & Espionage is an exciting debut from the ever awesome author Gail Carriger. It is an amazing to read this book! I'm so lost in the pages and words. I love this book that I was practically begging for it to be a little longer. (It's about three hundred pages, so...I know, I'm crazy for wanting a book to be longer than a whopping three hundred pages.)
Etiquette & Espionage's plot is a twisted game of lies and deception. Ha! In the beginning I was so lost like a little sheep among the wolves. Sophronia (what a strange and beautiful name) is on her newfound adventure. She is trying to uncover lies from truth. I don't know how she does it, but she does it. Gail Carriger's writing is addicting! I swear I can't stop reading Etiquette & Espionage from the very beginning, because of how intriguing and surprising the book is. I love the characters, no matter how evil or odd or gross or dirty they are whenever they are finishing a job.
Whaa! What a good ending! I'm left wondering if this is the end or not. (I checked Goodreads. They say it isn't, so readers who haven't read Etiquette & Espionage should wait.) The ending is the most humorous and delight ending ever craft by a debut author.
Characters:
There's Sophronia with no love interest. (Come on, she's fourteen.) She is clever, ingenious, witty, and outrageously hilarious. She's adventuress and always looking for something in her life. She is not interested in being 'normal.' She doesn't want to go to the ball, unless a dangerous weapon may appear again at the ball. She doesn't want to go to parties, unless she has to stalk someone dangerous. She doesn't want to do normal activities, unless she has to spy on someone.
The girls at the Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality are quite mischievous not in the bad way. Some of them are bored and simply shallow. Others are skilled in the arts of deception.
Rating: Four out of Five
