Authors Are Rockstars: Sarah J. Mass Interviews SUSAN DENNARD!!!

It's that time again--the time where Bloggers come together to celebrate why we LOVE authors so much!!!!  I love this tour because it is so completely extensive that I get a little insight into so many different authors.  Then, of course, I become obsessive with reading all their books!!!!

I'm very excited to be hosting SUSAN DENNARD, author of SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY and its sequel that just recently hit shelves, A DARKNESS STRANGE AND LOVELY.  So, why is Susan a rockstar???  Glad you asked...

She's a freakin' rockstar, dear old "Sooz"
'Cause she brought us Daniel, who I'd like to schmooze;
And poor Miss Fitt, who turns her back upon the rules
And takes up with the hunters who others say are fools.
This was the first steampunk book I'd ever read,
And it won't be the last, I say without dread.
For Susan introduced me to a world unlike my own,
And for that, she's a rockstar, the best I've ever known!

 

So....there you have it!!!!  Hope you enjoyed my rhyme, and now it's time for the interview!!!

 

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Sarah J Maas Interviews Susan Dennard

Go to The Fictitious Delicious to see Susan Interview Sarah J. Mass!

1. Sooz, let's just get down to the nitty-gritty: what is your spirit animal?

The Velociraptor. Because I’m a clever girl and can gut a man in less than 5 seconds. I also have an unhealthy obsession with my own reflection in freezer doors.

2. Don't forget your unhealthy obsession with terrorizing innocent people at jungle amusement parks. ANYWAY. Favorite Beer?

I like really hoppy IPAs. My current favorite is called "All-Day IPA". It tastes like grapefruit from the gods.

3. Favorite KDrama hunk? (I won't tell your hubby, I promise.)

Gong Yoo. Hot damn, that man... Also, I'm on a Lee Byung-hun kick. Dude is RIPPED.

4. Dude is effing GORGEOUS. *dies* Okay, serious question time: Sooz, what is your favorite thing about me (Sarah)?

Your absolutely terrifying laugh—it’s like an old witch’s cackle if that witch was tone deaf and had smoked her entire life. It’s music to my ears while also making my skin crawl.

5. Awww. Thanks, Soozyface. So, tell me about THE STARKILLERS CYCLE as if I don't know what it is.

THE STARKILLERS CYCLE is the online, serialized space opera that I coauthored with YOU (Sarah J. Maas). It's perfect for fans of epic sci-fi and steamy romance, and is set in a diverse and cutthroat galaxy. From an escaped convict with blood on her hands to a society girl turned fighter pilot, follow a sweeping cast of characters as they learn the galaxy is a far bigger—and more terrifying—place than they ever imagined.

Basically, this story is the best thing ever written in the entire history of the universe. It's a guaranteed intergalactic bestseller that was first inspired after we got a wee bit too tipsy on New Years Eve. Oh, and most important of all, you can read the first chapters here.

 

Amen.

 

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Thanks for stopping by, and be sure to go see Susan interview Sarah!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Waiting on Wednesday: A Darkness Strange and Lovely by Susan Dennard

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today! This week's book that we are anxiously awaiting is A DARKNESS STRANGE AND LOVELY by Susan Dennard.   It releases on July 23, 2013 from Harper Teen.

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Following an all-out battle with the walking Dead, the Spirit Hunters have fled Philadelphia, leaving Eleanor alone to cope with the devastating aftermath. But there’s more trouble ahead—the evil necromancer Marcus has returned, and his diabolical advances have Eleanor escaping to Paris to seek the help of Joseph, Jie, and the infuriatingly handsome Daniel once again. When she arrives, however, she finds a whole new darkness lurking in this City of Light. As harrowing events unfold, Eleanor is forced to make a deadly decision that will mean life or death for everyone.

 

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I am just loving the covers for this series.  The dresses and the colors are gorgeous!  Something Strange and Deadly was my first zombie book, and it was my first brush with steampunk.  I was saddened a bit by the ending of the first book, so I am very excited to see what happens next and if things get better!

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard
ARC received by Harper Collins via Edelweiss
Release Date: 7-24-2012
Reviewed by: Middle Sis Jenn
The Sisters Say: Macabre, Menacing, and Magical

The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

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 any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.


I had no idea what to expect when I started reading this book because I had never read any other zombie book.

I really enjoyed most of the book--it was refreshing and dramatic. Susan's world leapt off the page, and her stunning prose made me feel like I was right there with Eleanor as she worried for her brother, fought her incorrigible mother, and distressed over her feelings for Daniel and Clarence. Eleanor is snarky (even though its 1896) and she doesn't back down from a fight. She struggles to find her place in society and amongst her friends, and I really felt for her as she dug herself deeper and deeper into the macabre world of the spirit hunters. Eleanor was a great heroine--strong and capable, but not stupid. There were times when you could feel her terror, and I respected her because she tried to overcomes her fears. I really admired how Susan presented Eleanor's strengths and weaknesses--all of which built a great heroine.

Now...the 2 guys: Daniel and Clarence. They are complete opposites. Clarence is the smart, handsome, and rich family friend that is exactly the kind of man Eleanor should want to marry--only Clarence has a few secrets that Eleanor is determined to unmask before she believes any of his affections. Clarence is veiled in a mask of secrecy and learning his past is one of the most interesting parts of the book. And then there's Daniel, the ruggedly handsome lower class spirit hunter that is considered to be "filthy" by Eleanor's mother--only Eleanor finds herself dismissing her mother's concerns and developing some sort of feelings for the rugged man. However, just like Clarence, he is harboring secrets of his own. Who can Eleanor trust? Can she trust either of these two handsome devils?

Susan creates dynamic and irresitible characters that you just can help but feel tied to.

I hate to say this, but I wasn't a huge fan of the ending. I'm not going to say any more because it would be way too spoilery. I think many people will enjoy the ending, and maybe this is just the way zombie books are--but I just found myself saying, "What? Why???" Then, I might have shed a tear.  I am looking forward to the next one to see what happens with Eleanor and Daniel!

Now with that...let me answer a few questions:

Am I glad I read it? Yes. I needed to be introduced to the zombie sub-genre, and I really did enjoy the book right up until the end.

Would I recommend it to anyone? Yes because I think quite a few people will enjoy that Susan Dennard has no hesitations in smacking your expectations in the face.

What would I change? Even though it's 1896 and there are reasons for it--I wanted more romance!!!!! Eleanor thrusts her fist as society in every other way--why not add a little more steam?

So...I will leave you with this. Read it and see for yourself--if anything, you will see a world that's new and different. And I'm hoping the sequel will end with me saying, "Yeah!" instead of "What?"