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A Darkness Strange and Lovely
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A Darkness Strange and Lovely
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A Darkness Strange and Lovely
Audiobook12 hours

A Darkness Strange and Lovely

Written by Susan Dennard

Narrated by Emily Woo Zeller

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

New York Times bestselling author Susan Dennard delivers a mix of supernatural forces and intense romance in this spellbinding sequel to Something Strange and Deadly. Perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare's Infernal Devices series.

With her brother dead and her mother unwell, Eleanor Fitt is alone. Even the Spirit-Hunters—Joseph, Jie, and the handsome Daniel—have fled to Paris. So when Eleanor hears the vicious barking of hounds and sees haunting yellow eyes, she fears the Dead, and the necromancer Marcus, are after her.

To escape, Eleanor boards a steamer bound for France. There, she meets Oliver, a young man who claims to have known her brother. But Oliver harbors a dangerous secret involving necromancy and black magic that entices Eleanor. If she can resist him, she'll be fine.

When she arrives in Paris, she finds a whole new evil lurking—forcing her to make a deadly decision that will go against everything for which the Spirit-Hunters stand.

In Paris, there's a price for this darkness strange and lovely, and it may have Eleanor paying with her life.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherHarperAudio
Release dateNov 6, 2018
ISBN9780062905376
Unavailable
A Darkness Strange and Lovely
Author

Susan Dennard

Susan Dennard is the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of the Witchlands series (now in development for TV from the Jim Henson Company), and the Something Strange and Deadly series, in addition to short fiction published online. She also runs the popular newsletter for writers, the Misfits and Daydreamers. When not writing or teaching writing, she can be found rolling the dice as a Dungeon Master or mashing buttons on one of her way too many consoles.

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Rating: 3.933823635294118 out of 5 stars
4/5

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Second of a trilogy. Eleanor finds out that she has more power than she realized. She also has Marcus chasing after her so she flees to Paris to find the Spirit Hunters. In route she encounters Oliver who was her brother's demon. There are more walking dead, demons and other supernatural in this book. I can't decide if Eleanor is being brave or stupid. But it is a pretty faced paced book and enjoyable young adult read.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Eleanor Fitt is utterly alone and disgraced. Her brother died; her mother is in a sanitorium; and the Spirit Hunters went to France. Her mother's care is quite costly, so she sells practically anything of value to fund it. Everything changes when Eleanor's phantom hand hurts and she sees yellow eyes and hears the baying of hounds. Marcus is after her and using magic to get these spirit hounds to attack her. Eleanor then flees to France to seek the Spirit Hunters' help. On the way, she meets Oliver, a boy who knew her brother. He has a dark secret that changes everything and forces Eleanor to decide what she how far she will go to survive. They arrive in Paris and find the Spirit Hunters have their own problems. The Dead are attacking all over Paris after being ritualistically mutilated and murdered. They have no clue who is behind it or why it's being done. In order to help them and save Paris, Eleanor may have to do the unthinkable and turn the Spirit Hunters against her.A Darkness Strange and Lovely starts by dealing with the aftermath of the first book: the death of Eleanor's brother, the loss of her hand, the insanity of her mother and the crippling debt for her treatment, the infamy of the Spirit Hunters, and the fact that Marcus is masquerading as Eleanor's brother in his dead body. All of this takes a toll on Eleanor, especially since she's a social pariah and has to deal with all this alone. She's grown a lot since the first book and proves to be more independent and capable than ever. She's truly an individual who rejects the fashions of the era, speaks her mind, does what she feels is right, and eats what she wants to despite the view of what women should be in that society. That's not say that she doesn't make mistakes because she does. Some of them are extremely frustrating and I want to reach in the book and shake some sense into her. Her hunger for more and more power as she uses necromancy becomes a huge problem that she refuses to address. It'll be interesting to see how it will be addressed in the next novel. She also decides to lie to her friends in order to hide her power and protect a new friend. Despite her mistakes, she is still the same loyal, endearing Eleanor.After establishing what happened in the last book, the story really takes off. The new main setting is in France and Susan Dennard's descriptive, flowing writing paints a beautiful picture of Paris, from its bustling high society to the beautiful and historical buildings. Everything is drastically different in Paris. The Spirit Hunters spend a lot of time making appearances in society to keep opinion of them high and their very rich patron happy. Their patron keeps them in rich surroundings and it's a much different experience to have everything they need available to them. The Spirit Hunters are much more fashionable, especially Daniel, who has improved his elocution and his manner of dress to appear as a proper gentleman. I love that he reverts back to who he truly is when Eleanor is around. A Darkness Strange and Deadly does not suffer from second book syndrome. New concepts and characters are introduced and the action just keeps coming with ritual sacrifices and rogue zombies roaming the city. The mystery was nicely resolved while leaving some more overarching plots with loose ends so I can agonize over what might happen. I NEED to know what happens! I can't get enough of these characters and I want the next book now!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I wanted to love this book so badly. I loved the first one a LOT. But after fighting it, I just couldn't. Don't get me wrong, a lot of the same aspects that were in the first book were present in this book, but there was so much that was also missing. And with this, there was definitely "second book syndrome."

    It was a bit obvious that this was a connecting book, aka the second book to a series. While it still had some of the same elements, it wasn't as big of a deal anymore, and the plot was slightly anti-climactic. I was able to, once again, predict a major plot twist, though there were also a few that got me.

    But what made me the most upset while reading this book was that the characters I had grown to love in Something Strange and Deadly were almost non-existent. Sure, they were in the book, but they weren't themselves. Eleanor, whom I loved in the first book, really annoyed me in this one. I think that was one of the main reasons why I didn't like it as much and couldn't really get into it. She didn't have the same spunk, and she made so many reckless choices. I get that what happened was extremely traumatic, but it changed my connection with her. And it wasn't just Eleanor. (I was also confused by her longing for Clarence. I know she felt something towards him, but it was never to that extent.) I also get that it may not have been what the characters would have opted to do, but their personalities changed so much that I just couldn't feel the same way about them. Daniel was cold and distant. He was polite. He and Eleanor clearly didn't have the same spark. They were civil, but they didn't have the same connection. I get that Eleanor was upset, but it made one scene of the book seem...out of place, I guess. Then there was Joseph. I absolutely adored him in the first book, but he also felt so much more harsh and non-sympathetic. He didn't have the same charm, and he didn't respect people in the same way. I understand his anger, but I just didn't feel the same way about him anymore. Only Jie had hardly changed, but then she wasn't even in most of the book.

    The new characters also didn't affect me the same way the characters in Something Strange and Deadly. Oliver REALLY annoyed me. And the others didn't ever feel important enough to bother with.

    But the thing is, the book wasn't bad. It was slow, but I think that the main reason I was so bored by it was because I was expecting a lot. I was expecting the same characters I'd come to love. I was expecting a slightly more exciting plot. This was definitely more character driven than plot driven. I just don't know that it was executed as well. I think Susan's writing was the same in terms of style, but everything that's hidden behind the words was much more lacking than in the first one.

    But nevertheless, there was a lot that I did enjoy. As always, I loved Jie. I also liked seeing how the pieces all fit together. I liked how there was forgiveness, but also a lost chance, at the end. I absolutely loved the setting. I love Laure. I loved the end. I love how things didn't move too quickly between Eleanor and Daniel. I loved seeing the conflict between Daniel and Oliver, even if I b*tched about it while I was reading.

    The thing is, I like Susan's writing. There's something about it that reminds me a bit of my own. There's a lot more "telling" than many author's would have, but that works for me. I write like that. I like reading like that. Maybe it takes a bit out of reading, but at the same time, it allows me to focus on other aspects of the story.

    I know I talked a lot about the negatives, but in reality, I did enjoy the book. I can't exactly pinpoint why I liked it so much despite all the aspects I didn't like. I JUST DID. :P
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I really liked that the big action scene wasn't wrapped up in just a few sentences. It was a full complete event that matched the flow of the rest of the book. But now I need the next book to continue the story.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I have been waiting for A Darkness Strange and Lovely since the moment I finished Something Strange and Deadly Susan Dennard captured my heart and my imagination in her debut, so I was eager to see what she would do with the next book. Happily, there is no second book syndrome here and ADSaL has all the elements that made SSaD such a delight.Without a doubt, it's the narrative voice that makes Dennard's series stand out from the pack of paranormal offerings. Eleanor is so many things: clever, silly, practical, powerful, self-conscious, and infuriating. Her voice rings so clearly through this first person narrative, and she really doesn't sound like anyone but herself. Even when she's at her most irritating, when she digs herself a whole of lies so deep she can't see out because she's afraid no one will accept her, she's still her kooky, charming self. Also, the girl can eat, and I suspect she's a bit chunkier than the usual YA heroine, which is just another reason to love her.Dennard really steps out of the box with Eleanor. She's no stereotype. She speaks her mind, eats anything she can get her hands on, and has far more power than her companions. In fact, her power scares everyone but herself. Actually, scratch that; it scares Eleanor a bit too. In the face of the most extraordinary circumstances, Eleanor is the kind of person who never stops trying, even when she only has one hand or everyone has turned their backs on her. Though she makes some really stupid choices, I still have so much respect and friendship in my heart for Eleanor.The plot this time comes with a bit less zombie mayhem, and a bit more mystery. Eleanor sets off to join the Spirit Hunters in Paris, where a Marquis is hosting them. Paris is beset by les Morts, and the Spirit Hunters have yet to figure out who has been sacrificing people and raising their corpses. Dennard does a good job throwing out a red herring, and making things a little bit twisty without it being overwhelming.Props, too, on romance remaining on the back burner, slowly simmering, but not to the boil stage yet. Though it's a good one, I think the time to unfold is necessary and will only make the moment when Daniel and Eleanor officially get together that much sweeter. Both of them still have some growing to do, and I like that Dennard gives them that time, rather than rushing them into some super intense forever love.Dennard adds a couple of new cast members, most notably Laure and Oliver. Eleanor meets both on her passage to France, and I think I like them. They're definitely both interesting figures, and I want to know more about them. Clearly, Laure's going to be important in the third book, but, for now, there was a lot of time spent on her that doesn't seem to have accomplished much. Oliver's pretty awesome, and I like the dynamic he adds to the group, the tension. I am also thrilled that Oliver is not another love interest for Eleanor.Readers who enjoyed Something Strange and Deadly will likely be pleased with Susan Dennard's sequel. Also, the moment ADSaL concludes, you're going to want book three something fierce, because it is going to be epic.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I loved Something Strange and Deadly last year. It was one of my favorite books. So, how was it that when A Darkness Strange and Lovely arrived on my doorstep I didn't jump to immediately read it? I guess that somehow in the time between, I forgot just how much I had loved the prior book. I took Something Strange and Deadly to a bubble bath with me. An hour and a half later, I was still sitting there reading even though the water was cold, my bubbles were gone, and my toes looked like raisins. I absolutely loved this book. Eleanor is one of my favorite heroines. I like that although she knows she loves Daniel, she's more than capable of moving on and being by herself and isn't afraid too. Or if she is, she's not afraid to face her fears. She listens to advice from others but still makes her own decisions.

    I had hit a bit of a reading slump but as soon as I picked up this book, the slump ended. I'm all excited about reading again.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I have to give this book 5 STARS! I gave the first book in the series 5 Stars and now I give the sequel 5 Stars! It is an awesome series and I cannot wait to read book 3 ~ Strange and Ever After! What an amazing series for sure. This entire book, I held my breath waiting for Eleanor and Daniel to reunite after book #1's ending..... This book starts of strong and ends strong. Period! I loved the addition of new characters as well ~ example Oliver!Susan Dennard has an amazing writing style that makes reading her books smooth and easy for me... this was a very quick read because I could not put it down! I loved that about this amazingly written book and that is why I give this amazing book 5 Stars! It has been a long time since a book has wrapped me around it's little finger and would not let go and I find that refreshing! Books like this one are what made me the obsessed reader that I am. Kudos to Susan Dennard on writing a masterpiece!Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:With her brother dead and her mother insane, Eleanor Fitt is alone. Even the Spirit-Hunters—Joseph, Jie, and the handsome Daniel—have fled to Paris. So when Eleanor hears the vicious barking of hounds and sees haunting yellow eyes, she fears that the Dead, and the necromancer Marcus, are after her.To escape, Eleanor boards a steamer bound for France. There she meets Oliver, a young man who claims to have known her brother. But Oliver harbors a dangerous secret involving necromancy and black magic that entices Eleanor beyond words. If she can resist him, she'll be fine. But when she arrives in Paris, she finds that the Dead have taken over, and there's a whole new evil lurking. And she is forced to make a deadly decision that will go against everything the Spirit-Hunters stand for.In Paris, there's a price for this darkness strange and lovely, and it may have Eleanor paying with her life.And here is the passage I held my breath for throughout the entire novel.....Oh I love me some Daniel :)Without thinking I rolled over onto my tiptoes and brushed my lips over that patch of skin, over his heartbeat.He stiffened. I lurched back.Heat flushed through me. "I-I am so sorry," I tried to say, but my voice barley squeezed through my pinched throat.And Daniel simply gaped at me, slack-jawed and frozen."I sh-shouldn't have done that." I skittered back several more steps, humiliation boiling inside me. "Please-forgive me."Still he did not move, did not speak.I retreated farther, wishing the front door were open so I could flee as far and as fast as my legs would go. Oh, why wasn't Daniel saying something - anything? And why was he staring at me like that?I turned to go, my hand outstretched for the doorknob."Wait," he breathed.I paused, glancing back.And in three long steps he reached me. Then, his hands trembling, he cupped the sides of my face, and I swear his chest was so still, he could not have been breathing.I know I wasn't.He ran his thumbs along my cheeks, down my jaw, over my lips. And his eyes seemed to scour every inch of me. Then ever so slowly, Daniel Sheridan lowered his head and grazed his lips over mine.And I felt as if my heart might explode.Yet despite that-despite the fragile perfection of his touch-it wasn't enough for me. It could never be enough. He smelled of sweat and blood and gunpowder. Of caves and torchlight and everything we had been through.I loved him, and I would not let him walk away-not this time. So before he could draw back or change his mind, I pushed forward and kissed him again. Hard.A low groan broke from his mouth, and now I knew my heart exploded. My brain, my skin, my lips-everything burned with feverish need.His hands dropped to my waist, pulling my whole body to his. And now he kissed me, determined at first and then almost desperate. No matter how many times we pressed our lips together, it was not enough.Then came the nip of teeth, a flick of tongue, and my knees turned to jelly. I almost fell backward.But he would never let me fall. He crushed me to him, his body hot through his clothes-hot through my clothes. Then he guided me backward and pressed me to the door.And all I could think-all I could feel-was that I needed more. More of him, more of Daniel.His stubble scratched my face raw. I did not care. I was too lost in the feel of his lips, of his tongue...of any feeling that proved we were alive.His lips left mine, but before I could beg him to stay, his mouth was tracing along my neck, biting and possessive, and now it was my turn to groan. I could barely breathe, my heart hammered too hard against my lungs, and I certainly could not see straight.But the moment couldn't last forever. Always, the real world had to interfere.OK.....so, you have to read this! Lovers of Paranormal, YA, Romance, Zombies..... check this out today! Thanks to Susan Dennard for outdoing herself yet again! Another amazing and fabulous read!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.Quick & Dirty: Fast-paced paranormal book filled with great characters, adventure, romance, and an intriguing plot. This was a great sequel to the first book and I really enjoyed it.Opening Sentence: When Jie’s letter came in the mail, I was so elated I forgot I had no hand.The Review:Eleanor can’t believe how much her life has fallen apart. Her brother is dead and her mother has gone insane. Her friends, the Spirit Hunters, fled Philadelphia and headed to Paris to start over. She is now left with no money, no family, and no friends. She is determined to stay in Philadelphia until her mother recovers, but the evil Marcus makes a reappearance and Eleanor knows she is going to need help. She takes the first ship to Paris in hopes of finding help from the Spirit Hunters.Along her journey she is forced to make some tough decisions to keep herself safe, and she starts to practice the art of necromancy, something she promised herself she would never do. But tough times call for tough measures. Upon arriving in Paris she finds a whole new darkness that has to be dealt with, and she’s not sure if she is going to be welcomed by her friends. She also has to confront the man that rejected her and left her with a broken heart.Eleanor is the heroine in this story and the book is told from her point of view. I really like Eleanor and you get to see a very different side of her in this book. Her dark side makes quite an appearance, which is very different from the first book. I really liked seeing this side of her, but it did make it a little harder to connect with her at times. She has a prideful streak in her that is cute and funny. But she also is a really sweet loyal person and she tries to do the right thing. I think she is a great character and I can’t wait to see where her story goes from here.Now for the infuriating, stubborn, adorable Daniel. I fell in love with Daniel in the first book; his rough personality was endearing and sexy. He has actually become quite the gentleman now, but when he is around Eleanor you get to see glimpses of the real Daniel. He is so sweet and so loyal. He is totally swoon worthy. They have really great chemistry and there is a lot of good tension between them. I loved their romance, it is well developed and super cute.I really enjoyed this book. It is a little darker than the first book, but I really liked where Dennard took the story. The characters were fleshed out even more and you get to see so many different sides of their personalities. There is great action and it is fast paced. It hooked me right at the beginning and I had a hard time putting it down. I love the setting of the book and the premise is really intriguing. There were some good surprises in the plot that I wasn’t expecting. As for the ending, it’s not a terrible cliffhanger, but it leaves you wanting to know what happens next. This was a great sequel to the first book and I can’t wait to see how the story ends. Also, I LOVE the covers of these books, they are so pretty. I would highly recommend this book to fans of YA Paranormal, it was a really good read.Notable Scene:The wind shoved me. I flew forward onto my chest. My face slammed into the gray, splintered dock, and the roaring hounds swallowed everything. I tried to scrabble to my feet, but the moment I lifted my face, the howling stopped.And I froze.The dogs were there. Four of them, lips drawn back and fangs bared.They were huge-bigger than me, bigger than a horse. Hulking, black, and with eyes of sun-bright yellow.Eyes that were locked on me.FTC Advisory: Harper Teen provided me with a copy of A Darkness Strange and Lovely. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Zombies. Magic. Zombie Magic. Can you tell where this is going? This book is BLOODY BRILLIANT. The whole series is addicting, really. If you have not yet tried out a zombie novel, I would say go with this one. DID I MENTION IT HAS MAGIC? Eleanor is back and has sold off nearly all of her possessions to be able to afford her mother’s medical bills, because hearing about your daughter’s encounters with Spirit-Hunters and the Hungry Dead can sometimes push you past the brink of insanity. (^^understatement^^) The Spirit-Hunters have left Philadelphia to deal with the les Morts roaming the streets of Paris. That leaves Eleanor to handle the fallout from the Philadelphia deaths and Dead when BAM! Seemingly out of nowhere Eleanor is being chased by Hell Hounds. Which, if caught, would cause her soul to be permanently obliterated. Sounds like a bad day, yeah? So off she runs to Paris to find the Spirit-Hunters and en route encounters a demon. At the time I couldn’t help but wonder how she has the worst luck in the entire world. And then she’s forced to bind to the demon (or face death–not much of a choice there)! AND she’s constantly being pulled by her magic. Did I mention she’s a necromancer? Yeah. She has magic and can control the dead, no big deal. The problem? It’s black magic and as addicting as opium. Well, and there’s the problem of how things ended between Eleanor and Daniel. Ohh Daniel Sheridan. D A N I E L . I love him. He keeps doing things for Eleanor because he obviously loves her even though he “doesn’t love her.” He’s always there and he’s a charmer and would do anything for Eleanor and he’s a brilliant inventor and . . . Uh, where was I? Through all of this, there’s something sinister lurking in Paris–it’s creating les Morts left and right and it’s up to the Spirit-Hunters, Eleanor and her demon to figure it all out before it’s too late. Oh yeah, and JIE HAS GONE MISSING. The common theme seems to be that everything that can go wrong, WILL GO WRONG. Good luck with that! I’m going to be honest–many instances I found myself scrubbing my hands down my face because I just wanted to strangle Eleanor! It always happens, though–the MC will think that they have to hide things and that as long as they keep it a secret everything will all work out but SURPRISE! It never works. People are going to feel betrayed and you’ll be labeled as a liar and untrustworthy aaaaand yeah. Don’t hide sketchy things, it won’t end well. But I also feel bad for Eleanor because she’s lost everything and everyone. What’s a girl to do? Apparently go kick some Dead a**, that’s what! Sometimes when I am in love with a book, I ramble on and on about it . . . like I did just now. I love it, I love it, I LOVE IT! 5/5 STARS;)
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Since falling in love with the first book, I knew I adore this one as well.Plot: I loved the way the plot flowed. The reader is back in Eleanor shoes, in which she is once again on the run to trying to fix what her brother started. Every chapter leads Eleanor further into more conspiracies as well as a power struggle. I really loved how well Eleanor took everything in. She managed not to break down but to become stronger..harder. Oh and the ending is super cool!Love: While this area didn’t really grow much, I’m disappointed with Daniel. I mean, when you love someone, you LOVE them no matter what. It was difficult to face what is happening between these two. Once friends, they are now frenemies. I really hope that circumstances can change this.Characters: Did I mention that Eleanor is a kick-butt chick? Cause she is! She has some fantastic sarcastic lines down and not to mention some new moves. Since the first book, Eleanor’s heart and psychical appearance has grown hard. She does what she needs to do and hardly trusts anyone. And you know what? I feel the same way. Eleanor has been left out of the loop for far too long cause no one thinks she should be involved. I think thats crap. She was already involved the minute her brother lured everything back to her. I just hope that Eleanor will learn to balance it all instead of taking it all in.Entertaining and fun, A Darkness Strange and Lovely gives the reader a whole new adventure. The bundles of action and great world-building leaves the reader with a awesome picture in their head. A perfect blend of charm, action and original plot, A Darkness Strange and Lovely is thrilling!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I remember complaining about how the first book was sometimes very slow and boring. Well, I had nothing to worry about in this book!From the beginning, Eleanor’s refreshing voice brings you back into the story, and if you had forgotten anything, she quickly and subtly brings you up to speed.Now, Eleanor is on her way to Paris to meet the Spirit Hunters. I really enjoyed this! Eleanor is finally free of having to keep up the pretenses she kept for her mother’s sake, and as her own person she’s set on being independent and self-sufficient. I think this gave Eleanor more space to mature and evolve as a character, which was nice. I really enjoyed seeing her grow into her own.“ You are strong and independent, I told myself as I unlocked the door. Capable and clever. No males needed.”I particularly loved that this book was much more ‘dark’ than the first one. This one focuses a lot on black magic, and ties the ‘zombies’- or dead as they’re called in the book- to this aspect.The antagonist of the story is predictable from early on, but I think this was the author’s intention. The plot really has so many other things going on, that I guess deciphering the villain would have been too much.As always, the writing is evocative and charming. I find myself wanting to have been able to see London in the 1800’s. Everything sounds so wonderful the way Susan described it.The romance here… be still my heart! There wasn’t nearly enough romance, but I still loved it nonetheless. Eleanor & Daniel are such a wonderful couple and have great chemistry whenever they’re together (even if they’re bickering the entire time). I loved how they always worked together to solve mysteries and whatnot.I think this book definitely surpasses Something Strange and Deadly, adding more suspense, action, and magic than before. It makes for a highly entertaining read, which will leave you wanting more once you’ve read the last page. I definitely recommend you get into this series!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A Darkness Strange and Lovely is full of surprises and new characters.

    I was worried about Eleanor’s choices throughout this book. She’s still struggling with the deaths of Elijah and Clarence. She also has to constantly watch over her shoulder for Marcus to show up. I absolutely love Oliver. We meet him pretty early on. He’s sarcastic, and doesn’t let Eleanor push him around.

    I really enjoyed Eleanor’s time in Paris. She’s got things she’s trying to hide, and is also scared of losing her friends. The dynamics of all the relationships (friend/romantic) worked really well. I also feel like you can learn to overcome preconceived notions by reading Eleanor’s story. Not everything is black and white.

    I really enjoyed this book. We learn about love, loss, and what friendship means.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is the second book in the Something Strange and Deadly series by Dennard. The third book, Strange and Ever After, is set to release in July of 2014. I enjoyed this book, I didn’t think it was quite as good as the first one… but I still enjoyed reading it.The Spirit Hunters have fled Philadelphia, leaving Eleanor to pick up the pieces. Eleanor is struggling to make ends meet and pay for her mother’s care and is being scorned by many of her former friends. Eleanor can handle all of this until she sees Marcus again, then she know she needs help. Eleanor flees to Paris to join the Ghost Hunters and beg their help. When she gets there she finds that Jie, Joseph and Daniel have bigger problems...iin form of the Walking Dead.This was a well done sequel in this series. The book was easy to read and I enjoyed the story. The only downside was I felt like not a ton happened throughout the book.The best part of the book was Eleanor exploring her newfound necromancer powers. She knows she is walking a fine line between dark and light. However she starts to learn a lot more about her powers when she meets the mysterious Oliver on her boat to Paris. Oliver was mentioned in many of her brothers letters and now Eleanor finally knows what and who he is.Eleanor is a fun character to read about. She is feminine, yet gutsy. She is constantly struggling with the decision of suppressing her magic, or learning to use it to its fullest extent. The Ghost Hunters abhor necromancers, so that makes things even tougher for her.Daniel isn’t in the story as much as I would like. Instead Eleanor spends a lot of time with Oliver. I am not going to talk about Oliver much because I don’t want to spoil anything. Let’s just say he’s not a romantic interest for Eleanor….but he is definitely a complication.Most of the story revolves around finding out who or what is behind the murders in Paris and why the Walking Dead are being amassed. All of this ends up tying in with the overall story involving Marcus.The story is fairly predictable. At times I thought there was a bit too much foreshadowing. It was pretty easy to figure out who was behind the murders in Paris right away; the book would have been a bit better if the mystery had been a bit less spelled out for the reader.The steampunk element in this story was a bit lighter than the last book in the series, mainly because Daniel was absent much of the story. This story focused more on necromancy. Still there are some steampunk elements. Daniel building Eleanor a clockwork hand and Daniel flies a dirigible around.Overall there is some great stuff in here and this was a fun read. I love the setting and the characters. The mystery was well done and was contained, as well as tying in with the overall story involving Marcus. I did feel like not a ton happened in this book though, and I thought the story was a bit too predictable. I can’t wait to see how things tie up in the third and final book, Strange and Ever After. I would recommend this book to those who like young adult reads with a steampunkish gothic feel to them.If you like this book or steampunk YA in general, I would also recommend Caitlin Kittredge’s Iron Thorn series, Bethany Griffin’s Masque of the Red Death series, or Gail Carriger’s Boarding School series.