Something Strange and Deadly was an exciting thrill ride with a bit of something for everyone. I haven’t jumped on the zombie-craze bandwagon yet, but from the moment I heard about this book - and saw its unbelievably beautiful cover - I was intrigued and knew I had to read it. I loved Eleanor. She was a misfit in her own life - she was unlike the other girls her age, she was stifled under her mother’s harsh and watchful eye, and she didn’t care about fashion and appearances and all the other things girls of her station were supposed to care about. She was innocent and protected in a lot of ways, but she was also spirited and more forward-thinking than a lot of the people around her. It made for a really interesting balance within her character, and I enjoyed watching her develop and learn. The secondary characters added life and intrigue to the story. Eleanor’s mother, while I do believe she loved her daughter in her own strange way, was selfish and obsessed with appearances, and she used Eleanor in ways that made my blood boil. Then there was Clarence, the brother of one of Eleanor’s ‘friends’ and the young man Mrs. Fitt hoped Eleanor would marry because he came from a good family and could be their salvation from financial ruin. I have to admit, there was something about Clarence that drew me in - he was mysterious and sometimes irritating, and the tense interactions between him and Eleanor were often amusing. My favourite characters other than Eleanor were the trio of Spirit-Hunters (a group tracking a powerful necromancer who was controlling the Dead) - Daniel, Joseph, and Jie. They were each special in their own way, and they each had scenes with Eleanor that made me love them. They added such diversity to the story with their own talents and distinct personalities, and I especially enjoyed the interactions between Eleanor and Daniel. They hated each other at first, but it slowly developed into something more - grudging respect and admiration, a desire to protect each other, and maybe a little something more. Something Strange and Deadly was thrilling, gruesome, and exciting. The plot itself was tightly woven with moments of humour and romance, but always an underlying sense of tension and danger. I was both terrified and fascinated at the notion of Dead, along with the malevolent spirit and the necromancer. The writing was absolutely beautiful, and Eleanor’s voice, along with the setting, felt very authentic. When I read an historic novel, I like to be transported to that time and place, and that was definitely the case with this book. The dialogue, Eleanor’s inner commentary, and the descriptions of everything felt bang on, and I have to give Ms Dennard major kudos for that. Overall, Something Strange and Deadly was a beautifully written story with diverse characters, a plot that thrills and chills, a mystery that will keep you guessing, a hint of romance and humour, and enough action to make your heart race. With a bittersweet ending that left me heartbroken because of innocence lost and painful lessons learned, this must-read book has me yearning for its sequel to find out what will happen to Eleanor next.

I hadn't heard much about Something Strange and Deadly before I stumbled across it. I knew it was paranormal in nature and had a bit of historical twist to it. I definitely wasn't expecting such a fabulous steampunk-esque zombie romp, that I could easily read over and over again. By far my favourite thing about this novel was the characters. Particularly Eleanor. She was often finding herself in hot water due to her stubborn nature. I may not be facing the walking dead but I can definitely relate to that! But even through her stubbornness she was fiercely loyal and willing to put herself in danger time and time again in order to help others. She was a respectable and admirable character and the story was richer because of her. I would be lying, however, if I said Eleanor was the only character that interested me. Because I knew from the first moment Daniel walked onto the scene that I adored him. He's intelligent, handsome, good with his hands. He's got a bit of an attitude but he brave and compassionate - even if he won't admit it. If you're looking for a new leading man to fall in love with, he's your man! All these characters were smack dab in a beautiful and vivid setting. It's old school Victorian style gave the novel a more haunted feel and it mixed just the right amount of steampunk elements to make Something Strange and Deadly unique and interesting. Like all good settings, Susan Dennard's 1876 Philadelphia, enhanced the story without distracting from it. I will admit that the storyline is fairly predictable. It follows a pretty standard formula and the outcome won't be a surprise but there are still a few good surprises and overall it is an incredibly fun and entertaining read. Final recommendation: Highly recommended for steampunk fans and those who loved Lia Habel's Dearly Departed.

Find more reviews at: www.eyesonthepages.blogspot.ca Eleanor isn't your typical 18th century kind of girl. Not only does she have social status, money and family problems, but she also has to deal with the Dead. That may just happen to have her brother held captive. As a result, Eleanor decides to seek out the help of the Spirit-Hunters despite everyone's talk against the low-class scallywags. Something Strange and Deadly hooked my right from the start. Once I started, I found it extremely hard to put down, and when I did I couldn't stop thinking about it. Every single character had depth and the plot pacing was fantastic. The only real problem I had with this book was its setting. Eleanor didn't really seem to fit into her 18th century, high-class role. I don't just mean in the sense that she considered herself a misfit, but I just found her too different right off the bat. And the weird thing is, no one seemed to look down on her for it. While her family was outcast-ed for having to fake their wealth, I don't think Eleanor as a character was really as much of an outcast as she made herself out to be. It may have been better if Eleanor had been from the low-class straight from the get-go. I feel like her character would have fit better there. But aside from that, this book really was fantastic! The ending wrapped up everything nice and neat for you, yet still had you yearning for the next book in the series. I definitely can't wait for Dennard's next book!