And then there was an explosion. So begins the steampunk adventure, entitled The Friday Society. There’s something to be said for starting a story off with a bang. It grabs demands your attention and you will be only too happy to hand over the next few hours of your life to see what comes next. It needs to be said. Canadian authors are freakin’ rockstars. This week I compiled a list of the best books I read in 2012 and it was no surprise how many Canadian titles made the cut. The Friday Society is no exception (it took home the award for best steampunk!). Adrienne Kress is a fabulous new voice in YA literature, and her flirty and unique style was a lot of fun to read and explore. The story centres around three young girls – Cora, Nellie and Michiko. All three were apprentices to powerful men, but they were secondary in job title only. They were independent, free spirited, intelligent. I would be hard pressed to pick a favourite. I really enjoyed that they were given equal weight and importance throughout the story. (Although if I’m really forced to choose I’d have to go with Cora. I love all her inventions!). Their’s was a relationship built on mutual respect and friendship, and it was refreshing to see three female characters interacting in this way. They’re a great role model for what everyone’s friendships should be like (no matter what your age!) Beyond the emphasis on female camaraderie, the other thing that makes The Friday Society really stand out is that there is no real love story. Sure, there are some potential love interests, but they’re nothing more than subplots – at best – and the true story belongs to Nellie, Cora and Michiko throughout. Not every book needs a love story, and I am glad to see Adrienne Kress agrees with that sentiment. A lot of books recently seem to be marketed under the “steampunk” title lately, but quite often they’re simply Victorian or Gothic, with a few steampunk elements thrown in. The Friday Society is a true steampunk adventure with all the gadgets, and themes of makerism, idealisum and challenging societal norms, to prove it. It was nice to really get into the genre, and experience all the things that make it truly fascinating. I hope that this is a novel that will encourage to seek out more steampunk as well. All these fantastic elements were built around a pretty surprising mystery. I wasn’t totally surprised by the outcome, but I enjoyed the ride just the same. If I had once criticism of The Friday Society it’s that at times it felt a bit modern. I would have preferred a more Victorian feel to the language and dialogue, but I have read other reviews that enjoyed this modern take. So it’s really a matter of personal preference. Recommendation: A fun and feisty adventure story that I recommend to those who are curious about steampunk or who like stories about strong women and strong friendships, rather than relationships. This and other reviews at More Than Just Magic (http://morethanjustmagic.org)

Adrienne Kress' debut YA novel, The Friday Society, is a steampunk adventure you don't want to miss! It was a fun and entertaining read from beginning to end. There's a touch of romance in the novel, but it really wasn't the central focus of the storyline. I loved its emphasis on friendship, teamwork, and the empowering of women. There's definitely a feminist edge to The Friday Society. Nellie, Cora, and Michiko are strong heroines in their own rights, but many men would dismiss them as pretty faces and girls to be protected. It's a foolish notion on their part, and these three young women were all too ready to prove just how mistaken these men could be in underestimating their abilities and intellect. Nellie is a magician's assistant, skilled at picking locks and acrobatics, and capable of unbinding herself from the trickiest of knots. Cora is a lab assistant working for the influential Lord White, whose secret hobby is creating mechanical inventions. She shares his passion for inventing and is always open to tackling a new challenge. Originally from Japan, Michiko ran away from home and persistently worked hard to learn the forbidden ways of a samurai. She later accepted an offer to become a fight assistant in London, a decision she now regrets because she longs to be free and a true warrior. There's a nefarious plot afoot in the city and it will take the inquisitive minds of Cora, Nellie, and Michiko to discover the villain. While The Friday Society is a standalone novel for now, I can definitely see the potential for a sequel! I have my fingers-crossed that I'll be seeing Cora, Nellie, and Michiko solving another mystery together! You can also read this review at: http://midnightbloomreads.blogspot.ca/2012/12/the-friday-society-blog-tour-review.html

Welcome to the refreshingly humorous world of Adrienne Kress! If you've ever read her other works (Alex and the Ironic Gentleman, Timothy and the Dragon's Gate) then you'll be well familiar with her wit, and the ease in which she charms us with her wonderful characters. I looooooved this book. LOVED IT. I've been so longing for a young dynamic cast of female super heroes - and the steampunk theme is an added bonus. In a book where three characters - Cora, Nellie and Michiko - have top billing, Kress does a wonderful job giving each of them their own voice, their own strengths and their own issues to overcome. I didn't feel short-changed on any of them (although she could write an entirely new novel on the Great Raheem - hint hint, nudge nudge). And yet, despite the humour and wit, The Friday Society doesn't pull punches on the darker, seedier side of Victorian England. Certainly, it's not a descriptive free-for-all, but Kress has a fine intuition when it comes to teenage sensibilities, and she neither sugar coats, nor does she talk down to the reader through her prose. The writing is fresh and relatable, with an anachronistic flair which works surprisingly well; and the characters are fun and amiable. I particularly enjoyed Michiko's character, who hardly speaks a word of English throughout the entire book, but is given such a wonderful voice. The Friday Society has some wonderful steampunk inventions that I would love to see in real life, an adorable romantic interest, several endearing secondary characters, and suitably sinister bad guys. Five stars all the way - can't wait for the next one!

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ (3.5/5 stars) The Friday Society follows the lives of three clever & capable women, all three assistants to powerful men in turn of the century London. Cora, a lab assistant to an inventor often found in opium labs, Nellie, a magician’s assistant to the highly-acclaimed Great Raheem, and Michiko, a Japanese fight assistant whose employer can’t understand much of what she’s saying to him. When people are mysteriously killed, the girls take it upon themselves to get to the bottom of it. An unlikely trio who become fast friends, they use their individual skills to work together to solve something the police don’t seem too interested in, before it’s too late. This was my first steampunk novel, and it was definitely a fun read! I loved the theme of feminism throughout the whole story especially set in olde-tyme England. Perhaps because of the overwhelming sense of girl power, it allowed the readers to really assess the male characters and their motives. I kept suspecting the wrong people, or felt like I was wrong to be trusting others. Told through alternating POVs between the three girls, Kress does a good job of keeping the story moving while still giving adequate time to each girl’s story. I especially loved the tenth chapter, where it was broken out by quarters (10¼, 10½ & 10¾) , indicating it’s still the same scene – but different POVs. While I found Nellie to be a bit too airheady and Michiko’s disjointed conversations with the other two girls to be a bit tiresome after a while, I definitely loved Cora’s personality and character the most. She was tough, smart and earned the respect of powerful men by seeing her as an equal. I also loved The Great Raheem, who is such a great supporting character in this book. He exhibited the kind of reverence and respect while not being patronizing towards his young assistant and her new friends. I find that it can be a fine line between being a father figure and sounding condescending and Kress writes this dynamic well. The Friday Society is a great steampunk mystery with a Charlie’s Angels kind of vibe. A very fun & entertaining read! This, and other reviews can be found on JustALilLost.com