Review: The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee

Title: The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy Series: Montague Siblings #2 Written by: Mackenzi Lee Published: October 2, 2018 by Katherine Tegan Books (HarperCollins) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Felicity Montague is through with pretending she prefers society parties to books about bone setting—or that she’s not smarter than most people she knows, or that she cares about anything more than her dream of becoming a doctor.   A year after an accidentally whirlwind tour of Europe, which she spent evading highwaymen and pirates with her brother Monty, Felicity has returned to England with two goals in mind—avoid the marriage proposal of Callum Doyle, a lovestruck suitor from Edinburgh; and enroll in medical school. However, her intellect and passion will never be enough in the eyes of the administrators, who see men as the sole guardians of science.  But then a small window of hope opens. Doctor Alexander Platt, an eccentric physician that Felicity idolizes, is looking for research assistants, and Felicity is sure that someone as forward thinking as her hero would be willing to take her on. However, Platt is in Germany, preparing to wed Felicity’s estranged childhood friend Johanna. Not only is Felicity reluctant to opening old wounds, she also has no money to make the trip.  Luckily, a mysterious young woman is willing to pay Felicity’s way, so long as she’s allowed to travel with Felicity disguised as her maid. In spite of her suspicions, Felicity agrees, but once the girl’s true motives are revealed, Felicity becomes part of a perilous quest that will lead her from the German countryside to the promenades of Zurich to secrets lurking beneath the Atlantic.

I absolutely loved The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue so when I heard Mackenzi was writing a companion sequel about Felicity I was over the moon. I was so excited to return to these characters and learn what would happen to her. And I thoroughly enjoyed this feminist piece of historical fiction.

One of the things that I loved about this book was the characters. In Gentleman’s Guide, Felicity is just a small part of the narrative but she still made a good impression. Here she gets the focus and it I really enjoyed unpacking her. The thing about Felicity though is that she is far less charming in the traditional sense but very charming in the figurative sense. She’s exactly what you think of when you consider an “unlikable female character.” She’s prickly and judgmental, ambitious and determined. But that’s part of her charm. She’s still the kind of character you root for and want to see achieve her goals. She’s fierce and fiery and I loved being in her head.

But some of the best character here were the secondary characters. I particularly enjoyed Johanna. What I liked about Johanna was that she is everything Felicity is not. She’s girly and sweet, caring about what society would expect a young woman to care about like fashion and appearances. But she’s also interested in science, animals, and exploration. Johanna is the character that most books would make the protagonist but here she is just part of the team and I almost liked that more. She’s a great foil for Felicity and ultimately a great example of different kinds of amazing and fierce women. But she wasn’t the only great secondary character. Dr. Alexander Platt was very complex and Sim was a really engaging female pirate character. Plus if you were hoping some good moments with Monty and Percy you are definitely in luck. Overall, I think the characters in this book were great.

I also really loved the historical setting. I’m a huge fan of historical fiction and I am sometimes overly critical because I think a book really needs to be grounded in the time period. Mackenzi did exactly that while still making the book relevant for a modern reader. Here the focus is on women of the period, ambition women who want to do something that the patriarchy just doesn’t want them to do. I loved the way she explored these concepts with three very different women. But this was also a little bit about medicine in the 18th century. You can tell the author did her research into the techniques, however strange, at the time.

The only thing I didn’t totally live is the plot development. That isn’t to say that it wasn’t interesting. Because I did enjoy it. It wasn’t quite the globe trotting mystery and adventure that I was hoping for but it was complex and engaging and unfolded in a way that kept me reading and interested from beginning to end. The thing is, it had a what felt like a fantasy element element just added on to built interest and it felt weird and forced. I think the book would have just as good if that part had been a little more grounded in reality. Or maybe it was and it just wasn’t explained well enough. Either way, it felt like a strange addition to an otherwise great read.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It had great characters that were complex and interesting, an immersive historical setting, and a plot that kept me reading and engaged.

I give The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. If you liked the first book in the series, check this one out and fall in love with Felicity and Johanna. Or if you are looking for a good historical fiction novel that is grounded in reality that still feels modern and interesting definitely get to know the Montague Siblings.

Have you read The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy Series: Montague Siblings #2 Written by: Mackenzi Lee Published: October 2, 2018 by Katherine Tegan Books (Harper Collins) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Felicity Montague is through with pretending she prefers society parties to books about bone setting—or that she’s not smarter than most people she knows, or that she cares about anything more than her dream of becoming a doctor. A year after an accidentally whirlwind tour of Europe, which she spent evading highwaymen and pirates with her brother Monty, Felicity has returned to England with two goals in mind—avoid the marriage proposal of Callum Doyle, a lovestruck suitor from Edinburgh; and enroll in medical school. However, her intellect and passion will never be enough in the eyes of the administrators, who see men as the sole guardians of science. But then a small window of hope opens. Doctor Alexander Platt, an eccentric physician that Felicity idolizes, is looking for research assistants, and Felicity is sure that someone as forward thinking as her hero would be willing to take her on. However, Platt is in Germany, preparing to wed Felicity’s estranged childhood friend Johanna. Not only is Felicity reluctant to opening old wounds, she also has no money to make the trip. Luckily, a mysterious young woman is willing to pay Felicity’s way, so long as she’s allowed to travel with Felicity disguised as her maid. In spite of her suspicions, Felicity agrees, but once the girl’s true motives are revealed, Felicity becomes part of a perilous quest that will lead her from the German countryside to the promenades of Zurich to secrets lurking beneath the Atlantic.

 
Why I'm Waiting:

I absolutely love Mackenzi's writing. I read her debut a few years back and really really enjoyed it and since then I have been reading all her books. However, my favorite book from her is Gentleman's Guide. So when I found out there was going to be a follow up novel from Felicity's perspective I was so excited. I loved Felicity in the first book and I can't wait for more from her.

But even if I didn't love the author and the first book in the series, I think I still would have been super excited about this book. I mean it is a historical fiction novel about a young woman who subverts society's expectations and takes up with pirates and goes on an adventure to solve a mystery. Those are some of my all-time favorite things and things I want to see more in books. I am super pumped to read it.

I got an advanced copy of this at ALA and I was so freaking excited. This was one of my top three must get books at ALA and I am so glad I got it. I have plans to read it next month because I need some Felicity in my life. And if there is a little Percy and Monty, all the better.

What about you? What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Are you waiting on The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy along with me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Bygone Badass Broads by Mackenzi Lee

Title: Bygone Badass Broads Written by: Mackenzie Lee Published: February 27, 2018 by Abrams (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Based on Mackenzi Lee’s popular weekly Twitter series of the same name, Bygone Badass Broads features 52 remarkable and forgotten trailblazing women from all over the world. With tales of heroism and cunning, in-depth bios and witty storytelling, Bygone Badass Broads gives new life to these historic female pioneers. Starting in the fifth century BC and continuing to the present, the book takes a closer look at bold and inspiring women who dared to step outside the traditional gender roles of their time. Coupled with riveting illustrations and Lee’s humorous and conversational storytelling style, this book is an outright celebration of the badass women who paved the way for the rest of us.

I love Mackenzi and her books. I have been a follower of hers since before her debut came out. As a fellow history nerd I was so excited when she started doing a Twitter series with the amazing forgotten women of history. I tuned in every Friday to hear her trademark humor and knowledge bombs. So when I heard that she was doing a book collecting the stories I was ecstatic.

And this book did not disappoint. It is exactly what it says it is, it's a collection of 52 forgotten women who changed the world. Even though this is based on the Twitter series, Mackenzi did a great job of making this accessible whether or not you have seen the concept previously. If you are a fan of the Twitter series you will recognize a few of the women featured in this book, but there are still plenty of new ones. I knew going into it that there was bound to be some new women to learn about and I was so pleasantly surprised by just how many there were. It shows just how important a book like this is when you consider how many amazing women did and did not get featured.

Mackenzi did a great job of featuring women who are incredibly diverse. This was everything from their ethnicity and race, to their sexual orientation, and even to their specialty. There were scientists, politicians, warriors, spies, unlikely heroes. You name it and they are in this book. A few of my favorites were mentioned like Sybil Ludington and The Mirabel Sisters but I even learned about a ton of new amazing women. Every single woman and girl in this book did amazing things in the face of adversity and it's inspiring and encouraging.

One of my favorite things about this book is the style in which it is written. Mackenzi is not a non-fiction writer, and I know from the event I attended with her that she was nervous to write non-fiction. But I love that she didn't try to be technical and formal in this book. That would have been cool, sure, but the informal style makes it even better. It has plenty of humor and fun. It really spices things up a lot and feels like the perfect tone for most of these women. Not to mention it makes the book even more accessible. Even if you are not a big fan of history you will still enjoy reading this book.

Plus that style of writing makes it a very fast of read. I will say, it does take a little while to get used to the style and the way that the book is written, but once you do, you are devouring it. Most of the women have 2-3 page write ups so it's easy to read a few a day or just plow through them all. Not to mention this is a completely gorgeous book. Each women has a beautifully piece of artwork as well. You can see a few of them on the cover, but they are amazing. It adds a lot to the book and the general desire to keep reading.

I read this book as part of my historical fiction month and it seems completely appropriate that it is also women's history month. This was a fantastic book of badass women throughout history that every woman and girl should read.

I give Bygone Badass Broads by Mackenzi Lee 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. Definitely get a copy of this book. Whether or not you are a fan of the Twitter series or not, whether you are fan of history or not. Get this book for the gorgeous images. Or get this book to read some fun and interesting stories about amazing women.

Have you read Bygone Badass Broads? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Title: Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue Written by: Mackenzi Lee Published: June 27, 2017 by Katherine Tegan Books (Harper Teen) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: An unforgettable tale of two friends on their Grand Tour of 18th-century Europe who stumble upon a magical artifact that leads them from Paris to Venice in a dangerous manhunt, fighting pirates, highwaymen, and their feelings for each other along the way. Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men. But as Monty embarks on his grand tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy. Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores. Witty, romantic, and intriguing at every turn, The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue is a sumptuous romp that explores the undeniably fine lines between friendship and love.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

I was unbelievably excited to read this book and it was abso-bloody-lutely amazing. I loved Mackeni's debut so I would have read anything that she came out with next but this just sounded amazing and it was. Everything I had hoped it would be with amazing characters, a thrilling plot, and brilliant writing.

Going into this book I expected it to be an interesting piece of historical fiction as the author took us through an engaging period of history. She absolutely did that. I like my historical fiction to take imaginary people and populate them in real places with real events. That's exactly what happened here. Europe in the 18th century came alive in this book. And it wasn't just the upper class goings on either. There were some dangerous and different things we got to experience as well. I loved every place and event that was explored. We were taken to so many amazing cities in Europe that I personally loved when I was there in college and Mackenzi did a great job in describing these beautiful places. It was a beautiful setting for a book and a great backdrop for this historical fiction novel.

However, my favorite thing about this book was, without a doubt, the characters. This book is full of completely amazing and likable characters. First and foremost we have our main character Monty. Monty is seriously everything. He is the perfect combination of charming and vulnerable. I loved him when he was being sullen and reckless just as much as I love him when he was being flirty and rakish. I love characters like Monty who we get to see at their best and at their worst.

But Monty wasn't the only amazing character here. The book was full of likable characters who were complex and engaging. The two most important and interesting are Monty's companions, Percy and Felicity. Percy is Monty's best friend and love interest. He's just so adorable and I love the two of them together. I ship it so hard. Then there is Felicity, Monty's sister. She's described as being bookish and a bit of a bore but she is anything but. She's snarky and plucky and is really the best out of everyone in a crisis. I really loved her and the dynamic she has with Monty is amazing and so realistic. And that is just the beginning. This book had so many amazing characters.

I think part of what made the characters so fantastic was because for me the heart of this book is in the coming-of-age. Each of the characters has this great development throughout the book. I'm not sure they really had a traditional Hero's Journey but they did got through an incredible change throughout the book. The people we meet at the beginning are not the people we see at the end. Each of our heroes go through their own journeys as they figure out who they are and who they want to be. This is something that I love about YA and it was one of the best parts about this book.

But beyond the figurative journey, our characters went on a literal journey throughout the book. The main jumping off point for the plot here is the characters' Grand Tour. It's pitched as a road trip story, something that I don't usually enjoy but I loved it here. I already mentioned how great the settings were and that in and of itself would probably have been enough but then things very quickly veered off plan and it became incredibly more interesting. I didn't know that I was getting an action packed high stakes adventure story with this book but that is exactly what I got. I seriously could not put this book down. It really built to a climax that had me on the edge of my seat and along the way there were so many amazing moments. I didn't expect to be able to finish this in a few days but I was because it was that good. I couldn't stop thinking about it when I wasn't reading and when I was reading I couldn't think of anything else.

Even though this is a love and very gushing review I feel like I cannot do it justice. I really loved it that much. It was an insanely brilliant and engaging l book that I could not stop reading and do not want to be over. It had everything I had hoped it would have and more. There was a descriptive setting, great and complex characters, and a thrilling plot full of adventure and a good coming of age story. Seriously, read it. You won't regret it.

I give The Genteman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee 10 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! Without a doubt you need to buy this book. It is my first ten star review of 2017 so that's saying something. I mean I really loved it. It's funny, it's sweet, it's trilling, it's impactful. It's brilliant. Everyone, just everyone should read it.

Have you read Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue Author: Mackenzi Lee Published: June 27, 2017 by Balzar + Bray (HarperCollins) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: An unforgettable tale of two friends on their Grand Tour of 18th-century Europe who stumble upon a magical artifact that leads them from Paris to Venice in a dangerous manhunt, fighting pirates, highwaymen, and their feelings for each other along the way. Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men. But as Monty embarks on his grand tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy. Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores. Witty, romantic, and intriguing at every turn, The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue is a sumptuous romp that explores the undeniably fine lines between friendship and love.

Why I'm Waiting:

I really loved Mackenzi's debut, This Monstrous Thing! It was one of my favorite debuts of 2015 and that was a year full of amazing debuts for me. It was a really fantastic retelling too. I loved how the author played around with the original story of Frankenstein, the historical setting, and the fact that she added characters like Mary Shelley herself. I've been excited to see what Mackenzi has up her sleeve next and I am so pumped for this book.

For one thing I love the fact that it's historical fiction set during throughout Europe in the 18th Century. I'm not a huge fan of road trip stories but I love the idea of a Grand Tour. I've read some classics that involve something similar which I have enjoyed so I'm interested to see a more modern take on the concept.

But I'm even more interested in this because of the LGBT romances. There is not a lot of historical fiction with LGBT elements and it's not a new concept so I'm excited to explore it from that perspective. It usually makes for interesting character development and even more interesting conflicts because of the views of gays and lesbians at the time. I think Mackenzi will do a great job with it too.

I'm also really interested in this book because reading the synopsis I think there is going to be some really interesting adventures. Like I said, I'm not a huge fan of road trips but I love manhunts, pirates, highwaymen, and hedonism. I'm excited. 

What about you? What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Are you waiting on The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue along with me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee

Title: This Monstrous Thing Author: Mackenzi Lee Published: September 22, 2015 by Katherine Tegan (HarperCollins) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: In 1818 Geneva, men built with clockwork parts live hidden away from society, cared for only by illegal mechanics called Shadow Boys. Two years ago, Shadow Boy Alasdair Finch’s life shattered to bits.  His brother, Oliver—dead.  His sweetheart, Mary—gone.  His chance to break free of Geneva—lost.  Heart-broken and desperate, Alasdair does the unthinkable: He brings Oliver back from the dead.  But putting back together a broken life is more difficult than mending bones and adding clockwork pieces. Oliver returns more monster than man, and Alasdair’s horror further damages the already troubled relationship.  Then comes the publication of Frankenstein and the city intensifies its search for Shadow Boys, aiming to discover the real life doctor and his monster. Alasdair finds refuge with his idol, the brilliant Dr. Geisler, who may offer him a way to escape the dangerous present and his guilt-ridden past, but at a horrible price only Oliver can pay…

**** I received an advance copy of this book from a giveaway from Bookiemoji (thanks ladies!). This fact has not changed my opinion. ****

This Monstrous Thing was one of my most anticipated debuts. As soon as I heard about this book I knew it would be right up my alley. Historical fantasy yes, but better than that, Steampunk Frankenstein. It sounded incredibly creative and that's exactly what it was. This Monstrous Thing is an interesting retelling with a compelling plot and complex characters that I really enjoyed.

It has been a while since I read Frankenstein. I had to read it in college and thankfully in a history class. I think I enjoyed it a lot more because it was a conversation about the historical implications and what it said for the time period, which is exactly what I think Mackenzi did with this story. She took the larger implications of Frankenstein and crafted an interesting and complex new story that stayed true to the spirit of the original. One of the great things about this book is that it's a retelling that actually acknowledges the original work in the book. Like Frankenstein is the basis for the story and a plot point. It's super meta you guys but it's done really well. Maybe that's because it's not a hard and fast retelling or even reimagining. It was a recreation which is even more meta I can barely handle it. One of the things that I really enjoyed that Mackenzi adapted is the steampunk aspects. The clockwork elements were subtle and well-built. They didn't overwhelm you with details and was a really great show style of world-building. It just crafted something that was creative and compelling, not to mention the perfect world for a new kind of Frankenstein's monster.

But even better than the steampunk world was the larger themes about culture and humanity that Mackenzi built within the book. I was expecting a dark and atmospheric book that pulled more from the horror aspect of the original story but this had a more science fiction feel to it. It pulled more from the science and cultural implications of Frankenstein, concepts that were a huge part of the original book and it was incorporated so well here. It could be argued that Frankenstein is one of the first examples of modern science fiction and there were some really great themes here that you see a lot in hard scifi, things like whether man and technology should really mix or if it's like we're playing god. It also brings up almost these racial ideas of what it means to be human and treating those who have clockwork parts as lower class citizens, It added a lot of additional conflict to the book.

But there was so much conflict in this book in general. It seemed like almost everyone was against the main character of Alasdair. Every time I turned around another antagonist was being exposed and our hero had his find his way out of one scrape or another. It made for a book that wasn't particularly mysterious but was really engaging. There was lots of action and adventure in the book, more than I expected if I'm being honest. And you would think that this would lead to a rather disconnected plot development but it really didn't. There were a lot of different plot points but they all worked together and flowed in a way that created a cohesive and interesting story. It was a much faster read than I expected because it did flow so well and the plot was so full of action. I wanted to keep reading and find out what happened.

But the heart of what kept me reading was the main character Alasdair and his relationships. Alasdair in general was an interesting character. He's likable in his intelligence and compassion but he's also a bit unlikable in his single-mindedness. He's definitely a different spin on the Victor Frankenstein type character. There is a little bit more humanity to him and a lot of that has to do with his relationships. Particularly his relationship with Oliver. You can understand their connection, how much he cares for his brother and how much it hurt to lose him. But that also made him a little reckless. And there is also a really interesting spin on his desire for resurrection that is almost like turning back time and to get a second chance which I really liked and added some intrigue to both of their characters. Both Alasdair and Oliver had some good character development but I wish we had spent a little bit more time with Oliver. Instead other characters took a bigger role. The female characters here were complex with interesting character development too. I thought Mary added a lot of color and complexities to the story and she was such a unique character. But my favorite was probably Clemence. She felt like this really fun combination of two characters from the original book. An the characters were complex and interesting, adding a lot of conflict and color to the book.

This Monstrous Thing was a engaging and entertaining read that was so readable. There were so many great themes about humanity, a fascinating world, and great characters. When it was all over I closed the book with this conflicted desire though. I loved it a lot but as a standalone it left me wanting more. More from Mackenzi and more about these characters. But that is a mark of a good read to me and on the whole that's what this was.

I give This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. This is a really interesting and engaging retelling that I think fans of Frankenstein should definitely check out. But even if you aren't a fan and you like steampunk, science fiction with themes about humanity, or just want a good story about family then get your hands on this one.

Have you read This Monstrous Thing? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Waiting on Wednesday: This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: This Monstrous Thing Author: Mackenzi Lee Published: September 22, 2015 by Katherine Tegen Books (HarperCollins) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: In 1818 Geneva, men built with clockwork parts live hidden away from society, cared for only by illegal mechanics called Shadow Boys. Two years ago, Shadow Boy Alasdair Finch’s life shattered to bits.  His brother, Oliver—dead.  His sweetheart, Mary—gone.  His chance to break free of Geneva—lost.  Heart-broken and desperate, Alasdair does the unthinkable: He brings Oliver back from the dead. But putting back together a broken life is more difficult than mending bones and adding clockwork pieces. Oliver returns more monster than man, and Alasdair’s horror further damages the already troubled relationship.  Then comes the publication of Frankenstein and the city intensifies its search for Shadow Boys, aiming to discover the real life doctor and his monster. Alasdair finds refuge with his idol, the brilliant Dr. Geisler, who may offer him a way to escape the dangerous present and his guilt-ridden past, but at a horrible price only Oliver can pay…

Why I'm Waiting 

Among the genres I love reading: historical fiction, retellings, fantasy, and steampunk. You guessed it. The genres featured in this book: historical fiction, retellings, fantasy, and steampunk.

I learned about this book a few months ago and I knew I needed to read it. First things first is the historical elements. Historical fiction is one of my absolute favorite genres and I love books that are set during the 19th Century. It's such a fascinating period of European History.

The most fascinating thing about this book is the retelling angle. Not only is this book based on Frankenstein but the actual book is part of the story. I read Frankenstein in college for a class and I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. It's such a complex and interesting story with a great analysis of good and evil. It's definitely a beloved classic but I can't say I have ever read a retelling of it. I know Mackenzi loves Frankenstein so I'm really excited to see her take on the story. I also recently chatted on Twitter with her about our shared love of Young Frankenstein so I'm really excited to hunt for references and Mel Brooksian humor.

But I think I'm most excited about the steampunk angle. I hadn't read any steampunk until about a year ago but every one that I have read since I've totally loved. It always makes for a really engaging world building. STEAMPUNK FRANKENSTEIN! I seriously cannot wait!

What about you? What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Are you waiting for This Monstrous Thing with me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!