So anyone who knows me, knows how much I love the Something Strange and Deadly series. In addition to that, Susan Dennard, happens to be one of my favorite authors so whenever I get the chance, I tell people to read this series. If you are looking for books that include zombies, a great heroine, magic, different cities/locations, and a boy who makes your heart happy, these are the books for you. Book three in the series comes out July of 2014 and knowing how much Sooz loves cookies, I have already offered to provide endless amounts if only she will give me an early copy. The offer is still on the table.
Check out the book summaries below and add them to your list if you haven’t read them yet. You won’t be disappointed!
Also….Sooz was kind enough to do an interview with us. We wanted to do something a little different so please make sure you scroll down and read her thoughts regarding the questions we picked for each book. You might be surprised at what you find out!
Also….Sooz was kind enough to do an interview with us. We wanted to do something a little different so please make sure you scroll down and read her thoughts regarding the questions we picked for each book. You might be surprised at what you find out!
Something Strange and Deadly (Something Strange and Deadly #1)
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.
Read Erin’s Review
A Darkness Strange and Lovely (Something Strange and Deadly #2)
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.
Strange and Ever After (Something Strange and Deadly #3)
In the conclusion to the trilogy that Publishers Weekly called “a roaring—and addictive—gothic world,” Eleanor Fitt must control her growing power, face her feelings for Daniel, and confront the evil necromancer Marcus…all before it’s too late.
Susan Dennard will leave readers breathless and forever changed in the concluding pages of this riveting ride.
A Dawn Most Wicked (Something Strange and Deadly 0.5)
Daniel Sheridan is an engineer’s apprentice on a haunted Mississippi steamer known as the Sadie Queen. His best friend–the apprentice pilot, Cassidy Cochran–also happens to be the girl he’s pining for … and the captain’s daughter. But when it looks like the Sadie Queen might get taken off the river, Daniel and Cassidy have to do whatever they can to stop the ghosts that plague the ship.Fortunately, there happens to be a Creole gentleman on board by the name of Joseph Boyer–and he just might be able to help them …
Something Strange and Deadly
We are introduced to Eleanor in this book and I really like her – she questions everything and dives right into the fray when things are going on. What do you like most about Eleanor?
She’s WAY brave and impulsive. I’m not impulsive at all, and I can take hours to make a simple decision like “which toothpaste should I buy?” So I wish I had more of Eleanor’s boldness.
This was your first book – what was the hardest part for you in putting this out to the public?
Reader feedback, of course! Ha! I wish I could say authors have tough skin, but it’s always hard to send your work out into the world and have people react strongly. And then send you hate email. Sigh. But for every person who didn’t connect with Eleanor, there’s a person who DID. And the fan emails are always, ALWAYS amazing. I wrote a story that came from my heart and I got to share it with the world—that’s pretty amazing and there’s really nothing more I can ask for in this life.
A Darkness Strange and Lovely
We get to meet Ollie in this one – Can you tell us anything about his relationship with Elijah and what he’s really up to?
Mwuhahaha! Ollie and his gray, gray morals. His number one loyalty in A Darkness Strange and Lovely—at least to start—is to himself. But we’ll see that shift pretty dramatically as the series continues…
I was a bit frustrated with Joseph, Jie and Daniel’s reactions when they found out Eleanor was working with Elijah. Without spoiling what comes up in book 3, can you tell us what is going on with them and how this might impact their relationships in book 3?
Eleanor was also frustrated, but I try to remind readers that Eleanor wasn’t the most reliable narrator either. 😉 We see how SHE views Joseph and Jie and Daniel….but how do you think they viewed her? Waltzing in to Paris with a demon in tow and black magic to boot? Let’s just say that a lot of book 3 is about understanding that not everything is black or white, but nor does everything have to be stuck in a gray area.
Strange and Ever After
Knowing this one isn’t out yet – can you tell us anything about what happens to Eleanor, Daniel and the rest of the group?
There are some BIG ADVENTURES on their horizon. I really wanted to evoke the feel of 19th century Egypt, so they cover a lot of ground—from Cairo to the pyramids to Greek ruins and beyond….
I’ll be honest – I’m not sure how I am going to make myself wait for this one to be out in July 2014…will there be ARC’s and who do I need to be bribing with baked goods for a copy?
I actually have no idea about ARCs! If there are going to be any and I have enough to give away, then ginger molasses cookies are always accepted as currency in my house. 😉
A Dawn Most Wicked
This is all about Daniel (which I LOVE) – what prompted you to tell his story?
I realized that some people weren’t too pleased by how Something Strange and Deadly ended, and a few readers seemed to think Daniel’s actions came out of nowhere. I wanted to show that he had reasons for his choices. And for the people who felt heartbroken alongside Eleanor, I wanted to give them hope for something good to come.
What do you think are Daniel’s best qualities? Worst qualities?
His best quality is his absolute unwavering loyalty to the people he cares about. But…that’s also his worst quality. Sometimes he can be blind to the truth of a situation.
Will there be other novellas – perhaps about Elijah, Jie or Joseph?
I really want to write one about Joseph’s past, so maybe one day…His history with Marcus is just so heartbreaking, and I’d love for people to really understand how Joseph became the leader he is—and how Marcus became such a monster.
General Questions:
If you could introduce one of your characters to another character from another book, who would it be and why?
I’d love for Eleanor to meet Anastasia from the movie Anastasia. I KNOW. That’s not a book…but I think they’d REALLY hit it off. And then beat up on all the boys.
What is the last book that you recommended to someone?
I just read Mystic and Rider by Sharon Shinn. FABULOUS epic fantasy. The way she does romance is just so…ungh!
Are you working on anything right now that you can tell us about?
Right now—for NaNoWriMo—I’m working on a modern gothic mystery with some horror and humor elements. Think Fright Night meets the TV show Pysch. J
ABOUT SUSAN
I’m a 29-year-old reader, writer, lover of animals, and eater of cookies. I used to be a marine biologist, but now I write novels. And not novels about fish either, but novels about kick-butt heroines and swoon-worthy rogues (I really like swoon-worthy rogues).I live in the Midwestern US with my French husband and Irish setter, and you can learn more about my crazy thoughts and crippling cookie-addiction on twitter, facebook, or Goodreads.
We are giving away copies of Something Strange and Deadly AND A Darkness Strange and Lovely with signed swag to one lucky winner!! (US ONLY) Make sure you get your entries in today!!
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