Mini Reviews Galore (1)

Meeting up with local book bloggers this week gave me an urge to start reading more again and finally write up some long overdue reviews of books I have read in the past couple months. These are going to be short since I've read these a while back and only remember some of the more general things about the story.

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Title: The Dark Unwinding
Author: Sharon Cameron
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: September 2012

Summary (taken from Amazon):

When Katharine Tulman's inheritance is called into question by the rumor that her eccentric uncle is squandering away the family fortune, she is sent to his estate to have him committed to an asylum. But instead of a lunatic, Katharine discovers a genius inventor with his own set of rules, who employs a village of nine hundred people rescued from the workhouses of London.

Katharine is now torn between protecting her own inheritance and preserving the peculiar community she grows to care for deeply. And her choices are made even more complicated by a handsome apprentice, a secretive student, and fears for her own sanity.

As the mysteries of the estate begin to unravel, it is clear that not only is her uncle's world at stake, but also the state of England as Katharine knows it. With twists and turns at every corner, this heart-racing adventure will captivate readers with its intrigue, thrills, and romance.

Review:

Set in the 1800s, Katherine Tulman, who has been under the care of her Aunt since infancy is sent to her uncle’s estate with the task of having her uncle committed to an asylum. Once there, she sees what her uncle has done with the estate and has her eyes open to new possibilities, yet still burdened with the task she was sent to perform.

The story and especially the estate itself has a dark gothic feel. Strange things seem to be happening to Katherine and it does make you wonder whether she is really losing her mind or if something more sinister going on. There are some steampunk elements but not as much as I would have liked or thought there would be. Overall, this is a book with an intriguing plot and some memorable secondary characters that will pull at your heartstrings.

Rating 3.5 Stars

Title: Underworld (Abandon, #2)
Author: Meg Cabot
Publisher: Point
Publication Date: May 2012

Summary (taken from Amazon):

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn't dead.

Not this time.

But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey.

Her captor, John Hayden, claims it's for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they've come back as Furies, intent on vengeance . . . on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves.

But while Pierce might be safe from the Furies in the Underworld, far worse dangers could be lurking for her there . . . and they might have more to do with its ruler than with his enemies. And unless Pierce is careful, this time there'll be no escape.

Review:

It took me a while to finish reading Underworld as I really wasn’t able to get invested in the story until the later part of the book. John has taken Pierce to the Underworld to better protect her from the Furies but after learning that her cousin Alex may be in danger she persuades John to take her back to earth.

Not a lot happened as the book took place in the course of a few days. There were a lot of flashbacks and background information about John, his past, and how he became lord of the Underworld. We’re left with an open ending that has me intrigued as to what will happen next now that the Furies are closing in on John and Pierce.

Rating 3 Stars