Dead Reckoning by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Genera: Western/steampunk/paranormal

Subjects: Zombies, cults, cowboys, Native Americans, the Frontier

Length: 324 pgs.

HC/PB: Harcover

Summary/ product description: “Jett is a girl disguised as a boy, living as a gambler in the old West as she searches for her long-lost brother. Honoria Gibbons is a smart, self-sufficient young woman who also happens to be a fabulous inventor. Both young women travel the prairie alone – until they are brought together by a zombie invasion! As Jett and Honoria investigate, they soon learn that these zombies aren’t rising from the dead of their own accord … but who would want an undead army? And why? This gunslinging, hair-raising, zombie western mashup is perfect for fans of Cowboys vs. Aliens and Pride & Prejudice & Zombies”

My Rating: êêê

My Review: This was pretty good for a historical fiction/steampunk book. I’d said I was never gonna touch a steampunk book or historical book again. But after watching a few wild-west movie, I decided I should give westerns a try, and this one just so happens to have zombies. I love cowboys and zombies (for diff reasons). Sure this book was not one of my favs and it still wasn’t interesting enough to be 4 stars, but I liked it enough to give it 3. I really liked the 3 main characters and their different personalities. They’re all very brave in their own ways. The story stuff was interesting too. A religious cult turning people into zombies (rather than a zombie plague). It reminded me of the Lazarus people in some short story I read. The dive resurrection, in this book. And Gibbons kept trying to explain the zombies scientifically since she’s a debunker/cynic. Jett grew up in New Orleans, so she knows about hoodoo and voodoo, and she’s disguised as a boy, which reminds me of a book I read in middle school. White Fox is a tracker, a white boy raised by Natives.

I recommend this to people who saw like Cowboys & Aliens, or love westerns or non-viral zombies. I even suggest watching a western movie or two before or after you read it.

Cover Art Review: Perfect cover (except Jett looks too sassy, could never pass for a boy). Love the zombies. So well done!

~Haley G

Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

Publisher: HarperTeen: Greenwillow

Series: Masque of the Red Death (bk. 1)

Genera: Steampunk/dystopian

Subjects: Plague, masks, science, wealth

Length: 319 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

Summary/ product description: “Everything is in ruins.
A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.
So what does Araby Worth have to live for?
Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.
But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.
And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.”

My Rating: êêê

My Review: Araby is the daughter of the very important scientist who invented the masks that prevent people from breathing in the virus. There a love triangle. And she wants to give masks to the poor.

For a book considered steampunk, it was pretty good. I don’t usually read steampunk, but this felt more dystopian. It still didn’t amaze me. It was not boring, but I have a difficult time getting into things when the main character seems depressed. I like 1^st person present tense, but the characters weren’t interesting. I love the descriptions and the masks. It was sort of like an alternate New Orleans, except they called the alligators crocodiles instead. Crocs are only from Aussie I thought. Anyways, I love reading scary virus books, I just wasn’t crazy about the story line since it had very little action.

I recommend this to people who like steampunk, or like dystopian and want to give steampuck a try. It you love dark and lyrical books or love Poe, then this may be for you.

Cover Art Review: I love that it’s metallic and the title is rainbow. I love the typeface design. And the ragged cut pages are so cool!

~Haley G