The Strange Case of Finley Jayne by Kady Cross

The Strange Case of Finley Jayne by Kady Cross
Series:The Steampunk Chronicles, #0.5
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: Paperback (included in the first book)
Pages:86
Source: Purchased.

Finley Jayne knows she's not 'normal'. Normal girls don't lose time, or have something inside them that makes them capable of remarkably violent things. Her behavior has already cost her one job, so when she's offered the lofty position of companion to Phoebe, a debutante recently engaged to Lord Vincent, she accepts, despite having no experience. Lord Vincent is a man of science with his automatons and inventions, but Finley is suspicious of his motives where Phoebe is concerned. She will do anything to protect her new friend, but what she discovers is even more monstrous than anything she could have imagined.

There really isn't much I can say for this novella besides the fact that it got me interested in reading the rest of the series. It was extremely slow in the beginning to the point where I wanted to put it down and quit but the further I got through it the more I wanted to read.

Despite the beginning I am actually looking forward to seeing where the story leads and I just hope where it picks up in the first novel it doesn't go back to being slow paced. I hope there's a lot more steampunk elements in the first novel because I absolutely love steampunk stories.

Once it picked up however I was drawn into the plot of the story. I didn't expect anything to happen and I was pleasantly surprised by everything that did. The characters were pretty interesting as well and I can't wait to see how they develop as the story goes on.

Night of Cake & Puppets by Laini Taylor

Night of Cake & Puppets by Laini Taylor
Series: Daughter of Smoke & Bone, #2.5
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Format: Kindle
Pages: 89
Source: Purchased

In Night of Cake & Puppets, Taylor brings to life a night only hinted at in the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy—the magical first date of fan-favorites Zuzana and Mik. Told in alternating perspectives, it’s the perfect love story for fans of the series and new readers alike. Petite though she may be, Zuzana is not known for timidity. Her best friend, Karou, calls her “rabid fairy,” her “voodoo eyes” are said to freeze blood, and even her older brother fears her wrath. But when it comes to the simple matter of talking to Mik, or “Violin Boy,” her courage deserts her. Now, enough is enough. Zuzana is determined to meet him, and she has a fistful of magic and a plan. It’s a wonderfully elaborate treasure hunt of a plan that will take Mik all over Prague on a cold winter’s night before finally leading him to the treasure: herself! Violin Boy’s not going to know what hit him.

When I saw that this had been published, I knew right away that I would be buying it. If you know me at all you know that I am absolutely in love with the Daughter of Smoke & Bone series, and this novella is no different. The only problem I had with it is that I wish it had been longer!

The fact that it's told in Zuzana and Mik's points of view just make it even better. I love Zuzana, she's actually one of my favorite characters in the series and I love every chance we get to see her in the books. She's just so funny and strange and lovely that it's impossible not to love her. Mik is a definite bonus in this story. There's not too much about him in the series and I really hope that changes with the last book. It was great to really get to see his character, plus he plays the violin.

The novella was sweet and completely adorable. I loved the insecurities that they both had and the way they come together is really unique and had me smiling the whole time. If you're a fan of the series then you definitely need to check this story out.