Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

Many people say “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Well those people haven’t seen the cover of Gail Carriger’s book, Etiquette & Espionage. The cover really grabs your attention with the bright background and the surreal looking black and white girl hiding pair of scissors. The cover caught my attention and the first chapter stole the rest.

The main character, Sophronia, is a wild child and a bit of a disappointment to her stern mother. Sophronia would rather be climbing trees and dismantling machines then practicing her curtsy and being a proper lady. So when the chance arises to send Sophronia to finishing school, her mother practically jumps at the chance with no more than a simple goodbye.

As the title suggests, this is not a normal finishing school for teaching young girls to curtsy and to not slurp tea. As it turns out Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality has some sneaky tricks up its sleeve and Sophronia has no idea what she's in for! Not only will she be learning how to be a bona fide lady but she’ll also be learning how to throw knives while she curtsies. The school also can fly, has a vampire as an instructor, and there’s a werewolf problem! These aren’t even the most complex things that Sophronia has to deal with. However, issues aren’t stopping Sophronia! Shes always be a wildling and somewhat of an adventurer. Meaning not even something like a little werewolf attack will scare her off.

What I love most about the book is that Sophronia is an a wonderful character with unique flaws and a passionate personality. Also, the crazy school, other amazing characters, and the whole steampunk attitude of the book make this an interesting read. This book is definitely for people with interest in fantasy and steampunk, or even just for people who love quirky and unusual reading material.