Thursday, March 13, 2014

Book beginnings and Friday 56

I'm linking up with Rose City Reader for Book Beginnings and Freda's Voice for Page 56.
 Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Pick the closest book on your book stack and
Come Join us!

My choice this week is Phoenix Rising (A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel) by Pop Ballantine and Tee Morris. This was our Science Fiction Book Club selection for March. Everyone agreed it was a fun read.

Book Beginning:

"Wellington Thornhill Books, Esquire, had never heard an explosion that close before. Considering the ringing in his ears, he would most likely never hear another one like it again."

Page 56:

"Perhaps the worst was over. Perhaps she would actually make a fine assistant."

What Goodreads says:

Evil is most assuredly afoot—and Britain’s fate rests in the hands of an alluring renegade . . . and a librarian.

These are dark days indeed in Victoria’s England. Londoners are vanishing, then reappearing, washing up as corpses on the banks of the Thames, drained of blood and bone. Yet the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences—the Crown’s clandestine organization whose bailiwick is the strange and unsettling—will not allow its agents to investigate. Fearless and exceedingly lovely Eliza D. Braun, however, with her bulletproof corset and a disturbing fondness for dynamite, refuses to let the matter rest . . . and she’s prepared to drag her timorous new partner, Wellington Books, along with her into the perilous fray.

For a malevolent brotherhood is operating in the deepening London shadows, intent upon the enslavement of all Britons. And Books and Braun—he with his encyclopedic brain and she with her remarkable devices—must get to the twisted roots of a most nefarious plot . . . or see England fall to the Phoenix!



15 comments:

fredamans said...

Sassy and intriguing cover! The the snippets, especially the beginning caught my fancy too.
Happy weekend!

Juli Rahel said...

See, I feel like the world would be relatively safe in the hands of a librarian! Also, I love the slightly ironic tone of both the BB and F56! I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for sharing :) I hope you have an amazing weekend!
My Friday Post
Juli @ Universe in Words

Unknown said...

Sounds interesting. The cover certainly draws attention.
Enjoy your weekend! Here is my Friday post:
http://lassiememo.wordpress.com/2014/03/14/friday-56-14032014/

Anonymous said...

lol, great opening, it definitely grabs the attention! I think I've seen this series around whenever I'm at the fantasy & sci-fi section of the bookstore. Happy reading! :)

My Friday Book Memes

Catherine @ Book Club Librarian said...

You had me at the first Good Reads description sentence: ". . .and a librarian." :D

My Friday post: http://www.bookclublibrarian.com/2014/03/friday-focus-friday-56-book-beginnings_14.html

Harvee said...

Sci fi should be all the rage these days, what with the things happening world wide today :)

Sandra Nachlinger said...

Is this "steam punk?" Regardless, it sounds like a terrific book with plenty of humor. The opening drew me in, and I love the idea of a bulletproof corset!

Kathy Martin said...

I'm glad you enjoyed this one. I have had a copy on my TBR stack since April 2011. One day I'll get to it. Happy reading!

Laurel-Rain Snow said...

Oh, my, this one does sound tempting. And exciting. Thanks for sharing...and for visiting my blog.

Cheryl said...

That reminds me of the explosion in The Hunger Games when Katniss lost her hearing.

Thanks for sharing. Hope you'll visit me at http://www.thebusymomsdaily.com/2014/03/the-friday-56-week-169.html

Rebecca @ The Key to the Gate said...

Interesting concept and great cover art! I haven't read anything in a genre like this but I am thinking I need to start. Thanks for sharing!
Happy Reading,
Rebecca @ The Key to the Gate

Gilion at Rose City Reader said...

That's a clever beginning. Thanks for sharing it with BBOF!

Kimberly @ Turning the Pages said...

I borrowed this one from the library last year but never got to it and now I regret it it sounds really good. Thanks for stopping by my Friday 56 :)
-Kimberly @ Turning the Pages

Rose said...

A librarian, huh? I liked this beginning! Thanks for stopping by and commenting in my Book Beginning.

Rose said...

a librarian, huh? I like the way this one begins. Thanks for stopping and commenting on my Book Beginning.