Showing posts with label The dark unwinding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The dark unwinding. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

A Spark Unseen Blog Hop, Day 3


Today I am super excited to be part of the A Spark Unseen Blog Hop!!  In this post you'll find an insider look at one of the books many settings, a quote from A Spark Unseen, and an awesome giveaway for a copy of The Dark Unwinding!  Be sure to click the banner above to get all the details about the hop and the rest of the stops, or click the arrows at the bottom of this post to move forward or backward among the participating blogs!

If you haven't read The Dark Unwinding yet, let me tell you: YOU ARE MISSING OUT!  I adored this book and gave it a glowing 5-cupcake review last year. Check out my review here.

Now here's a bit about the newest book in the series, A Spark Unseen:



The thrilling sequel to Sharon Cameron’s blockbuster gothic steampunk romance, THE DARK UNWINDING, will captivate readers anew with mystery and intrigue aplenty.
When Katharine Tulman wakes in the middle of the night and accidentally foils a kidnapping attempt on her uncle, she realizes Stranwyne Keep is no longer safe for Uncle Tully and his genius inventions. She flees to Paris, where she hopes to remain undetected and also find the mysterious and handsome Lane, who is suspected to be dead.

But the search for Lane is not easy, and Katharine soon finds herself embroiled in a labyrinth of political intrigue. And with unexpected enemies and allies at every turn, Katharine will have to figure out whom she can trust–if anyone–to protect her uncle from danger once and for all.
Filled with deadly twists, whispering romance, and heart-stopping suspense, this sequel to THE DARK UNWINDING whisks readers off on another thrilling adventure.

Want a little taste? Here's a quote from A Spark Unseen:


And now, author Sharon Cameron tells us a little about one of fantastic Parisian settings that Katharine will face in her new adventure:

The Catacombs
As a lover of all things hidden below the surface, the Paris underground fascinates me. Stone quarrying from Roman times onward means that the entire city of Paris sits on a honeycombed labyrinth of tunnels. In modern days these tunnels have come to be known as The Catacombs and are the meeting places of anyone and everyone, from teens to urban explorers to the chic party giver. But 200 years ago these tunnels were also the perfect place to stash things that no one had any use for. Like the dead.

By 1788 the high mortality rate, lack of city planning, and custom of burying the dead in consecrated soil (the ground surrounding a Christian church) meant that graveyards were full to bursting. Literally, as in bodies popping out of the ground every time it rained. Quick lime was poured over the bodies to make sure they decomposed quickly, and when they had, they were dug up, the bones piled in stone receptacles, and the ground used again. And again. And again. An unacceptable practice for a city whose main water source was its wells! The solution? Stick the all those extra bodies in the catacombs! It took years of constant horse-drawn funeral processions to accomplish this. And then, somebody came along and decided that all these piles of bone really could use a spot of organizing.

And so, beneath the city of Paris , there are places like this:



And this:

The remains of an estimated six million bodies went into the catacombs to create these creepy designs. And who knows how many more might be down there, lost and forgotten, like the bone pile Katharine Tulman finds herself climbing through in A Spark Unseen.






SHARON CAMERON
WEBSITE  •  TWITTER  •  FACEBOOK






GIVEAWAY!
Here's your chance to get started on this series! Enter below to score a copy of 
The Dark Unwinding!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Now on to the rest of the blog hop! Click the arrows below to move forward or backward in the hop! 





Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Becky's View: The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron


The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron
♦publisher: Scholastic Press
♦release date: September 1st, 2012
♦hardcover, 318 pages
♦intended audience: Young adult
♦source: ALA
A spine-tingling tale of steampunk and spies, intrigue and heart-racing romance!

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:  The Dark Unwinding was such a beautifully told story.  I can't say what exactly I was expecting---I've been reading a lot of steampunk lately and really enjoying most of it, but this one was especially good, without getting too technical or too caught up in describing all the overly detailed mechanical workings.  It was a perfect blend of steampunk, eerie gothic mystery, discovery and wonderment, and best of all, it had such an immensely touching human story. 

You get a feel for Katharine's dire situation from the beginning---her future and her position in life is very much under the thumb of her aunt and depends on her spoiled cousin's inheritance of her uncle's estate.  So, because her uppity aunt doesn't want to deal with it, she sends Katherine to declare her uncle insane to hurry along the process and make sure there is something left to inherit.  Katharine is a great character---strong-willed and fairly fearless, she goes into this with gusto, thinking this will be over and done with before sundown.  Little does she know...

There wasn't a single character that I wasn't completely fascinated with.  Lane, Ben, Davy,  Mrs. Jeffries, and the whole lot, each with their own strong personalities that jumped right off the page.  I especially loved Mary, who despite insisting on being Katharine's maid, was more like a very fiery, outspoken confidant to her.  And then there is Katharine's uncle, Mr. Tully.  Such an incredibly well written character.  He is not, in fact insane.  He is mentally disabled in a way that keeps his mind like a very young child's; innocent but extremely prone to tantrums and irrationality.  But his clockwork inventions are works of beauty and genius. I loved reading about him and the connection that he and Katharine had.  Loved that he never called her anything but "Simon's baby".   I was most impressed with Katharine herself, the ways that her character and her way of thinking and her values change and grow throughout the story from becoming part of her uncle's world, seeing the situation of the town's people, and knowing how she alone could impact their lives. 

Lots of twists and exciting turns in this dark plot.  So many times, you think you know where a character stands, only to turn the page and suddenly you don't know who to trust.  There are times when even Katharine comes into question!  There is some heart-stopping excitement and an ending that will leave your emotions battling between crying and cheering. 

Beautifully done---a wonderful, well-written tale of clockwork, nightmares, true loyalty, mystery, and even a bit of laughter and fun (Rolling!! You'll have to read it to see what I mean!).  I whole-heartedly recommend The Dark Unwinding!


Find Sharon Cameron online:  Website  •  Facebook  •  Twitter

Purchase The Dark Unwinding:  Amazon  •  BN.com  •  BookDepository  •  Indiebound

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It lets us all gush about what soon-to-be released books we are jumping-up-and-down excited for.

The Dark Unwinding
by Sharon Cameron

hitting shelves September 1st, 2012 from Scholastic Press

description:
A spine-tingling tale of steampunk and spies, intrigue and heart-racing romance!

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.

My thoughts: Since first hearing about this book over at Shannon's site (Stalking The Bookshelves), I have declared myself officially smitten with this cover and synopsis. I mean, come on: England, a gothic estate, a mysterious uncle, a little psychological thrill and romance thrown in, and plenty of cool steampunkery!! This sounds so amazing!