Waiting on Wednesday: Strange and Ever After

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where you talk about books that you can't wait to read, but that are, unfortunately, not published yet.

This week mine is:

Strange and Ever After

by Susan Dennard

Publication date: July 22, 2014

Perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare's The Infernal Devices series, this is the epic conclusion to Susan Dennard's trilogy that started with Something Strange and Deadly and continued with A Darkness Strange and Lovely. With supernatural forces, epic romance, and a mysterious Egyptian city, Eleanor and her team are set for an adventure they will never forget. 

It has been a tumultuous time for Eleanor Fitt since life as she knew it in Philadelphia came abruptly to an end. While the Spirit-Hunters—Joseph, Jie, and Daniel—have helped her survive her brother's violent death and an invasion of Hungry Dead, Eleanor has lost just about everything. 

And now, Jie is missing—taken by the evil necromancer Marcus. Eleanor is determined not only to get her back but to finally end this nightmare. But to do so, she must navigate the hot desert streets of nineteenth-century Egypt amid the rising Dead, her unresolved feelings for Daniel, and her volatile relationships with Joseph and Oliver, her demon. And it won't be easy. Because Allison, her friend from Philadelphia, has tagged along, becoming strangely entangled in Eleanor's mission.

It will take all of Eleanor's powers of black magic, and all of Daniel's and Joseph's trust, to succeed. But there will be a price. People will have to suffer the consequences of what Marcus has done, and what Eleanor, Oliver, and the Spirit-Hunters will do to stop all this deadly chaos.

First of all, I can't get over how gorgeous all of the covers in this series are! The girl on the cover (the main character Eleanor) is also looking away from the viewer, instead of the staring-into-your-soul or looking-over-her-shoulder looks that the girls usually have going on. 

I have read both of the books before this one and they got better as they went on so I have high expectations for Strange and Ever After (and a lot of questions to be solved). That said, Eleanor Fitt is not really a favorite of mine. I have grown to like her more though. 

The whole idea behind the books is amazing. The dead are rising because of necromancy, or dark magic. There are also all types of weapons that are used to fight them along with people who have awesome abilities such as throwing what little soul the undead have back into the spirit world. It's also a little on the steampunk side which makes it even more appealing to me. 

I am in awe (and let me fangirl here) of how well Susan Dennard writes her villains. I mean, gosh, I guessed right both times (and missed a few too) but I never was sure. I would choose one and then second guess myself a few pages later. It was extremely stressful. The back stories and the way different characters' lives or stories intertwined was extremely well though out and intricately woven. 

It also made me want to read this book even more.