{Review/Giveaway} DARK METROPOLIS by Jaclyn Dolamore

Check out the rest of the blog tour now!

DARK METROPOLIS comes out next week!!!
Your local bookstore might even have it in now!

Check out my review of Jaclyn Dolamore's 
BETWEEN THE SEA AND SKY
and my interview with the author!
 
O P E N I N G   H O O K:


 "I'M GLAD YOU GIRLS ARE ALL HERE; by the looks of the crowd outside we'll be busy, even for a Saturday." Mr. Kortig raked his hand through his hair. "Lottie--I'd like you in the front. Nan, the private rooms. Thea, the balcony."
Who would Thea serve tonight? Any night at the Telephone Club held the prospect of a glamorous customer or an unexpectedly generous tip, and the balconies were among the most exclusive real estate in the room.
(page 1, US ARC edition)



The roaring 20s. Slinky, swanky, dangerous. DARK METROPOLIS turns the era on its head by introducing magic in new and innovative ways. I'll admit that I dragged my feet on this one. I love Jaclyn Dolamore and will recommend her books to the moon, and I was excited the very second I heard about her new series. Once I heard the word "zombies," I was suddenly so much less excited. I don't do blood and gore. But the novel deals more with reanimation magic, or necromancy, rather than "zombies" (or even "vampires," in a way) in a traditional sense, so I was able to look past the core of what these people essentially were and enjoy the world that Dolamore built. The characters were like nothing I'd read before.

Thea lives in a dangerous world. After the war, her soldier father is missing, and her mother is going crazy from the bond they shared. Her mother keeps insisting that he's still alive, but that's impossible. 
...Or is it?
It's a well-kept secret that people are being re-animated and used as a workforce hidden away from the public eye. A rebellion is brewing to bring these people home...but at what cost?
When Thea meets Freddy and learns the truth behind his magical abilities, can she trust him to help her uncover buried secrets, or will Freddy be betrayed by the very men he thought he could trust?

Ack, a summary does this book no justice. There is so much more at play than all of that. DARK METROPOLIS bounces from Thea's POV to Freddy's to Thea's friend Nan's. Thea is an innocent, Freddy is the key to dark magic, and Nan has first-hand knowledge of the reanimated workers' harsh new environment. I don't always like novels with multiple POV changes, but in this case, it worked well. Each character reveals a different aspect of the world, and all three work together to flesh out the story. The magic readers discover as the book progresses is really intriguing, such as the reason for Freddy's hair color and even secrets that Nan is keeping, even from herself. I thoroughly envisioned Thea's place of work and thought the idea of it was so interesting, though it was also tragic that she had to work in such a place due to her mother's bond-sickness. I liked the focus on family that was such a core part of the novel, though I wouldn't mind seeing more emphasis on relationships in the sequel. I would also love to see more magical world-building and character interactions as the story opens up in the next book. Wait, did I just say next book??

I'm not sure how Dolamore is planning to create a sequel for DARK METROPOLIS, since everything ended cleanly. My guess is we'll be dealing with aftermath. I'd also like to see more with Nan, whose storyline blossomed and became truly intriguing! I trust her to deliver something interesting and innovative that is beyond what I can conceive to be possible right now. So if you're looking for a novel that ends naturally with the ability to reunite with the characters in the future, you've just met your next novel.
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C O N T E N T R A T I N G S

Content Ratings: highlight between ( ) for details

Romance: PG ( innuendo in conversation; kissing )
Language: --
Violence: PG13 (There are characters that are basically zombies, though it's not bloody and gorey)
Other: --
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C O V E R   D E S I G N:

I love this cover. The coloring, the spotted effect, the title treatment with the long, dragging letters and the graffiti texture... I love it all! This book has made me sit up and take notice from the moment I first saw it! I also love how the word METROPOLIS has letters dragging over the formation of a city. So, so cool!
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O F F I C I A L   I N F O:

Title: DARK METROPOLIS
Author: Jaclyn Dolamore
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release Date: June 17, 2014
Received: For Review (ALA Copy)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18042393-wish-you-were-italian
SUMMARY:


Cabaret meets Cassandra Clare-a haunting magical thriller set in a riveting 1930s-esque world. 

Sixteen-year-old Thea Holder's mother is cursed with a spell that's driving her mad, and whenever they touch, Thea is chilled by the magic, too. With no one else to contribute, Thea must make a living for both of them in a sinister city, where danger lurks and greed rules. Thea spends her nights waitressing at the decadent Telephone Club attending to the glitzy clientele. But when her best friend, Nan, vanishes, Thea is compelled to find her. She meets Freddy, a young, magnetic patron at the club, and he agrees to help her uncover the city's secrets-even while he hides secrets of his own.  

Together, they find a whole new side of the city. Unrest is brewing behind closed doors as whispers of a gruesome magic spread. And if they're not careful, the heartless masterminds behind the growing disappearances will be after them, too.  

Perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, this is a chilling thriller with a touch of magic where the dead don't always seem to stay that way.

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Jaclyn Dolamore was homeschooled in a hippie sort of way and spent her childhood reading as many books as her skinny nerd-body could lug from the library and playing elaborate pretend games with her sister Kate. She skipped college and spent eight years drudging through retail jobs, developing her thrifty cooking skills and pursuing a lifelong writing dream. She has a passion for history, thrift stores, vintage dresses, David Bowie, drawing, and organic food. She lives with her partner and plot-sounding-board, Dade, and two black tabbies who have ruined her carpeting.

Author Links:  Website | Twitter | Facebook


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