Utterly amazing! Full review to come :) 
 Update 7/28/13: 
 Wow! This book just blew my mind. I thought the first in this series, Something Strange and Deadly was great, but this novel stepped the game up majorly, and blew the last book out of the water! I just devoured this book, and finished it in almost 1 day. The only reason I didn't finish it in 1 day was because I needed sleep. Set against the beautiful backdrop of Paris, A Darkness Strange and Lovely has a different feel from the first novel. I felt that it was slightly darker with Eleanor giving in to her necromancer powers, and quickly becoming overwhelmed. There's also Les Morts to worry about, and trust me...it's not an easy task. These Dead are different and back with a vengeance. This story also delves into the nitty gritty world of necromancy. It's addicting and dangerous, and makes for an even more addicting storyline. 
 Susan Dennard's writing was absolutely astonishing. I felt as if I had been transported to Paris, and quickly became swept up in the beauty and awe, just like Eleanor. Her writing is flawless, and I have no complaints. It is also very obvious that Ms. Dennard put in a lot of time and effort to research everything for this book so that it was as accurate as possible (well, as accurate as a supernatural book can be). While there isn't as much steampunk in this novel as there was in the previous novel, there are still touches- especially in the clothing, which I could picture in my head as if it was right in front of me. Additionally, since Ms. Dennard has expertly crafted the necromancy world, I highly applaud her for being so creative and unique. I have read countless supernatural/paranormal books, and some of which have featured both necromancy and/or demons, and I must say that I have never read about demons as Susan describes. It is awesome and an interesting take, and I can't wait to read more about them in the following novel. 
 The characters were amazing as ever. While the Spirit Hunters don't show up until several chapters in, the story isn't slow. It is action-packed all the way through, and will leave any reader breathless and on the edge of their seat. Prior to reading this book, I wasn't sure how I would like the introduction of a new character, Oliver, however, I loved him. He was funny and annoying, and I couldn't get enough of him. I am interested to see if he is in the next book, and how his character would develop. The Spirit Hunters were as kick-butt as ever. There are some new inventions, and some changes that Eleanor isn't expecting when she first arrives, but they are still amazing, and I loved every single scene. One thing that I especially loved about the characters was how real they were. I could relate to them, and none of the reactions/emotions that were expressed felt fake. They read how you would expect an actual person to react. They get angry and upset, but then they forgive (but don't forget). I also must say that Ms. Dennard knows how to create a villain. The villain is terrifying, and since it's the big twist of the story, I don't want to spoil anything. However, I was very surprised, and it was a fabulous plot twist. Lastly, this had just enough romance. Romance was definitely not the focus of this book. Even going into reading this novel, I didn't think it would be. There are some romantic scenes that will leave you cheering, but it's just enough. That being said though, I would like to see more development of the romance between a certain two characters in the next book. 
 Overall, this is a fantastic read for any reader. This definitely doesn't suffer from MBS- Middle Book Syndrome. A Darkness Strange and Lovely is action packed, and non-stop fun. You'll be rooting for every character, and be left breathless. I can't wait to read the next and last book in this series because I know that it will be even better than this! 
 10++++ zombies