This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppell

What created the man who created the ultimate monster? Kenneth Oppell explores this question in THIS DARK ENDEAVOR (Brilliance Audio, 2011) which takes place in the early years before the Mary Shelley classic.

Victor and his brother Konrad are more than identical twins, they are kindred souls. Sure, they disagree a lot, have very different personalities, and are driven towards exceedingly different lives, but despite all that, Victor sees Konrad as irrevocably connected to him.

So when Konrad falls ill with a mysterious disease, Victor steals into the forbidden dark library in search of the Elixir of Life, a potion he is sure will save his brother's life. With best friend Henry and live-in distant cousin Elizabeth by his side, Victor begins a dangerous quest to obtain the elements necessary to create the elixir.

But can he trust the wheelchair-bound alchemist, the only known person to have previously created the potion? And what about his growing feelings for the beautiful and daring Elizabeth -- feelings he knows his brother shares?

Kenneth Oppell (known for his Silverwing series) creates a viscerally gothic thriller, mingling magic and science ... and the expanse between. You don't have to be a fan of Mary Shelley to enjoy this intriguing look into the backstory surrounding her flawed hero's dangerous obsession. And we know exactly where it leads.

If you like THIS DARK ENDEAVOR, be sure to pick up the second book in the series, SUCH WICKED INTENT (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, August, 2012).

Clockwork Angel (Infernal Devices Book 1) by Cassandra Clare

I've long wanted to read one of Cassandra Clare's well-touted books, and have had City of Glass (Mortal Instruments) in my TBR (to-be-read) stack for WAY too long. But when a friend gifted me with a copy of CLOCKWORK ANGEL (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2011), the prequel series to Mortal Instruments, I figured the beginning was a good place to start.

Plus, I love Victorian London. Okay, I pretty much love London, period.

16-year-old Tess Gray sails to London after her aunt dies, on the ticket of her older wayward brother. But he's missing when she arrives. Instead, she's kidnapped by two odd, old, and probably magical women who tell her she's not human. She's a shapeshifter (and probably a warlock) and can change her look to resemble other people. This particular talent is quite desired by a powerful Magister. Before he can get his hands on her, however, Tess is rescued by Will.

Will is a Nephilim, one of a group of Shadowhunters who are charged with keeping the Laws between good and evil. They take Tessa in, unsure of whether she is a warlock, and one of the Downworlders (vampires, werewolves, demons and the like) or if her arrival is an omen of sorts. The Magister's interest in her is intriguing, and their discovery of strange, clockwork people (much like the clockwork angel pendant dangling from  Tessa's neck) makes the Shadowhunters wonder if the threat is greater than imagined.

Steampunk and supernatural, cleverly dark and sparking with wit, CLOCKWORK ANGEL is a swirling adventure through a dark underworld. Will's infuriating charm, mixed with the host of likable Shadowhunters (all except the snooty and beautiful Jessamine), draw Tessa and the reader along on a wild ride through a side of London most never see. Definitely hooked me on the series and I'm looking forward to the next two Infernal Devices books (CLOCKWORK PRINCE and CLOCKWORK PRINCESS -- coming out March 19), and diving into the Mortal Instruments books as well.