Teaser Tuesday: Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker.
To play along just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Etiquette & Espionage  by Gail Carriger.

Etiquette & Espionage –
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

“How often have I warned you against fraternizing with technology?” Sophronia wondered if that was a rhetorical question and began counting up the number of times just in case it wasn’t.
— Chapter 1

We are an institution of high learning and higher manners. We simply cannot shoot first; it isn’t done. Now, remember that, Miss Temminnick, do – a lady never shoots first. She asks questions, then she shoots.
— Chapter 5

I’m honestly not quite ready to say goodbye to summer, even if we had a brilliant one and if there are quite a few books about to publish this autumn that I’m very much looking forward to reading. To fit the general back to school feeling I’m returning to a school I wouldn’t have minded to attend either.
In Victorian England, young girls of any standing were expected to behave ladylike and make an advantageous match. At least from what history wants us to remember. And then there are the Ladies of Quality who not only know how to dance, dress, and curtsy properly but also how to finish … everything. Deal out death, diversion, and espionage  – in the politest possible ways.
This is the first book in a four-part series, first published in 2013 but certainly not at all dated. I’m listening to the audiobooks on my commute to work and had several other passengers look at me questioningly when I had spontaneous giggle fits … one was the same lady who has also already offered me a handkerchief when I cried about another book, she was very happy to see me smile about my reading/listening material for once. (Seriously, as if I only read books that make me cry).
This series is so full of not only witty humour and Britishness (the names are divine) but also female friendship and ingenuity and quite a few other qualities (a word I’ll never be able to say again straight-faced). All in all, there is much to be loved about this series and I can only recommend it if you’re at all inclined towards a little steampunk and a lot of girl power.

Some book covers age better than others (the one shown above being a better ager in my opinion). Which cover that you liked at the time of publication would still pass inspections nowadays? Share your favourites and teasers in the comments.