At first, Ashton comes across as arrogant and cold hearted; however, as we begin to learn more about him, the reader can see that he has a caring, loving soul, which has been trapped in heartache, bitterness and loneliness. He is indifferent towards his charge, Adelina, but begins to soften as he sees his own neglect and tries to be a better man (mostly through knowing Beatrice). Beatrice is fierce, determined, a broken soul trying to find a better life for herself. After all of her hardships, she is still selfless, loving, and kind. She is smart and will do anything to protect those she comes to care for, even at the expense of her own life. Fantastically written, with rich descriptions that pull the reader into the past; as though we have become a character in the novel, watching the story unfold, in the ballrooms of the ton, at the Opera, or event at the country estate of Lord Burns. The prose are often imbued with poetry, filling the readers heart with the romance of that era. An example, and my favourite line: "Ashton's laughter, muffled though it was, rang all around them, following the night to the star-studded heavens." I could not put this book down, which meant passing out with my ereader falling on my face, but it was worth the sudden jolt. The pace was quick, even when I wanted the romance to bloom faster, and at the end I was sad there was not more to read. However, the conclusion perfectly suited the story. So, if you are a fan of classic love stories, a Bronte fan, a fan of Gothic romance, or just a romance fan in general, I suggest picking up this beautiful book. You will be engrossed until the very end, be intrigued by the fashion, the history, the magic of another time. You will feel the passion between Beatrice and Dominic, and feel a surge of hate and disgust towards one character. You will also come to love the wonderful secondary characters, who work to lighten the mood, fill the book with laughter, and create drama of their own. Fantastically done, M. C. Frank! *I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.*
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This book was fantastic, a nail biter from start to finish. In this post-apocalyptic setting, the city is at once too large and too small. The setting induces feelings of both vertigo and claustrophobia; from 'the top of the world', where most of the poor live and toil away their lives (including giving their first born children to the rich, a tithe), to the ground level where the rich reside in luxury. Each step our heroine takes on her harrowing journey is dogged by the feral demon-like Home Guard (the police of the city), intent on killing Naiya and those she loves. But, why? Throughout the novel, the reader is in the dark as much as Naiya, trying to figure out the clues her adoptive father left her, meant to help in the search for her true heritage. Be prepared to be enthralled by her back story and the history of this disheveled world. A world where any offense is punishable by death or disappearance, but no one knows the where or for what purpose. I enjoyed the detail in each paragraph, which painted a vivid picture of the ruins in the inner city (an old library, crumbled warehouses, a dilapidated mayoral mansion) and the newer installations built by the Government (food dispensaries, state of the art laboratories). There is beauty in the old, falling down structures; which hint at a lost time, when people felt more freedom and did not have to worry about the chips implanted in them from birth, that let the Government know where they are at every moment. Whereas, the Government buildings are cold, heartless and filled with terrifying secrets. Naiya was a fantastic character, full of both fear and courage. Questioning everything she knows, while still fiercely protecting those she loves. She is at war with herself, determined to find out the truth about herself, her dreams and the burgeoning powers that both scare her and give her hope that maybe she can make the world better for those she cares about. With memorable characters both hindering and helping her mission to find out what the word 'terminus' (left to her by her 'father') really means to her and the world. A great start to a fascinating series, my only big issue being that I have to wait for the next installment, when I am excited to know how our heroine plans on saving the dying world. I was given a copy of Broken Moon, by the author, in exchange for an honest review.
I loved that this book turned so many tropes on their heads. That when we are first introduced to the 'skittles' we think we know exactly the kinds of girls these two are, only to be shifted in to their narrative and realize maybe we are wrong. First impressions, from the perspective of an introverted outsider become unreliable, now we have to rethink mean girls and their motivations. Peyton and Mei quickly turn into unstoppable forces who happen to drive a lot of the plot forward, who help when they fear for themselves. They are funny, caring, and they push past mean girl stereotypes to become badass. Not to give too much away, but the powers being extensions or enhancements related to the character's personality was ingenious. The bad guy, or insidious villain, reminded me of corny 80s movies, which I love to pieces. The terror seems so real, while also seeming so unbelievable, that you find yourself second guessing everything, much like the characters. But, there are several hair raising moments, moments where you realize you are holding your breath, worried that this is it, this is the end of the line, only to have our girls manage to find an escape. The twists and turns are well thought out, and hard to see coming. The history behind the villain is detailed, the characters are flushed out, the dialogue is believable. The scenes suck you in to this seemingly quiet, small town with skeletons hiding in the closet, ready to bite. There is also a love story, no escaping it in a young adult novel. However, it was perfectly done, not too in your face, and it did not overshadow the main story. There was clear chemistry between Laurel and Jasper, the mysterious new teenager in town. These two create their own sparks, pun intended, that make you route for them when the odds are stacked against them. He pulls her out of her shell and she grounds him in reality and the present. They blend well, while also being able to exist separate from each other, turning what could be a cheesy romance into a well rounded young adult relationship. The cliffhanger ending leads me to believe I will have more of these characters to enjoy in the near future. I'm excited to see what lies next, what terrors might be awaiting our intrepid and reluctant superheroes. P.S. I received this book from the Once Upon a Young Adult Book Club subscription box, where I also received four gifts to open at certain parts of the book (they were linked with an item on that page). I received it as a gift from my older sister, and will do a blog post about the experience soon.
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