Review ~ MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH, by Bethany Griffin

Everything is in ruins.

A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.

So what does Araby Worth have to live for?

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.

But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.

And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her. ~From GoodReads

Set against the backdrop of plague-ridden humanity, MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH, is nothing less than stunning. And I would expect no less from a book based on the classic by Edgar Allen Poe. The world has gone to hell. The wealthy wear masks to protect themselves. The poor are left defenseless. Carts roll through the streets collecting bodies. Prince Prosperous rules through fear and intimidation. But when Araby finds the opportunity to help bring about new hope for humanity, can she do it, despite the risks?

Author Griffin paints a morose, depressing, stunning portrait of a world gone nearly mad. I felt utterly entrenched in the story, the stakes involved. The sheer hopelessness and desperation that threaten to overwhelm main character, Araby Worth, is palpable. I found myself covering my own mouth as Araby ventured into the open, dangerous outdoors. I wanted to cover myself in clothes so I couldn't be infected by the Red Death. [sidenote: I tend to get a little too involved in books. My kids, like most little ones, are germy little creatures. But I'm fairly certain they don't carry the plague.]

The social statement of MASQUE was obvious, and relevant.  Much like real-life tyrants (I'm thinking Hussein, Kim Jong-Il), Prince Prospero is living a life of grandiose proportions while the poor suffer. I was struck by the decadence in the midst of chaos. The activities in the Debauchery Club were almost sickening in the face of the disaster outside the doors.
And although I enjoyed the story, I was also bothered. It's a case, though, of "It's Not You, It's Me". The story had to be depressing. It had to be harsh and cruel. But I found myself being drug down into a depressive spiral. I had to take breaks, gain my bearings, and dive back in. That's actually a compliment to Griffin, to her ability to pull readers in and shroud them in the emotions of the characters.

Now for the guys. You know I couldn't leave Will and Elliott out, right? I've seen many, many conversations debating the hotness of Will vs. Elliott. And that's going to cue a mini-rant. *deep breath* Elliott? Come on. Yes, I know he is very emotionally damaged. And he's complicated. But when a guy tells you not to trust him, says he would kill you if it meant gaining an advantage, and goes so far as threatening to prove his point? LISTEN TO HIM. Don't over think it, ladies, or make excuses. Run for the hills and don't look back. Having said that, his character did make strides towards become a less horrible person, but I don't know if I could ever root for him. Ever. Now for Will. Ninety-five percent of the time, I loved him. He was tragic, and beautiful and wonderful. His big flaw is actually not his fault, nothing I could blame him for. Make sense? I didn't think so. :-) So I guess if I had to choose a "Team", I would undoubtedly be "Team Will", but not very enthusiastic.

MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH  has all the elements of a hit: tragic, flawed, but engaging characters; a gripping, suspenseful story; strong, beautiful writing. It's an intense story of deception, chaos, love and possible redemption. Ultimately, MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH is a book the reading community will love. Of that, I have no doubt.

Favorite Quote:

"One white flower blooms on the vine.

'It only opens at midnight, and only for a few hours, when the full moon is directly overhead. Maybe someone planted it here before the plague, when the world was hopeful. At the end of the day, after  sweeping the floors and cleaning up the vomit, I come here. It reminds me that there are still beautiful things.' "(pg. 105-6, ARC)

Hardcover, 320 pages

Expected publication: April 24th 2012 by Harper Collins

You can pre-order Masque of the Red Death at:
Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Amazon


Source: Received for an ARC tour hosted by Southern Book Bloggers. Thanks, ladies!

IN MY MAILBOX, #30

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme created by Kristi at The Story Siren. It is a great way to put a spotlight on books received during the past week.

Books Mentioned:

(click on title to go to GoodReads page)

The Vincent Boys (The Vincent Boys, #1) by Abbi Glines (Thanks to Abbi Glines)

Soul Screamers, Vol 1 by Rachel Vincent (Thanks to Teen Shiver blog)

Moonglass by Jessi Kirby (Thanks to April at Sim-Sational Books)

Ditched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom

Belles by Jen Calonita (Thanks to Southern Book Bloggers ARC Tours)

Thoughtless by Jacqueline Gardner (FREE on Smashwords!)

Feathermore by Lucy Swing

Rock On by Denise Vega (Thanks to Little Brown Books for Young Readers) 

Boy 21 by Matthew Quick (Thanks to Little Brown Books for Young Readers)

Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin, #1) by RL LaFevers (Thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades, #1) by E.L. James

Fifty Shades Darker (Fifty Shades, #2) by E.L. James

Fifty Shades Freed (Fifty Shades, #3) by E.L. James

Are We Still On For Tonight? Dating During the Zombie Apocalype by Evelyn LaFont (Thanks to Evelyn!)

Storm Born (Dark Swan, #1) by Richelle Mead

Fated (The Bloodstone Saga, #1) by Courtney Cole

Pyxis: The Discovery (Pyxis, #1) by KC Neal

Bloggers Mentioned:

April at Sim-Sational Books

Autumn at The Autumn Review

Review ~ ILLUMINATE (GUILDED WINGS #1) by Aimee Agresti

Haven Terra is a brainy, shy high school outcast. But everything begins to change when she turns sixteen. Along with her best friend Dante and their quiet and brilliant classmate Lance, she is awarded a prestigious internship in the big city— Chicago—and is sent to live and work at a swanky and stylish hotel under the watchful eyes of a group of gorgeous and shockingly young-looking strangers: powerful and alluring hotel owner Aurelia Brown; her second-in-command, the dashing Lucian Grove; and their stunning but aloof staff of glamazons called The Outfit.

As Haven begins falling for Lucian, she discovers that these beautiful people are not quite what they seem. With the help of a mysterious book, she uncovers a network of secret passageways from the hotel’s jazz-age past that leads her to the heart of the evil agenda of Aurelia and company: they’re in the business of buying souls. Will they succeed in wooing Haven to join them in their recruitment efforts, or will she be able to thwart this devilish set’s plans to take the souls of her classmates on prom night at the hotel?

Illuminate is an exciting saga of a teen’s first taste of independence, her experience in the lap of luxury, and her discovery she may possess strength greater than she ever knew. ~ From GoodReads

Haven Terra is living the typical teenager's life. Great school, great friends, great "family"...life is good. Except for the fact that she was abandoned as a baby, left with scars on her chest and back. Luckily Haven was taken in and cared for by Joan, a nurse, and her coworkers. When Haven and her best friend Dante, along with classmate Lance, are whisked away for a once-in-a-lifetime internship at a soon to be opened hotel/nightclub in the Chicago, it's a dream come true.

Once the internship begins, the fact that something is "off" is quickly evident. Maybe it's the fact that The Outfit, the beyond glamorous staff, act like freakish robots? Or the mysterious book that seems to be communicating with Haven? But how about the fact that Aurelia, her boss, and Lucian, Aurelia's next in command, act plain creepy? When Haven discovers the secrets behind this dangerous group, she faces it head on, determined to save herself and those she loves.
Once again, I find myself at odds, opinion-wise, between myself and so many other readers. The cover is beautiful, with the right amount of foreshadowing. A cover like that is sure to put a book on my radar. And a lot of bloggers I know have read ILLUMINATE and have given it glowing reviews. So I was excited to read this one. I was primed and ready to love it. But, it just didn't happen, for several reasons.
First, I didn't feel a "hook", a strong plot line that grabbed my attention and demand that I read this book. I knew what the hook was supposed to be. It's actually spelled out in the synopsis. The framework was laid out so slowly that I became bored. I knew danger was coming, but I honestly just wanted Haven to get a clue and get on with it. There wasn't this big "aha" moment, where things suddenly got real. Everything Haven learned was through eavesdropping and thinly veiled hints during conversations.

Another aspect to the story that did not connect with me was the love interest. Upon arrival at the hotel, Haven meets Lucian. Lucian is of course, impossibly gorgeous, wealthy, charming...you know what I'm saying. I just didn't get it. I don't care how hot I am for a guy, if he always cancels dates, disappears for days, and asks me to give him my soul, that's a huge dealbreaker. But maybe that's just me. Not Haven. She falls hard for Lucian and keeps seeing him despite his efforts to damn her for eternity. Sigh. And yes, it may be possible that the devilish Lucian will have a change of heart. Even so, that's a bridge too far to cross, in my opinion.

My biggest issue with ILLUMINATE is the fact that the story moved so slowly. Much of the "action" was Haven running errands delivering chocolate, or learning the various duties of her position. She did lurk through the tunnels and crawlspaces of the hotel, but not a lot came of it. The revelations, what there were of them, came so slowly that I found myself easily distracted from the story. Even the big events didn't wow me.

I know I sound like a complete grouch after writing this (grumble, grumble). That is never my intention. I wanted to love ILLUMINATE. The author does have a nice writing style. The words and dialogue flowed extremely well. The book had some beautiful passages. I liked Haven, Lance and Dante, for the most part. Overall, though, I found ILLUMINATE to be too long and too slow to suit my tastes.


Favorite Quote:

"After a thing like that, worry becomes more than a reflex; it becomes an umbrella shadowing daily life, hovering closer every time someone gets home late or doesn't call when they say they will."
(pg.5, ARC)


For an alternate viewpoint, here is a very positive review of ILLUMINATE.

Hardcover, 531 pages

Expected publication: March 6th 2012 by Harcourt Children's Books

You can pre-order Illuminate at:

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Book Depository

Source: Southern Book Bloggers Blog Tour (Thanks, ladies!)

TEASER TUESDAY

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along, just do as 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 any spoilers so as not to ruin the book for others.

Make sure to share the title and the author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR piles.

This week's Teaser is from

Haven Terra is a brainy, shy high school outcast. But everything begins to change when she turns sixteen. Along with her best friend Dante and their quiet and brilliant classmate Lance, she is awarded a prestigious internship in the big city— Chicago—and is sent to live and work at a swanky and stylish hotel under the watchful eyes of a group of gorgeous and shockingly young-looking strangers: powerful and alluring hotel owner Aurelia Brown; her second-in-command, the dashing Lucian Grove; and their stunning but aloof staff of glamazons called The Outfit.

As Haven begins falling for Lucian, she discovers that these beautiful people are not quite what they seem. With the help of a mysterious book, she uncovers a network of secret passageways from the hotel’s jazz-age past that leads her to the heart of the evil agenda of Aurelia and company: they’re in the business of buying souls. Will they succeed in wooing Haven to join them in their recruitment efforts, or will she be able to thwart this devilish set’s plans to take the souls of her classmates on prom night at the hotel?

Illuminate is an exciting saga of a teen’s first taste of independence, her experience in the lap of luxury, and her discovery she may possess strength greater than she ever knew. ~ From GoodReads

My Teaser ~

"After a thing like that, worry becomes more than a reflex; it becomes an umbrella shadowing daily life, hovering closer every time someone gets home late or doesn't call when they say they will."
(pg.5, ARC)

Hardcover, 531 pages

Expected publication: March 6th 2012 by Harcourt Children's Books

You can pre-order Illuminate at:

Barnes & Noble  |  Amazon  |  Book Depository