Review: Sekret by Lindsay Smith

Sekret (Sekret #1)
By: Lindsay Smith
Published: April 1, 2014
Roaring Book Press / Macmillan Children's
Hardcover, 341 pages

An empty mind is a safe mind. Yulia knows she must hide her thoughts and control her emotions to survive in Communist Russia. But if she sometimes manipulates the black market traders by reading their thoughts when she touches their skin, so what? Anything to help her survive.


Russia's powerful spy agency, the KGB, is recruiting young people with mind-reading capabilities for their psychic espionage program. Their mission: protect the Soviet space program from American CIA spies. Why shouldn't the KGB use any means necessary to make the young psychic cooperate? Anything to beat the American capitalist scum to the moon. Yulia is a survivor. She won't be controlled by the KGB, who want to harness her abilities for the State with no regard for her own hopes and dreams. She won't let handsome Sergei plan her life as a member of elite Soviet society, or allow brooding Valentin to consume her with his dangerous mind and even more dangerous ideas. And she certainly won't become the next victim of the powerful American spy who can scrub a brain raw—and seems to be targeting Yulia. --GoodReads

 3.5 Stars

Review

Plot: Yulia Andreevna Chernina is not your average Russian girl; she can read the minds of those around her, and even pick up past memories with just a touch. Having lived luxuriously for most of her childhood, Yulia has now been in hiding with her mother and brother for several years. Set in 1963 Communist Russia, Yulia is recruited by the KGB and forced to participate in their espionage psychic program. If she doesn't cooperate, they threaten to harm her mother and young autistic brother. There, she meets several other teens who share similar psychic abilities but all specialize in something different. Together, they must work to fulfill their mission to protect the Soviet space program from the Americans. Yulia chooses not to succumb to the corrupt government's ways -- she works to find a way to escape her psychic prison and save her family.

When reading this book, I admit that I didn't really keep track of events as much as I should have. There's so many tiny events that go on, it just gets a little overwhelming. It's like - "Who's doing what now?", "Who is that?", "What does this have to do with the plot!?" and "I'm so confused..." [This happened to me several times. I had to flip back and reread some stuff] Basically, all that really matters is the relationships between characters...

It's been maybe a week since I finished reading it, and to be honest, I can't really remember much of what happened. I just know that there were a helluva lotta characters and events.... all I remember was that she had to work as a psychic spy to order set her family free and along the way she meets these 2 guys, Sergei and Valentin, both vying for her attention...

Characters:

Yulia: Yulia quickly hardens in the few years she's lived as a street rat. She learns to not trust anyone and to use everything she's got to her advantage -- even her mysterious psychic powers.  She's got her head on straight as well as her top priorities - first her safety, and then her family's. Yulia is no fluffy princess; she is quite the opposite (even if she gets swept up in a complicated love triangle...but let's face it: what YA heroine hasn't?). Even when presented the luxurious life she had once lived, Yulia yearns for something more -- freedom from the oppressed life she's been leading. 

I really admired Yulia's strength, intelligence, and persistence to seek freedom. Despite all the horrible things she experiences, she always clings to the hope of a better life. 

Sergei: Bad boy hockey player Sergei accepts his life as a KGB spy. He'll do anything to stay on the ice, even if that means turning against his friends. After all, who needs friends when you've got a rich life? It's much better to know work towards a goal than to live day by day. He doesn't understand why Yulia doesn't love her newly enriched life at the psychic school. 

Valentin: At first a seemingly distant musician with very dangerous powers, Yulia has a hard time opening up to Valentin. With time, she comes to understand his true self, and not just by his abilities as a psychic.

Overall: The whole idea of a psychic program within the government itself is just really cool. Yulia is a strong female lead -- that's also cool! A complicated love triangle is ehhh, but understandable -- it's one of the requirements of a YA novel, I suppose. However, the delivery and just number of events and people and places these spy kids needed to accomplish/meet/be at were just very overwhelming and rather... forgettable? I'm not saying this book wasn't an enjoyable read - it certainly was - but was it really worth remembering for the long run? Probably not.

BTW - a pretty generic background knowledge of the relationship between Russia and the USA after WW2 would be really helpful.

Happy Reading, folks!

Let's end with an awesome song that has no relation to the review I have just written. He talks a bit in the beginning, so I suggest scrubbing the video and skipping to about 40 seconds in.

Skip to 0:40

Review: Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1)

By Jessica Spotswood

Published February 7th, 2012

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Hardcover, 330 pages

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other. -Goodreads

Review

Okay, so I discovered this book from a friend who lent it to me who thought I might like it. She knows me very well. I definitely thought the cover was appealing, but not so much the title. 

Born Wicked is the story of Cate, a girl who is primarily responsible for taking care of her two younger sisters ever since her mother died and her father withdrew into himself. That is normally difficult, but even more so with the fact that they are all witches. Cate not only has to protect herself but her sisters from the suspicious eyes of the community and the Brotherhood. Her father has also recently hired a governess, one who is hiding something and seems all too understanding, Cate cannot trust her, or anyone for the matter. There is also the problem of her impending announcement, she only has a few months to decide on either marrying someone or joining the Sisterhood. What can a girl do?

I pity Cate so much. She has so much responsibility and such a heavy burden. Yet, somehow, she is still hopeful and courageous, in the end sacrificing all most everything she holds dear for her family. She doesn't really know how to take care of her sisters, and does the best she can. That means keeping their secret about being witches, which is harder than you might think. Maura, the middle child, rebels, she loves her magic and loves using it. She is suffocated by Cate, and longs to be free. However, Maura just annoyed me. She is just so selfish, all she wants to do is play with her magic without a care for anything else. I admit that I can sympathize with her a little (who likes being smothered?), but she should realize how difficult she is being and making Cate's burden that much heavier, and making their secret that much harder to keep. The youngest sister, Tess, I absolutely loved. She's so sweet and wise beyond her years, which enables her to help Cate out. The family dynamic is great. They all love each other, but even the best of families have some drama. However, no matter how much they might fight, in the end their family comes first.

The romance part of this book was kinda like a love triangle. It was Cate's childhood friend (whom she hadn't seen in a while) vs Finn, the Cahill's new gardener (who also helps out at his mother's bookshop). Paul is okay, I mean he certainly has the moves and actually does care for Cate and want to marry her and make her happy, but he isn't Finn. Finn is so cute and such a great person. He is quiet and unassuming, but underneath he is really passionate about the things he loves. He and Cate are definitely soul mates, but they can't be together mainly due to his lower place in society.

The world Cate lives in is a tough one. The Brotherhood controls everything, and if you go against them you're branded as a witch and sent away (either to an asylum or to die). Being a witch is heresy, and the Brotherhood uses that fear of being accused to keep people in line. Not only that, but females have a deadline to either marry or join the Sisterhood. But what really is the Sisterhood? What could they be hiding? And then there is this prophecy that Cate's mother never told her about. Turns out, there was a lot that Cate's mother didn't tell her. This prophecy is, well, kinda important.

The ending was such a ride. In a few words, crap hits the fan, and everything happens so quickly there's little time to think. I enjoyed it so much, especially the plot twist at the end. Way to be more creative. Overall, Born Wicked is an enchanting tale of a brave girl faced with many difficult choices, between the magic, romance, and the family secrets, how far will Cate go to protect her family?

Purchase this book at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

  

Review: Waterfall by Lisa Tawn Bergren

Waterfall (River of Time #1) 

By Lisa Tawn Bergren

Publish: February 1st 2011 

Publisher: David C. Cook

Kindle Edition, 386 pages

What do you do when your knight in shining armor lives, literally, in a different world? 

Most American teenagers want a vacation in Italy, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives among the romantic hills with their archaelogist parents. Stuck among the rubble of the medieval castles in rural Tuscany, on yet another hot, dusty archaeological site, Gabi and Lia are bored out of their minds...until Gabi places her hand atop a handprint in an ancient tomb and finds herself in fourteenth-century Italy. And worse yet, in the middle of a fierce battle between knights of two opposing forces. 

Suddenly Gabi's summer in Italy is much, much more interesting.--Goodreads

5 Stars!

Review:

This novel was perfect! I LOVE everything about it!

The character chemistry was awesome! Gabi was fierce! She kind of reminded me of the character Katsa from Graceling by Kristin Cashore, another novel I love very much! So Gabi and Lia venture into one of the tombs in Italy and find two handprints. The girls put their hands on the prints and find, to their surprise, that their hands fit perfectly and that the stone is warm? Then the stone gets to be burning hot and next thing they know they are in medieval times, but Gabi doesn't see Lia in the tomb with her anymore. Although the novel is about Gabi trying to find her sister Lia, the adventure and action that occur while trying to find her sister is both engaging and highly entertaining. Gabi seems to get herself into trouble a lot, but Marcello is usually there to help her out, although Gabi is not by any means weak or anything, she just gets into trouble a lot. Did I mention that Gabi has a wicked sense of humor? Her jokes and sarcastic thoughts are hilarious! :)

I liked Lia's character as well, but we didn't see her much. Hopefully we'll see her more in the second novel! Luca was also awesome! Luca develops a crush on Lia, but Lia doesn't seem to return the feelings, but who knows what will happen in the second novel! Can't wait to read more about Luca and Lia in the second novel! 

Gabi and Lia aka the She-Wolves of Siena! I can't wait to read more about them in book 2! This is definitely in my top 10 of 2012!

Purchase this novel at: Amazon / B&N / TBD

Cover Reveal and Giveaway: Sworn to Raise by Terah Edun

Sworn to Raise (Courtlight #1)

By Terah Edun

Expected Publication: March 15, 2013

Seventeen-year-old Ciardis has grown up in poverty, a cleaner in a small vale on the outskirts of the kingdom. But beneath her kingdom’s seemingly idyllic surface lies a hidden secret. Whispers of an inept crown Prince are growing ever louder—intensified by the five year anniversary of the soulbond initiations.

Amidst scandalous whispers, Ciardis finds herself chosen to train for the Companion’s Guild. She leaves her home and sets off on a personal journey to become a Court Companion. A position she’d never thought possible for a lowly servant to obtain, she must prove that she has the skills to attract a Patron. 

But she must master those skills quickly. If the legends are true, only Ciardis can harness the power to raise a Prince in an Imperial Court sworn to bring him down.

This sensational series debut melds intricate storylines with remarkable characters and unforgettable magic. Sworn To Raise is ideal for fans of Kristin Cashore, Michelle Sagara, and Maria Snyder. --Goodreads

Enter to win a $60 Amazon Gift Card!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Sirens by Janet Fox

Sirens (Faithful #3)

By Janet Fox

Published November 8th, 2012

Publisher: Speak

Paperback, 384 pages

When Jo Winter’s parents send her off to live with her rich cousin on the glittering island of Manhattan, it’s to find a husband and forget about her brother Teddy’s death. But all that glitters is not gold. Caught up in the swirl of her cousin’s bobbed-hair set—and the men that court them—Jo soon realizes that the talk of marriage never stops, and behind the seemingly boundless gains are illicit business endeavors, gangsters, and their molls. Jo would much rather spend time the handsome but quiet Charles, a waiter at the Algonquin Hotel, than drape herself over a bootlegger.

But when she befriends a moll to one of the most powerful men in town, Jo begins to uncover secrets—secrets that threaten an empire and could secure Jo’s freedom from her family. Can her newfound power buy her love? Or will it to ruin Jo, and everyone around her? - Goodreads

Review

Set on the Roarin' '20s, Sirens is a tale of a girl thrown into the upper class New York City social scene, going from speakeasy to speakeasy while acquiring the company of a notorious gangster and his moll. Everything however, isn't as fine as it seems, and Jo Winters is hiding some dark secrets about her brother Teddy, who committed suicide one year ago. How are her, her brother, and the gangsters all connected? That is the question posed to you, and this book is a journey to discover the truth.

Jo Winters is an aspiring write, not quite out of high school, when she is sent packing to NYC to visit  her rich relatives by her father. Her father is involved in the bootlegging business with the notorious gang leader Danny Conner, and something is happening between them that her father wants Jo out of the way, saying she is going to find a husband. Nonetheless, Jo sees through this, and while in NYC she tries to discern the truth and how it involves Teddy. After discovering his journal, Jo tries to figure it out and understand what occurred, all the while beset by Danny who wants something Teddy left behind. She is also sucked into the night life of the 1920's, partying with her cousin Melody, who harbors some dark secrets of her own. Women have just gotten the vote, and are trying out their new freedoms, donning the flapper attire and attitudes, and going to speakeasies and running the risk of getting caught (it's prohibition after all). 


Louise “Lou” O’Keefe is Danny Conner's moll, whom previously lived on the streets, and was given a whole new life by Danny. She is supplied with as many dresses and jewels a girl could desire, and a mansion to boot, all thanks to him, the love of her life. She would do anything to keep him, including getting rid of any threats. When Jo and Lou meet, their lives quickly become entangled with some unpredictable twists.

Sirens is written from the view point of both Jo and Lou, while Lou retells the events to a cop, Jo is living it, which may seem confusing but it makes it more intriguing while you try to guess what really happened. My favorite part of this novel was the background. It is so rich and vibrant I could just picture myself there, not to mention the 20's was an exceptional era, the turning over of a new leaf. All of the glitz and glamor of the wealthy upper crust is portrayed splendidly, and so is the darkness and shadows of the underground bootlegging business, and all of the mobsters that are encountered there. My only annoyance with this was that I had a few questions at the end, and this book is meant to stand alone, so that bugs me. The ending is also a tad bit crazy, and a little confusing. Other than that I would definitely recommend this book, even for people who don't necessarily like historical fiction, this is a great book to start, where you will be swept away.

Purchase this book at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

Review: Scarlette by Davonna Juroe

Scarlette by Davonna Juroe

Published: October 12, 2012

Publisher: BumbleB Media, Inc. 

eBook, 326 pages 

Find the Beast ~ Find the Cure

Scarlette, an 18-year-old peasant, lives under a dark threat. A nightmarish creature lurks in the surrounding forest, killing the villagers one by one. When Scarlette's grandmother survives an attack, Scarlette learns that her grandmother hasn't suffered the bite of just any normal animal.

Now desperate, Scarlette searches throughout her province to find a cure. But there are those who want to keep their pasts hidden. As she begins to uncover the dark secrets of her village, Scarlette is befriended by a local nobleman and a woodcutter who share a gruesome history with the beast. To save her grandmother, Scarlette must unravel their mystery and solve an age-old crime. But as she pieces together the clues, Scarlette finds herself torn between the two men, both of whom want to be more than friends and hold the key to the cure.

What if Little Red Riding Hood was real?

Based on both the Grimm and Perrault versions of Little Red Riding Hood and set against the terrifying, historic Beast of Gévaudan attacks, this dark YA retelling blends two epic legends, giving the fabled girl-in-the-red-cloak a new, shockingly real existence. --Goodreads

5 Stars

Review

Note: I consider this very important! Mark this on your calendars people! Scarlette, on December 26 and 27 is free for download for Kindle! 

It's been an extremely long time since a book has really grabbed my attention fully like Scarlette has. Despite the amount of books that I've been dying to read, I've found them all somewhat letdowns because they never really met my expectations. When I got into Scarlette, I of course had high expectations for this one because a horror retelling of Little Red Riding Hood (which in itself is already a horror story. Grandma eating, much?) had to be good, or else I was flunking it. Thank goodness that Scarlette defied my expectations and blew me away!

The book immediately starts off with Scarlette and her grandmother encountering the wolves in the forest. Instantaneously, the book sets its pace with a strong beginning that isn't slow nor uneventful. Scarlette's life is extremely difficult with an abusive mother, lecherous employer, her grandmother gone, and the whole town blaming her for the wolf attacks. One of the greatest strengths of this book is Scarlette herself. She is such a strong and fierce heroine, not one of those bratty, selfish ones, but a true heroine. Sure, she made many mistakes; however, she at least regrets her mistakes, and tries to make up for them.

The love triangle is formed between Scarlette, Francois, the woodcutter, and Louis, the nobleman, is a quirky one full of gives and takes. In some ways, I wish it was a bigger focus in the story line because I loved seeing Francois being awkward, but in other ways, I wished that it didn't exist because Scarlette never really has me truly rooting for her with either of the two. It's not like I disliked both guys of the love triangle, I just felt like none of them truly belonged with Scarlette at certain points. Thankfully, by the end, I was totally able to accept Scarlette and *beep* (his name is not a curse word, just saying), but for the first half of the book, I was a little puzzled by Scarlette's feelings toward the two guys.

As a dark retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, Scarlette took many liberties with the plot, completely changing many aspects of the story to make it even more gory, as I've already mentioned. The mystery and climatic build-up was fantastic! I could literally feel the tension rolling off the pages as the story uncovered the many intricacies that the original tale was unable to grasp. Secrets were extremely well kept to shock the reader as the truths were being unveiled. I was surprised by a number of the twists quite surprisingly, which is extremely rare when the YA genre is gradually decreasing in originality.

I'm telling you all right now, you need to give Scarlette a try. The plot is so well-paced, the characters are well-defined caricatures, and the writing hypnotizes the reader. My only true complaint is the ending, which is a little rushed. While reading this book, I found myself trying to refrain from reading it too quickly, but just couldn't. Fine, then my second complaint (I know, I lied) is that Scarlette is too short for its own good, (yes, I am greedy) but otherwise this is an amazing fairy tale retelling that intermixes historical fiction with the paranormal without cliches, spellbinding its readers.

Purchase this book here: Amazon (Kindle, Free on Dec. 26 and 27)

Cover Reveal and Book Trailer: Timespell by Diana Paz

Timespell by Diana Paz 

Expected Publication: April 1, 2013 

Publisher: Rhemalda Publisher 

In TIMESPELL, the brash and impulsive Julia must team up with her sweet and straight-laced best friend, Angie, and the malicious and power-hungry Kaitlyn in order to keep the witch-like powers of her inheritance. But these powers come at a cost. The girls are bound to serve the Fates, and their first mission sends them back in time to Marie Antoinette’s Paris and eventually, into the chaos and war of the French Revolution.

Book Trailer

                      Author Bio

Diana Paz writes books about magic, adventure, and romance. She was born in Costa Rica, grew up on Miami Beach, moved to Los Angeles in high school, and went to college in San Diego. Basically, she’s a beach bum. Diana graduated from California State University, San Marcos with a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts. She loves old movies, epic fantasy, all kinds of music, and heading to the beach with a good book. Preferably sipping a highly sweetened iced coffee.

Check out her links!
Website Blog Facebook Twitter

Book Trailer: Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black

My Thoughts: I am really not sure on what to say about this. It looks all fancy, but doesn't really show anything about the plot besides ballerinas killing their feet. Ugh... book trailers are usually poorly and ridiculously made. However, this one is slightly better made, despite its pointlessness and different ballerinas that are switched every other shot. The music is love, so I guess I give kudos to the composer! 

Review: The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman

The Book of Blood and Shadows
By Robin Wasserman
Published: April 10th, 2012 
Publisher: Random House

It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up.  When the night began, Nora had two best friends and an embarrassingly storybook one true love.  When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands and an echoing scream that stopped only when the tranquilizers pierced her veins and left her in the merciful dark.

But the next morning, it was all still true: Chris was dead.  His girlfriend Adriane, Nora's best friend, was catatonic. And Max, Nora's sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also—according to the police, according to her parents, according to everyone—a murderer.

Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora follows the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. It ultimately brings her to the ancient streets of Prague, where she is drawn into a dark web of secret societies and shadowy conspirators, all driven by a mad desire to possess something that might not even exist. For buried in a centuries-old manuscript is the secret to ultimate knowledge and communion with the divine; it is said that he who controls the Lumen Dei controls the world. Unbeknownst to her, Nora now holds the crucial key to unlocking its secrets. Her night of blood is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life. -Goodreads

Review

Wow. My mind was just blown. What a twist ending. There were so many surprises. I was constantly guessing about who the suspect was, and it was so much fun.


I loved Nora. Every step of the way you can see how she thinks, her chain of thought, and how she interprets the world around her. She is just so smart, it's great. Wasserman's portrayal of a family devastated by grief is so real and convincing.Nora's brother was killed in a drunk driving accident, and her family was forever changed. Each one losing themselves in their own way, and what Nora did was immerse and console herself with the language of Latin. You can feel their pain. The way that Nora falls in love is also quite believable, it's not just a mega insta-love, but a slow build up where she eventually comes to recognize her feelings. Nora always has questioned her place in the group, and thinks of herself as the third wheel, which is totally understandable, Nora is just a character whom you can really relate to. The best part of The Book of Blood and Shadows are the relationships, and how everyone relates to one another.


I will admit it, I had at one point given up on this book. It just took too long for everything to happen and for you to be invested in the outcome. The world building was long but needed, you really had to understand Nora and the history of the mysterious manuscript, but eventually, there was just not enough to keep me interested. The plot is very complicated and intricate, and it takes time to get going, it can be a lot of Nora just translating. I had other books to read that were more interesting. After a week or so, after I had finished all of my books and had nothing to read, I decided, just for the heck of it, to try to finish The Book of Blood and Shadows. About half way through is where it really picks up, and from then on it's like a wild roller coaster ride with every unexpected twist and turn imaginable. There is almost too much that happens at the end, and it would have been better for Wasserman to spread it out more, that way keeping readers interested. 

I give you fair warning, this book revolves around God, and how to connect with him/ know everything and be like him. The manuscript is the instructions how to do this. It works though, because there is so much mention of God that you just get used to it. 


I would recommend this to anyone who loves secret societies, and is patient enough to get to the fast paced action. The wait is worth it however, because by the end you are just astounded at the turn of events and how crazy it gets. To those without patience, don't read this. With that said, good luck, and give it a chance.

Purchase this book at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

Review: Gilt by Katherine Longshore

Gilt (The Royal Circle #1) by Katherine Longshore
Published: May 15th, 2012
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Hardcover, 406 pages

In the court of Henry VIII, nothing is free--
and love comes at the highest price of all.

When Kitty Tylney's best friend, Catherine Howard, worms her way into King Henry VIII's heart and brings Kitty to court, she's thrust into a world filled with fabulous gowns, sparkling jewels, and elegant parties. No longer stuck in Cat's shadow, Kitty's now caught between two men--the object of her affection and the  object of her desire. But court is also full of secrets, lies, and sordid affairs, and as Kitty witnesses Cat's meteoric rise and fall as queen, she must figure out how to keep being a good friend when the price of telling the truth could literally be her head.-Goodreads

Review

I think I was sort of disappointed with this book. Although the court of Henry VIII is portrayed well in all its glitz and glamor, I was expecting Kitty's life at court to be more extravagant and luxurious, instead she is just a chamber maid to Cat (Catherine Howard). But please don't get me started on Cat and Kitty. Their relationship is so twisted, they are "friends", but Cat just uses Kitty. Even in their names, you can tell that Cat is better than Kitty, and Kitty is only her shadow. It is a very one-sided friendship. Cat is very mean and heartless, she doesn't care about the consequences and does whatever pleases her. I guess I can sympathize with her in the fact that she was married to someone much older than her and not very attractive to gain power for her family. Still, she was my least favorite character (which the author might have done that on purpose).

Oh, Kitty. I pity you so much. You have no backbone, and let Cat step on you all the time. It is terrible how much you rely on Cat, when you should just find a better friend. It is hard when the heroine of the book is so pathetic, but even with these shortcomings I did for the most part like Kitty.

Gilt is written quite well, and even though it is a little more than 400 pages, it doesn't feel like it and moves at a fast pace. I know what will happen in the end to Cat, but Katherine Longshore really knows what she is doing, at times being lighthearted, but then getting darker as Cat's demise approaches. The language of the book is a bit modern and not very Tudor style, but I guess that might make it easier to read. I absolutely love the title, and how well it represents the book in just one word. It seems like everyone has their own guilty little secrets.

Overall this book was pretty good. Some of the characters could have been better (cough cough Kitty) and the language could have been more Tudor style and less modern, but the writing and background were superb. If you are looking for a page turning historical novel, this is the book for you.    

Purchase this book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository