Young Adult Review: Take Me Home Tonight by Morgan Matson

Take Me Home Tonight by Morgan Matson

Published: May 4th, 2021

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Genre: Contemporary Young Adult

# of pages: 416

My rating: 4 stars

Acquired this book: From the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for honest consideration

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Two girls. One night. Zero phones.

Kat and Stevie—best friends, theater kids, polar opposites—have snuck away from the suburbs to spend a night in New York City. They have it all planned out. They’ll see a play, eat at the city’s hottest restaurant, and have the best. Night. Ever. What could go wrong?

Well. Kind of a lot?

They’re barely off the train before they’re dealing with destroyed phones, family drama, and unexpected Pomeranians. Over the next few hours, they’ll have to grapple with old flames, terrible theater, and unhelpful cab drivers. But there are also cute boys to kiss, parties to crash, dry cleaning to deliver (don’t ask), and the world’s best museum to explore.

Over the course of a wild night in the city that never sleeps, both Kat and Stevie will get a wake-up call about their friendship, their choices…and finally discover what they really want for their future.

That is, assuming they can make it to Grand Central before the clock strikes midnight.

I’ve been a fan of Morgan Matson’s books since I fell in love with Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour ten years ago. When you pick up one of her books, you know you’re going to get well-developed characters, realistic portrayals of friendships, lots of laughs, likely a few tears, and a sweet and swoony romance. Take Me Home Tonight had all those things, plus a fun premise and a vivid setting.

Best friends Kat and Stevie are complete opposites, but they love each other unconditionally and would do anything for each other. So when Stevie’s dad bails on her 18th birthday dinner in New York City, Kat suggests they go into the city anyway for a night of fun. Their plan is foolproof, as far as Kat’s concerned...but they weren’t counting on one disaster and mishap after another starting before they even arrived in the city. 

This book was so much fun. It started out a little slow and took me a while to warm up to Kat and Stevie, but once I did I was completely invested in their story and was cheering them on. They were well-developed and realistic, and I could relate to each of them in different ways. I was amazed and impressed with how well Matson managed to pull off so much believable character development and growth in the span of the one-night setting. There were also a lot of great side characters in this book (Brad the dog and Cary-with-six-jobs were my favourites), and I loved how New York City really came alive and felt like a character itself.

While I know I’m not the intended target audience for this book - I’m more than twice Kat and Stevie’s age - I also know many adults will read this book and think about how the girls’ phoneless adventure was how we lived every day growing up. It was amusing while also being realistic; we’re all so attached to and dependent on our phones these days for entertainment, mindless scrolling, posting endless updates, keeping in touch with everyone we know, taking pictures, etc. If Stevie and Kat had had their phones, their night would have ended up a lot different, so I loved that aspect of the story and how it forced them to be resourceful and also live in the moment.

I’m not sure if I can call this an ‘issue’, but my only *thing* with this book was how long it was. I’ve come to expect that from Matson’s books and you always inevitably get to a part where it doesn’t actually feel all that long, but 400+ pages for a contemporary set in the span of one night is a lot. Mild spoiler alert: I had mixed feelings about the side story with Teri; it was entertaining, but it was also completely unnecessary and made a really long book even longer. And while the main storyline with Kat and Stevie was wild, it was mostly believable, whereas Teri’s storyline was just so out there.

Take Me Home Tonight was a highly entertaining read. I felt like I was right there with Kat and Stevie in NYC. I felt for both of them and was rooting for them. I laughed at their mishaps and felt the pangs at the painful lessons they learned. After ten years, Morgan Matson continues to be a favourite author, and I couldn’t be happier.

Have you read Take Me Home Tonight? Who are some of your auto-buy authors?

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Review: Hot Dudes Reading

Hot Dudes Reading
Published: April 26th, 2016
Publisher: Atria Books
224 pages (ARC)
Genre: Non-fiction
Acquired this book: From Simon & Schuster Canada in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
{GoodReads || Buy this book: Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

 
Humans of New York meets Porn for Women in this collection of candid photos, clever captions, and hilarious hashtags about one of the most important subjects of our time: hot dudes reading.

Based on the viral Instagram account of the same name, Hot Dudes Reading takes its readers on a ride through all five boroughs of New York City, with each section covering a different subway line. Using their expert photography skills (covert iPhone shots) and journalistic ethics (#NoKindles), the authors capture the most beautiful bibliophiles in all of New York—and take a few detours to interview some of the most popular hot dudes from the early days of the Instagram account.

Fun, irreverent, and wittily-observed, this book is tailor-made for book lovers in search of their own happy endings—and those who just want to get lost between the covers for a while.

I hate to admit it, but I was only vaguely aware of the Hot Dudes Reading Instagram account before Simon & Schuster Canada asked me if I’d like a copy of the book based on this sexy phenomenon. It was pretty much a no-brainer, though. A book dedicated not only to hot guys reading, but hot guys reading in public? Count me in!

This book is so much fun. Obviously the pictures make for fantastic eye candy, but it’s much more than that. The hilarious captions and hashtags had me laughing out loud. There were interviews interspersed throughout the book and I was impressed by how funny, articulate, and intelligent the guys were. Where are these guys in real life?? I hardly ever see guys reading on the bus in my city and if I do they’re George RR Martin lookalikes. Also, I rode the underground in London every day for a week last year and didn’t see any hot dudes reading. Not fair! Apparently it’s time to fulfill my lifelong dream of visiting New York City. That was another thing I loved about the book: getting to travel through NYC. The pictures were taken throughout New York on the subway, platforms, in parks, etc., so it was like getting to travel vicariously while admiring hot, smart guys.

If you’re looking for something that will make you drool and laugh, make sure to pick up a copy of Hot Dudes Reading. This is one of those books I know I’ll grab off my shelf when I need a good giggle...or when I need a dose of eye candy. ;-)

Have you read Hot Dudes Reading? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Do you follow the HDR Instagram?

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Wanderlust Wednesday Review: The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E Smith

Check out my previous Wanderlust Wednesday posts

 
The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E Smith
Series: Standalone
Published: April 15th, 2014
Publisher: Poppy
337 pages (eARC)
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Acquired this book: Via NetGalley in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
{GoodReads || Buy this book: Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

{Read my review of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight || Read my review of This is What Happy Looks Like}

Lucy and Owen meet somewhere between the tenth and eleventh floors of a New York City apartment building, on an elevator rendered useless by a citywide blackout. After they’re rescued, they spend a single night together, wandering the darkened streets and marveling at the rare appearance of stars above Manhattan. But once the power is restored, so is reality. Lucy soon moves to Edinburgh with her parents, while Owen heads out west with his father.

Lucy and Owen’s relationship plays out across the globe as they stay in touch through postcards, occasional e-mails, and—finally—a reunion in the city where they first met.

A carefully charted map of a long-distance relationship, Jennifer E. Smith’s new novel shows that the center of the world isn't necessarily a place. It can be a person, too.

Having read two of Jennifer E Smith’s previous books - The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight and This is What Happy Looks Like - I knew to expect one thing from The Geography of You and Me: Cuteness. Smith’s books are adorable and fluffy, with plenty of grin- and swoon-worthy scenes, a sweet romance, and an overall positive, hopeful message. Underneath the light tone, there’s always a good dose of feels, plus a fun and original story, making for well-rounded and well-written books. The Geography of You and Me was no exception.

The story starts with Lucy and Owen getting stuck in an elevator of their apartment building during a blackout. They distract each other from the darkness, the all-consuming heat, and the worry about being trapped indefinitely. They don’t know each other well, but they form the type of bond people tend to form when they’re thrust together in stressful situations. From there, even though they both move away and have sporadic contact, they’re never far from each other’s minds.

I’m going to assume Smith was inspired to write this story by the wide-swept blackout of 2003 that stretched from Canada down into the States. I remember that blackout well, and since I live in a high-rise apartment myself, it was easy to imagine what it would be like to get stuck in an elevator and experience the suffocating heat of the hallways, stairwells, and your own apartment. I loved Smith’s descriptions of the heat, the city, the stars, all of it. New York City became its own character, larger than life. The same happened wherever the characters went - each new city had a life of its own, stirring my ever-present wanderlust, especially when Lucy visited places I’ve fallen in love with firsthand, like London, Paris, and Rome. I connected with Lucy’s desire to travel, and was so happy when she finally started seeing the places she’d always dreamed of. Another thing I loved: the running inside jokes between the characters throughout the book.

There were great side characters in the book, too. I loved Owen’s relationship with his dad, and initially felt so bad for Lucy being left behind and seemingly forgotten by her parents. As the story unfolds, Lucy’s mom is surprisingly complex, and I really enjoyed seeing the bonding moments between the two.

My only small complaint about the book was the pacing. It started and ended strong, but parts of the middle dragged. That being said, when it did pick up again toward the end, I flew through the pages and even got teary a few times because it all came together in such a lovely way. I appreciated that things weren’t tied up in a neat little bow - it was a far more realistic ending than a lot of other YAs, and yet it was easy enough to believe that with all this pair had gone through, both separately and together, they’d find a way to make it work and get a happy ending one way or another.

If you’re looking for something light and sweet, with just the right amount of humour, swoons, feels, and romance, I highly recommend The Geography of You and Me.

Have you read The Geography of You and Me? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Have you read any of Smith's other books? Did you experience the big black-out of 2003?

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Review: Pearl by Deirdre Riordan Hall

Pearl by Deirdre Riordan Hall
Series: Standalone
Published: March 1st, 2016
Publisher: Skyscape
338 pages (ARC)
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Acquired this book: From the author in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
{GoodReads || Buy this book: Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

Run fast and run far, unless you’re fearless. Unless you’re courageous. I’m not, but I’d like to be.

Pearl Jaeger is seventeen and homeless after drugs, poverty, and addiction unraveled the life she shared with JJ, her formerly glamorous rock star mother.

This moment of happiness is fleeting; someone will take it from me.

When tragedy brings a chance to start over at an elite boarding school, she doesn’t hesitate. Yet the only salvation comes from an art teacher as troubled as Pearl, and she faces the stark reality that what she thought she wanted isn’t straightforward.

I trace the outline of my reflection in a window. I am no more than a replica of my mother. This is not the self-portrait I want to paint.

Through the friendships she forms at school—especially with Grant, a boy who shows Pearl what it means to trust and forgive—she begins to see a path not defined by her past. But when confronted with the decision to be courageous or to take the easy way forged by her mother’s failures, which direction will Pearl choose?

After reading and loving Deirdre Riordan Hall’s Sugar, I was excited to read Pearl. This was a book that was full of heartache and tough subjects, but it was also beautiful, hopeful, and inspiring.

Pearl hasn’t had an easy life. As the daughter of a has-been rock star who’s more worried about her next fix than about her own daughter, Pearl has been left to fend for herself for a long time. The streets of New York City and her love of fashion are her only escapes. When she and her mother end up homeless, Pearl’s uncle steps in to deal with his sister and send Pearl to boarding school. This is the first opportunity she’s ever had to experience a somewhat normal life, and she’s determined not to mess it up.

This was a very character-driven novel, and Pearl had a great voice. She was smart, creative, observant, and she wanted so badly to find a place she belonged. She absolutely broke my heart at times. It can be hard enough to fit in and have a normal life, but when your past is as rough as hers and you’re worried that’s all you’ll ever be, or worse, that you’ll turn into the very person who made life so difficult, it can seem like a hopeless situation. She was a very real character - she made mistakes, she wanted to be loved, she had varied interests and big dreams, she was sexually active (I appreciated that, and how it was handled - it wasn’t some huge, life-changing thing, it was just a natural part of the story). I connected with her easily, and rooted for her from beginning to end, whether I wanted to give her a big hug or smack her upside the head.

The side characters in the book were equally interesting. Pearl’s new boarding school friend, Sorel, was incredibly volatile. She was like a teenage version of Pearl’s mother, which I suppose is why Pearl didn’t just write her off entirely, even though she should have because she was so toxic and treated Pearl like crap. Despite disliking Sorel and wishing Pearl would stay away from her, I understood why she didn’t, or couldn’t. On the other hand, Pearl’s roommate, Charmindy, ended up being a really great friend. They had little in common and came from completely different backgrounds, but Charmindy taught Pearl a lot about friendship, and it was a truly beautiful thing to watch. I also loved Shale, Pearl’s art teacher, and the lessons he taught her, not just about art, but about life. And then there was Grant...I didn’t think I was going to like him at first, but he grew on me and I ended up loving him. He was exactly the type of guy Pearl needed, and I enjoyed watching their relationship unfold. It wasn’t easy and it wasn’t perfect, but it was realistic, which made their relationship easy to root for.

If you enjoy realistic, character-driven novels with beautiful prose and an overall hopeful message about life, love, forgiveness, and self-discovery, Pearl should be on your to-be-read list. While it deals with tough, often painful subjects, it does so in an open and honest way, and is ultimately a lovely and important coming-of-age story.

 *All quotes taken from the ARC version of Pearl by Deirdre Riordan Spark*

“My uncle doesn’t know Janet hasn’t touched a guitar for years, practically since I was born. She had me around the time when her band left the charts, when junkies traded CDs for cash, and when the sonic landscape as she’d known it became a digital blur. I was like a punctuation mark, the end.” ~ page 7

“Every day, over holiday, make sure you have a brush, a pen, or some implement in your hand, creating, without fail. The only way to get better is to do the work, daily. There are no shortcuts. Not many people realize that.” ~ page 92

“I want to cry, but I’m not sure how that will show him that I’m the rogue to all his sweetness and excellence. I want to rip open my chest and show him everything ugly and beautiful that lives there. All the hurt. All the loneliness. All my desires and dreams. I lack one thing, and that is courage.” ~ page 157

“My body strains to keep up with my mind and my mind with my body. I teeter to the edge of the roof and look down...I feel alone. I am a girl on the edge, on the edge of the past, present, and future, on the edge of love and lust, on the edge of truth and deceit. I tilt forward and back, wavering on heels and inebriation. I look down and then up. Falling is terrifying, but so is flying. A shooting star races through the sky. Just before it disappears, I make a wish and step away.” ~ page 282

“To Pearl, who, like her sisters in the ocean, is beginning to emerge as a beautiful treasure, a gift to herself and a gift to us all.” ~ page 334

Have you read Pearl? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Have you read any of Deirdre Riordan Hall's other books?

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Blog Tour Review + Giveaway: Depth of Field by Chantel Guertin

Depth of Field by Chantel Guertin 

Series: Pippa Greene #2
Published: August 12th, 2014
Publisher: ECW Press
190 pages (paperback)
Genre: Contemporary young adult
Acquired this book: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Warning: May contain spoilers

{GoodReads || Buy this book: Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

 

{Read my 4-star review of The Rule of Thirds}

Two weeks in New York City should be the time of Pippa’s life: she’s attending the prestigious Tisch Photography Camp, her boyfriend, Dylan McCutter (two months and counting!) is coming with her, and their parents are 500 miles away. Talk about lights, camera, (swoony, unchaperoned) action! But what should be 14 unforgettable days of bliss turns into chaos when her one and only nemesis, Ben Baxter, proves to be surprisingly more complex than she could’ve ever imagined, and her Tisch mentor, a renowned photographer, seems to have a lot more to do with her parents’ past than anyone wants her to know. Is Pippa out of her depth?

 

Depth of Field is the continuation of Pippa Greene’s story from The Rule of Thirds. Pippa is a young photographer; photography was something she shared with her dad, who died the year before. He was a professional photographer, and his passion for the art was something he passed on to Pippa.

One of the things I liked best about The Rule of Thirds was how authentic Pippa’s voice was. She was basically a regular 16-year-old girl who had insecurities, made mistakes, and learned a few things about life and love along the way. I still liked Pippa in Depth of Field, but she seemed…different. In a way, this book felt like it was part of a different series. Maybe it’s because there was a different setting, plus so many new characters and we didn’t get to see Pippa’s boyfriend and best friend, who were quite prevalent in the first book, but it felt almost too different.

Just like with The Rule of Thirds, there was a lot of stuff packed into this little book. At just under 200 pages, Guertin managed to tell a lot of story, which is quite impressive. Oddly enough, even though Pippa seemed really different in this book, I connected with her more in some ways. I understood her better, I think. When I was 17, I went to France for 10 days, and even though we had chaperones, we had a lot of free time, so I can understand Pippa’s excitement at having freedom, and the not-so-great choices she made. She’s an unchaperoned 16-year-old in NYC, of course she’s not going to be a saint! Also, having lost my own dad to cancer at a young age, I could understand Pippa’s desire to do anything to stay close to him, plus honour his memory. A lot of her choices and interests in life revolve around her dad - what he liked, what he did - and I can understand that, but I also hope she’ll find some of her own interests and passions, and become her own person.

I wasn’t sure if this book was the second in a duology or part of series, so the cliffhanger ending surprised me. The Rule of Thirds left me feeling like some things were left too open, and I felt the same with Depth of Field. There were a lot of unanswered questions and loose ends, and even though there’s going to be another book (at least I assume there is), it felt too open. It would have been nice if at least one aspect of the story had been tied up enough to leave me feeling satisfied but wanting more, instead of ‘Ugh, that’s how it ended?’

Overall, Depth of Field is a good continuation of Pippa’s story. If you enjoy realistic YA fiction with an authentic voice, I’d recommend this series. I’m looking forward to seeing where Pippa goes next and how she handles the hurdles ahead.

 

ECW Press was generous enough to send me an extra copy of Depth of Field to give away to one lucky winner! There's one free entry, and then you can do as many or as few entries as you like. ;-)

 

*Open to Canadian residents only (sorry everyone else, shipping is expensive!)

*Must be 16 years old or older to enter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out the entire tour line-up for more reviews, giveaways, and other fun stuff!

Words of Mystery - Friday, August 1 - Giveaway & Review

Sukasa Reads - Saturday, August 2 - Review & Giveaway

Stay Bookish - Monday, August 4 - Tisch Camp post, Dream Cast, Giveaway

Booking it with Hayley G - Tuesday, August 5 - Excerpt & Giveaway

The Book Belles - Wednesday, August 6 - Review

Read My Breath Away - Thursday, August 7 - Review

Write All the Words! - Friday, August 8 - Review & Guest Blog

Ramblings of a Daydreamer - Sunday, August 10 - Review & giveaway

The Book Bratz - Monday, August 11 - Review & Giveaway

  

Have you read The Rule of Thirds or Depth of Field? What did you think? If you haven't read them, are they on your TBR list?

 
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Review: Sweet Thing by Renee Carlino

Sweet Thing by Renee Carlino

Series: Standalone

Published: April 14th, 2013

Publisher: Formerly self-published, now published with Atria Books

331 pages (ebook)

Genre: Contemporary new adult

Acquired this book: From the author in exchange for an honest review

Warning: May contain spoilers

{GoodReads || Buy this book: Book Depository || Amazon || Kobo}

Mia Kelly is a twenty-five-year-old walking Gap ad who thinks she has life figured out when her father’s sudden death uproots her from slow-paced Ann Arbor to New York City’s bustling East Village. There she discovers her father’s spirit for life and the legacy he left behind with the help of an old café, a few eccentric friends, and one charming musician.

Will Ryan is good-looking, poetic, spontaneous, and on the brink of fame when he meets Mia, his new landlord, muse, and personal heartbreaker.

A story of self-discovery and friendship, Sweet Thing shines light on the power of loving and letting go.

I have really mixed feelings about Sweet Thing. The synopsis piqued my interest, as did the gorgeous cover (which was changed when the book was picked up by a publisher). Between that and the fact that reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, I went in with high hopes. While I liked the story itself, I hate to say that I had some pretty big issues with it.

My main issue was Mia. I don’t think I’ve ever disliked a main character more than I disliked Mia. In the prologue and the first chapter, she seemed like this strong, capable girl who had her act together, but from there, she completely fell apart. She was fickle and judgmental, she made (mostly wrong) assumptions about nearly everyone, but especially Will, she constantly jumped to conclusions, and she spent a great deal of time feeling sorry for herself.

The relationship between Will and Mia made me angry more often than not because of Mia’s attitude. She lead him on and was forever giving him mixed signals. She didn’t want him but didn’t want anyone else to have him and would get jealous if he so much as looked at another girl. She claimed Will was her best friend, but she didn’t seem to know him at all, or know that her ridiculous, judgmental assumptions about him were wrong.

As for Will, I liked him well enough. He was a different kind of male lead, which I liked. He was comfortable with himself and who he was, and he didn’t make excuses or apologies for his actions. He was affectionate and exuberant and spontaneous, and while I didn’t fall for him, I could see how some girls would. I didn’t understand what he saw in Mia, but I liked how loyal and patient he was while she didn’t know what the hell she wanted. 

About 90% of the way through the book, something magical happened. I stopped hating Mia. She finally got her shit together, pulled her head out of her ass, and stopped being a whiny, self-destructive girl. I won’t say it was too little too late, because she did mostly redeem herself, and I absolutely loved the ending, her song, and the epilogue. Loved. It saved the book in my opinion.

One thing I did love about Sweet Thing was the setting. I love books set in New York City, and I enjoyed getting to see bits of the city, the café, and Mia and Will’s apartment. The music aspect of the book was great, and I really enjoyed that. I also liked that there was quite a bit of humour to offset the serious, dramatic, and often-emotional aspects of the book.

I really don’t know how to sum up this review. It’s hard to like a book when you hate the main character. The fact that Mia redeemed herself and that the ending was good enough that it actually made me tear up says a lot, but it wasn’t enough to completely redeem the book for me. However, I will say that I enjoyed Carlino’s writing style, and I won’t hesitate to read books from her in the future, even though I didn’t love Sweet Thing. I also wouldn’t hesitate to tell people to give this one a shot, because I seem to be in the minority with my feelings, and I know many people have loved this book, so hopefully you will too!

2.5 stars

 

 

The first cover is the original cover; I liked its simplicity, and once you read the book, you realize it was really fitting. The second cover is beautiful and I love it. It's so completely different from the first, but it's unique and I like how everything ties together. The third cover is the new cover that the book got when Atria Books picked it up, and...I really don't like it. The first two were so fitting and this one is just...meh. It could be about almost any book. I do appreciate that it's different from other NA covers which tend to be all the same, but I think it's a shame they had to change it from something great to something so generic.

 Have you read Sweet Thing? What did you think? What do you think of the cover changes? Which one's you're favourite?

 

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Review: Born of Illusion by Teri Brown

Born of Illusion by Teri Brown

Series: Born of Illusion, Book #1

Published: June 11th, 2013

Publisher: Balzer & Bray

384 pages (e-ARC)

Genre: Young adult historic fiction/paranormal

Acquired this book: From the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

Warning: May contain spoilers

{GoodReads || Buy this book: Book Depository || Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

Anna Van Housen is thirteen the first time she breaks her mother out of jail. By sixteen she’s street smart and savvy, assisting her mother, the renowned medium Marguerite Van Housen, in her stage show and séances, and easily navigating the underground world of magicians, mediums and mentalists in 1920’s New York City. Handcuffs and sleight of hand illusions have never been much of a challenge for Anna. The real trick is keeping her true gifts secret from her opportunistic mother, who will stop at nothing to gain her ambition of becoming the most famous medium who ever lived. But when a strange, serious young man moves into the flat downstairs, introducing her to a secret society that studies people with gifts like hers, he threatens to reveal the secrets Anna has fought so hard to keep, forcing her to face the truth about her past. Could the stories her mother has told her really be true? Could she really be the illegitimate daughter of the greatest magician of all?

I’ve always had a fascination with magic and the 1920s, so Born of Illusion was one of my most anticipated books of 2013. I’m happy to say it didn’t disappoint. While I didn’t love it the way I expected to, I still really enjoyed it, and thought it was a solid debut from Teri Brown.

I liked Anna instantly. She was a strong main character with a distinctive voice. Having grown up in show business, she’d seen and done a lot more than the typical teenage girl of the 1920s. Her mother dragged her around from city to city to perform shows, so Anna never really had much of a home or a chance to lead a normal life. I sympathized with her desire to have a normal life, be loved, and find a real home. Her mother was selfish and entitled, and her refusal to let Anna have any of the spotlight or recognition made me so mad! Their bizarre relationship added great tension throughout the story, and I was always wondering what her mother would say or do next. 

"Gone is her mournful voice, replaced with a commandeering tone worthy of a queen. Mother is the master of a thousand voices and she uses each one with the skill of a butcher wielding a knife." 

~Taken from page 37 of the ARC of Born of Illusion by Teri Brown~

For me, the story started out strong and I had really high hopes. I liked Anna and connected with her, and I was curious about her life. Her mother seriously pissed me off, and I liked the potential romance that started to blossom. While the story held my interest throughout, parts of it felt a bit slow, and there was a lot of Anna’s inner dialogue, which tended to get a bit repetitive.

The writing in Born of Illusion was fantastic. Brown did a great job of describing both people and places, and I always felt like I was able to see and feel what Anna saw and felt. The first person present tense made everything feel that much more real, and made the underlying tension more pronounced. I really enjoyed that tension, as well as the mystery; even though I was pretty sure I had it figured out, I liked that it wasn’t easy to tell who to trust, and that each new character added a new dimension to the story.

Well written with dynamic characters, a fascinating setting, a hint of romance, wonderfully woven elements of the paranormal, and plenty of mystery and action, Born of Illusion has something for everyone, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.

*By the way, the next book in the series, Born of Deception, is apparently about Rasputin, which made me squee with barely contained glee. I’ve had this bizarre fascination with him since high school and I don’t think I’ve read any fiction involving him, so I’m really excited!

 

3.75 stars

 

 

Have you read Born of Illusion? What did you think? Do you like books set in the 1920s?

 

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