These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker, Kelly Zekas Publisher: Swoon Reads (2016 - Feb 9)
eARC (352 pages)
Via: NetGalley
Rating:
Reading Challenges: Read 2015
Synopsis
Evelyn has no interest in marriage and even the dashing Mr. Kent can’t make her want to live up to society’s expectations. She’d much rather assist her beloved sister Rose in achieving her radical dream of becoming a doctor. But everything changes the night she meets Sebastian Braddock – not only is the reclusive gentleman both vexing and annoyingly attractive, he’s also quite possibly mad, and his interest in Rose is galling. So when Evelyn wakes up to discover that Rose has disappeared, she immediately suspects Sebastian.
But then she discovers that Sebastian’s strange tales of special powers are actually true, and that Rose’s kidnappers have worse in mind for her than simply ruining her reputation. Surrounded by secrets, lies, and unprecedented danger, Evelyn has no choice but to trust Sebastian, yet she can’t help but worry that Sebastian’s secrets are the most dangerous of all…
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My Review
Oh. My. Goodness. This book was so unexpected and yet so utterly great.
Miss Evelyn Wyndham and her sister, Rose, have grown up in a small, country village. They have become well-known for their nursing abilities. It is precisely because of these abilities that Rose is kidnapped from their home. Everyone seems to believe it was Rose herself who ran away except Evelyn.
Evelyn recalls a tall man with great strength whom she saw the night before, trying to convince her sister to go with him to heal a friend. Evelyn also recalls that Mr. Braddock, the nephew of their host from the night before, threw the strange man out. However, Evelyn doesn’t think she can trust Mr. Sebastian Braddock and so she takes off to London with Mr. Nicholas Kent to search for Rose.
In London, Evelyn is forced to accept the help of both Mr. Kent and Mr. Braddock if she wants to see her sister again. The mystery of the strange “powers” Mr. Braddock mentioned worm their way into Evelyn’s life no matter how much she would like to believe it isn’t so.
I don’t even know quite what to say without giving too much away. This is such a fast-paced mystery with historical accuracy and the paranormal “powers.” There are parts of this book that are slow. Some things are a bit too “convenient” in the way they occur. However, Evelyn’s witty comments and that ending definitely earned it a solid five stars.
Now, because I can’t just leave you like that, I’ll share some of my favorite quotes from These Vicious Masks.
Was the man cleverer than he looked, or just crazier?
The line separating the two seemed rather thin.
~Miss Evelyn Wyndham~
As I recall from last night, my full, honest answers were not to your liking.
At least cryptic responses require less breath.
~Mr. Sebastian Braddock~
Then if that’s what it takes, by all means, let’s get ourselves killed.
~Mr. Nicholas Kent~
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley for
review consideration. This in no way affects my opinion of the title
nor the content of this review.
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