Tarun Shanker

Kelly Zekas

Evelyn is bored to death of society and even the dashing Mr. Kent can't change that. But when her beloved sister Rose is kidnapped, Ev suddenly has much more excitement that she'd ever wanted. Desperately searching all of London with only Mr. Kent to help, she has no time for distractions, especially ones like Sebastian Braddock - not only is the reclusive gentleman both vexing and surprisingly attractive, he's also quite possibly mad.Then she discovers that Sebastian's strange tales of special powers are actually true. 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...

These Vicious Masks

Jenny 

Why does this book have discussion topics at the end? If literature was like nutrition, then this book would be a deep fried Twinkie. I read the book knowing it would be meaningless fluff, a nice escape, and it was. The idea that it would prompt any discussion deeper than whether or not Mr. Kent was shag-worthy is laughable.

Siya S

3.5/5 But I round up to 4 because Sebastian was such a bae...

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OK, I kinda wonder why this book has been rated only 3.77 here in GR? Even one of my favorite reviewers hate it ;( Whyyyyyy??? The writing was witty and funny, the plot was interesting enough and the characters (aka Sebastian) are super likable. It's Victorian X-men for Christ's sake. Pride & Prejudice and the mutants. What's not to like??

I find the writing a bit slow at first, but once Evelyn got to London things began to click into places and off I went. The dialogues were witty, even hilarious at times. And the twists...well, they're nothing worth a dramatic gasp but they will definitely make you at least cringe in an "Oh God Why" fashion, no doubt about it.


   They seemed marvelously happy, and I had to question my own dissatisfaction. Was I simply too disagreeable, as Mother claimed? Would I grow just as bored of the Continent? And why was there a giant man starring through the window?


Evelyn (aka Elizabeth Bennet) was such an interesting character; she's a smart, independent Victorian young lady who tried to break free from the norms where girls meant only to do, well, girly girly wifey stuff, reproduce, and die miserably. And Sebastian Braddock (aka Mr. Darcy) OK I'm not gonna say much about the guy because you have to find out by yourself but omg...I love love the chemistry between the two. Every time these Evelyn and Sebastian got together I was mentally squealed throughout the scenes. Consider yourself warned This is a fangirling material, guys. 

I find the emotional scenes haven't been executed well enough. I just muttered "WTF"under my breath instead of bawling my eyes out as usual. The minor characters are mediocre and uninteresting. I didn't care much about them at all, annoyed even. But judging this as the first book of the series, I still insist it was a great introduction to a high potential YA series. I'm really really looking forward to read the next one!!

Gisela Ayala 

I picked up this book believing that I wanted a light read, something to pass the time. I did not think I would become this invested. Oh! I might also add that I decided to read this book because I thought it was a stand alone... it's not! At first, I was distraught! But after finishing, I'm happy that there will be another book, because I MUST know what happens next, especially with Mr. Kent. *insert sexy wink here* 

Plotwise These Vicious Masks was not a fast read and not an entirely captivating or life-changing read, but it was comical and delightful. 

The writing style took a bit to get used to because they really used a lot of Victorian-ish style language and at first I couldn't really get the emotions from the characters. Once you get past that, it was pretty easy because it is still pretty modern language when compared to a book that ACTUALLY came out during the Victorian era. 

I can relate very much to the main protagonist Evelyn. She absolutely detests England Society and wishes she didn't have to put up with it. Don't we all Evelyn? She is feisty and clever and I really hope in the next book she does a lot more. Although, she is the main character I don't feel like she was really in the action, or was put into action. Mostly she was reacting. But I guess when you take into account that this is the victorian era and Mr. Braddock and Mr. Kent kept telling her to stay put for safety, she would be reacting. Don't get me wrong, there were some points in the story where it was all her idea, and I appreciated her even more for that. 

Now emotionally though... Gah!! That love declaration in the end! I was completely swooning!!! (I know, I know. So corny, but true!) I'm all for strong and independent women, but I need Mr. Kent and Evelyn to be together. That would make me the happiest girl in the world.

Jane Austen meets X-Men in this thrilling Victorian adventure full of magic and mysticism, perfect for anyone who loves a confident, rebellious heroine, snappy dialogue, and a hint of romance. England, 1882. Evelyn is bored with society and its expectations. So when her beloved sister, Rose, mysteriously vanishes, she ignores her parents and travels to London to find her, accompanied by the dashing Mr. Kent. But they're not the only ones looking for Rose. The reclusive, young gentleman Sebastian Braddock is also searching for her, claiming that both sisters have special healing powers. Evelyn is convinced that Sebastian must be mad, until she discovers that his strange tales of extraordinary people are true—and that her sister is in graver danger than she feared. Chosen by readers like you for Macmillan's young adult imprint Swoon Reads, These Vicious Masks is an action-packed, genre-bending novel by debut authors Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas. Praise for These Vicious Masks: "Striking a strong balance between romance and mystery, this novel captures society’s rules just as well as it does the unbelievable powers of the main characters. Readers will easily be swept up in its fast pace and sympathetic narrator, who is filled with both self-doubt and resolve to do anything to protect those she loves. This is a perfect pick for someone who wants a little magic in their Victorian novels, and its combination of historical fiction and mysticism will remind readers of Libba Bray’s Gemma Doyle trilogy." —Booklist "This tale has brisk pacing, plenty of action, and a heroine with more than her fair share of girl-power confidence." —School Library Journal “This is a great read, compelling and addictive. Well written and great character development you cannot stop reading. I was spellbound from the beginning and I thoroughly enjoyed the journey!” —Sue Speakman, reader on Swoon Reads.com “My favorite thing about this book is the dialogue. The authors intricately composed period-style phrasing with a modern-day wit that is incredibly nuanced and thoughtful – very well done. I was successfully transported by the characters in a way that rivaled my indulgence in Harry Potterland.” —Cayla O'Connell, reader on SwoonReads.com “So much fun! Like a story by one of the Bronte sisters or Jane Austen, except the characters are much more self-aware and genre-savvy.” —Duncan Pflaster, reader on SwoonReads.com

Sheila

Becky

I loved it. I knew I'd love it, but you can never be too sure based simply from a good book summary. I did love it, though. It really is Jane Austen meets X-Men. It took a while for the story to really get going, but once it did I was enthralled. I would have stayed in reading all night if I hadn't already had plans.

I loved all of the characters and their unusual abilities. And the dialogue! I love witty writing, give me a bit of witty banter and I'm sorted. Every element of this book was simply written for me to love it. I certainly hope there is another book. I will be first in line to buy it.

Zoe Murphy

General thoughts:

I really enjoyed the character development and the premise of this book. The middle parts, though, all seemed really similar to me and just meshed together a bit. That may be because I took a break reading it but that is how I feel about it. The ending was amazing and a lot darker than I had pictured it but I think it makes it all the more compelling. I can't wait to read the second book and see how things progress in this story since it could've been a standalone novel with the way it ended, but I do enjoy book series with less noticeable overarching plots so I think it'll be interesting.

Overall, I think the book lived up to it's tag of a mix of Jane Austen and X-Men and I found it strikingly unique.

Elle

Wren Hardwick

I thought the main character was hilarious. She was witty, self-aware and takes matters into her own hands. She was a great leading character and some of the side characters were hilarious.

But the story itself was a little predictable for me. I feel as if this would be a great entry-book into the young-adult fantasy genre. It was just a fun read for me, but I also found myself thinking of my next book, which is never a good sign. It wasn’t bad at all! Just... nothing new for me.

Pamela Alvarado

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

In a world where book blurbs tend to be effectively deceiving, a book that actually delivers what the blurb promises is rare. These Vicious Masks is one of those lucky guys. I couldn’t agree more with it being considered at mix between Jane Austen and X-Men. Actually, the description is spot-on.

 
SOME THINGS I LOVED


The Heroine

The story introduces us to Evelyn, who is a witty brat, and she deserves all the love! Seriously, take notes everyone. Although she comes off as frustrating a lot of times, my favorite trait of hers is how she just refuses to give up even when she has two guys that are falling over themselves to do the work for her (for varying reasons).

In some cases, this really annoyed me because she was stupidly throwing herself into dangerous situations. Although, on the other side, I kind of understand why she did it. Her parents had stopped supporting her. Her sister’s reputation and hers in line. Two men who aren’t entirely trustworthy. I guess I could easily see myself saying ‘consequences be dammed, I gotta find my sister’ in her position.

 

The Backdrop

Victorian London. Not a fun place to live in if you have problems with following society’s rules. Regardless, the entire thing was so well-written in this aspect that I almost forgot I do not like Victorian London. From how the characters spoke, to of what they spoke and place description.

In addition, it’s amazing how the supernatural element is woven in without representing a whole other aspect. It’s all part of the setting.

 

WHAT I DIDN’T LOVE AS MUCH

 
Romance? Or the Lack of Romance?

This isn’t normally a problem. I do like romance in my books, but if there isn’t any, well, I won’t throw a fit because of it. But it is a problem if there are too many things pointing at the existence of significant romance, and then being disappointed.

The synopsis doesn’t state that Evelyn might end up with someone, but I kind of feel deceived by the story itself. I'm not saying I make any sense, but it still didn't sit right with me, that there wasn't any closure on this matter. 

Even if she didn't end up with anyone (hey, that is totally cool too!), some closure about her thoughts on her feelings would've been great.

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Evelyn has no interest in marriage and even the dashing Mr. Kent can't inspire her to give in to society's expectations. She'd much rather assist her beloved sister Rose in her radical quest to become a doctor. Then she meets Sebastian Braddock. The reclusive gentleman is vexing, annoyingly attractive, and quite possibly mad - and his interest in Rose is galling. So when Rose disappears, Sebastian is immediately suspect. Yet Sebastian's strange tales of special powers soon prove to be true, and Evelyn learns that Rose's kidnappers have much 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 his secrets are the most dangerous of all . . . Debut-novelists Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas have created a charming, witty and exciting romance, chosen by readers, writers and publishers for the Swoon Reads imprint.

These Vicious Masks

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