Masque of Red Death #1
Author: Bethany Griffin
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publish Date: April 24, 2012
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Just when I thought I had everything figured out in this book, Bethany Griffin throws in a twist toward the end and killed all my hopes for Araby. THEN tosses in another to give me new hope. I cannot tell too much about these twist as it changes the entire layout of the book. AND not in a bad way.
Araby is a girl who lives in a rich part of town, but she isn't supposed to live there as her family is really poor, but because of her father being a scientist that "saved humanity" by providing the designs for life saving masks to protect against the disease they are allowed to stay protected in the towers. (whew long sentence) Araby then if friendly with a rich girl who doesn't seem to realize, nor care about the people who are dying in the city below. Instead her girl friend just wants to party and forget the death. Araby cannot forget because she knows it is very small circumstances that separate her from the dying people on the street.
Araby gets pulled in to the life of two men, Will the bouncer at the dance club who has two younger siblings at home he cares for and Elliot, the brother of Araby's girl friend who has an ulterior plan. Bethany Griffin does a spectacular job of pulling the reader in to having preconceived notions yet, she keeps throwing in situations that surprised me into changing who I thought was best for Araby. I wanted Araby to have a life with Will the bouncer. He was sweet and kind and thoughtful and understood where she was coming from, but mostly because Elliot seemed self-centered and preoccupied with being a rebel against the cause. Then Elliot would show compassion and woop, my thoughts changed toward him. Each guy was mysterious enough to keep me guessing to whom she would end up with and in the end it all blew up anyway. I wanted to stand on my bed and scream, NO YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! Great ending!!
I really enjoyed that Bethany Griffin gave the impression it was an open and closed book, but in reality she threw in the perfect twists and turns to make me crave the next book in this series.
Summary -
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.
