The Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Frances Long Published by Dial (8.16.2012)
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Format: eARC, 385 pages
Source: NetGalley
Buy on Amazon
A darkly compelling mix of romance, fairy tale, and suspense from a new voice in teen fiction
The trees swallowed her brother whole, and Jenny was there to see it. Now seventeen, she revisits the woods where Tom was taken, resolving to say good-bye at last. Instead, she's lured into the trees, where she finds strange and dangerous creatures who seem to consider her the threat. Among them is Jack, mercurial and magnetic, with secrets of his own. Determined to find her brother, with or without Jack's help, Jenny struggles to navigate a faerie world where stunning beauty masks some of the most treacherous evils, and she's faced with a choice between salvation or sacrifice--and not just her own.
My thoughts
Aside from the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning and Iron Fey by Julie Kagawa, this is one of the top books I’ve read about fae! I didn’t love it necessarily, but I really really liked it! And to be honest, I didn’t expect to enjoy it half as much as I actually did. I’m kinda picky about faerie stories, and let’s face it, there’s a lot of mediocre stories about fae. But The Treachery of Beautiful Things was enchanting and magical and I flew through it in a matter of hours! The title of this book couldn’t be any more perfect for a book about fae – treacherous, beautiful fae.
There was definitely no lack of danger or action in this one, which is mostly why I enjoyed it so much. From the very beginning right up until the end, it is packed with action scenes that will keep you on the edge of your proverbial seat.
The world building was fantastic. So full of magic! There were tons of creatures I already knew (including Puck!) and a few that I hadn’t heard before, like Foletti’s, Kobolds, and Leczis. Long brought them all to life with her beautiful imagery. I liked the twist on Titania and Mab, and the meaning of a jack-in-the-box. Very interesting!
Jenny was a great lead. While she wasn’t outright kick-ass, she was still strong. She had one bad thing happen after another and still managed to hold her shit together. I would surely have been curled up into the fetal position after only half of what she went through. I definitely admired her resilience and her courage! She shouldered it all without much complaint and no sniveling (because who likes that in a lead?). She only irritated me once – when she basically pulled a 5-year-old stunt, all but sticking her fingers in her ears and saying lalalalalalalaaaaIcan’thearyoulalalalallaaaa. I was quite disappointed in her at that point – and frankly wanted to slap the crap out of her – but thankfully that moment was short lived.
Jack…ohhh, Jack! I loved him from the second I found out he had heterochromia (I’m a sucker for that). One blue eye and one green eye?? Yes, please!! So awesome. He was kinda hard to figure out at first, because you don’t know exactly what side he was on or what his motive really was. But I found myself getting attached to him right along with Jenny. And the twist of his identity? Sooo didn’t figure that out.
The ending…ehrmagerd. I admit that I got a little misty there towards the end. And I must say I totally adore Jack!! *sigh*
Love fae stories? Or maybe you’re not a big fan because you haven’t found the right one? Pick this one up. It’s worth it, I promise.
A lifelong fan of fantasy, romance, and ancient mysteries, Ruth Frances Long studied English Literature, History of Religions, and Celtic Civilization in college and now works in a specialized library of rare and unusual books. She lives in County Wicklow, Ireland. The Treachery of Beautiful Things is her first novel for teens.
Wonderful review! I believe we shared similar thoughts.
Thank you for participating!
Christina K. in the rafflecopter
This sounds so original! I love how Jenny isn’t your traditional kick-ass character but has her own strength:)
Thanks so much:)
So nice to see a review and a giveaway for this great-looking book. Thanks very much.
Thanks for the amazing giveaway~! I love the cover
Thanks for the giveaway! This book sounds amazing!
Great post! Glad you enjoyed this one. I’ve heard good things about it. Thanks for the giveaway! :D
Thanks for the giveaway!
I love this cover so much!!!
Fabulous review! I’ve heard mixed reviews for this but I think this one tipped me over to reading it. The cover is stunning and the premise is so interesting!
Thanks for the giveaway :)
Great review! Also love the unique content of the book. Thanks for the chance to win!
Fantastic review! I love your blog! It’s easy to navigate and fun! Thanks for the giveaway!
Thanks you for this giveaway!
I sooooo wanna read this! I actually heard the title first and without knowing anything about the book I thought, “I’ve gotta read that one!” Loved your review, and if you think it compares favorably with your two most favorite series of all, then I definitely want to read it even more!!
wow i like the cover of the book but i not seen you as author and would love to read and blog on it and put it over the net
desi the blode at msn dot com
Wow! Great blog stop! I can’t wait to read this book!
I do find myself going back and forth about Fae books. Sounds like you hit the jackpot with this one and I would love to give it a try for myself. Thank you for sharing with us today and for this awesome giveaway opportunity. :)
This book sounds delicious <3 I've ordered it and I'm waiting eagerly to get it in my hands. Thanks for the lovely review!
Hope you enjoy it Mel!!