Book Review: Masque of the Red Death (Masque of the Red Death #1) by Bethany Griffin

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:

Release Date: April 24, 2012
Publisher: Harper Collins
320 Pages

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.

VISIT THE AUTHOR:

Goodreads.Twitter.Website.Facebook

FIND THE BOOK:

Goodreads.Amazon.Barnes & Noble

Review:

Masque of the Red Death had probably the most interesting, amazing, intriguing cover that I've seen so far in 2012. I was captivated by how creepy it was. I wanted to get my hands on it before I even read the summary. And then I read the summary and needed it even more! My mother, being the generous woman she is, bought it for me during a quick Barnes & Noble trip. Even she thought the cover was awesome!

The book is based off of a story written by Edgar Allen Poe. The original is scary just as most of Mr. Poe's stories are. The author of Masque of the Red Death, Bethany Griffin, plays off the already horrifying idea that he created and turns into a full-fledged novel. Before starting this new spin-off, I definitely recommend reading Mr. Poe's version. It really builds up the book that Ms. Griffin writes.

The writing is haunting. I could feel the character's unhappiness and desperation as I read. Araby's desolate feelings radiated off the page and really stuck with me. This book grabbed at me and held me captive for the beginning. The phrasing was wonderful. It read at a fast pace and the books moved through time steadily. It was great to read a book that didn't dawdle with the plot. Masque of the Red Death dove right into story.

I did run into some trouble though. I found myself falling for the guy that I'm pretty sure Araby won't end up with. I always do that, but since this is a series, I have hope (some) that Araby will come to her senses. Even though both guys are pretty awesome, in totally different ways, I sided with one immediately and stuck with that side through the entire book. I won't tell you who, because I don't want to give away what happens - but know that I LOVE HIM.

I got nervous as I was reading this so it took me a while. When something happens that I don't like happens in a book, I start to stray and bide my time while reading. That happened with this one. While the plot and the characters are most intriguing, I just started to… not really "lose interest," but I found myself worried that I wasn't going to like the book or that it would turn into a story that was more about which guy she was going to pick than the amazing plot that the author set up.

The idea of the "Red Death" is terrifying. I'm literally haunted by the idea, but I can't help but fall in love with the creepy way that the author writes it. I am not horror fan by any means, but this deadly and dangerous disease really took me captive. The idea of this actually occurring would be no means be as entertaining, but I couldn't help but to put myself in Araby's shoes. I was curious about everything that had led up to this and how people were able to live through it. The plot idea was just perfect.

I really enjoyed this book. It wasn't perfect, but it was pretty darn close. And what's even better? By the end, I didn't hate the love triangle! Woo-hoo! Ms. Griffin writes an amazing tale, full of love, betrayal, twists, turns, horror and adventure! I recommend this to anyone who's not afraid of the dark.