Review: The Treachery of Beautiful Things

Author: Ruth Frances Long
Release Date: August 16, 2012
Publisher: Dial Books
Pages: 363
Source: NetGalley
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The trees swallowed her brother whole.  And Jenny was there to see it.  Years later, when she returns to the woods where Tom was taken to say good-bye at last, she finds herself lured into a world where stunning beauty masks the most treacherous of evils, and strange and dangerous creatures await-creatures who seem to consider her the threat.  Among them is Jack, mercurial and magnetic, with allegiances that shift as much as his moods.  Determined to find her brother, with or without Jack's help, Jenny struggles to navigate a faerie world where nothing is what it seems, no one is who they say, and she's faced with a choice between salvation or sacrifice-and not just her own.

(One of) My Favorite Line(s):  "'Beware a kiss,' he told her.  'Kisses are powerful things.  You expose a part of your soul.'"

Why I Loved It:  Now I first requested this book because it sounded a bit like the Iron Fey series.  I'll admit, I still haven't finished that series yet, but I really loved the first book in the series.  So I thought, why not?  And I'm so glad that I pushed request.  Due to a research paper that is due Monday, I was supposed to be working on that.  True reading a novel is always preferable over writing research papers, but I found that all worth ethic was being sucked away into the book.  If you love YA fantasy, and you are not hooked by just the prologue, then I will say that there is probably something wrong with you.  The writing in the book seemed to get better and better the more I read.  The world seemed to grow and twist and turn until it had evolved time and time again to something even more incredible.

Anyone familiar with the world of fae will know how dangerous that world can be.  I couldn't help it though.  The danger was beautiful in a way that took my breath away at times.  I found myself swept away in the craziness that surrounded Jenny.  And I loved Jack.

Now the true test of a novel like this is in its ability to stand alone.  Most people will want to read it because of The Iron Fey series.  I find that I'm not wanting to compare the books because the book owned its own place, so I think it has passed with flying colors.  The story was very different, but just as magical.

Who Should Read It:  If you read and loved the Iron Fey series, you should pick this one up too.  Lovers of YA fantasy would probably like it too.  Cover whores should try and pick it up too.  That cover is beautiful.

Warning: Book may extinguish work ethic and cause excessive reading.

Special thanks to Penguin for letting me read the book in exchange for my honest review.