Book Review: Diamonds & Deceit by Leila Rasheed

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Publication Date: January 7, 2014

Series: At Somerton #2

Genre: Young Adult Historical Fiction

Acquired From: Public Library

SYNOPSIS

A house divided...

London is a whirl of balls and teas, alliances and rivalries. Rose has never felt more out of place. With the Season in full swing, she can't help but still feel a servant dressed up in diamonds and silk. Then Rose meets Alexander Ross, a young Scottish duke, Rose has heard the rumors about Ross's sordid past just like everyone else has. Yet he alone treats her as a friend. Rose knows better than to give her heart to an aristocrat with such a reputation, but it may be too late.  

Ada should be happy. She is engaged to a handsome man who shares her political passions and has promised to support her education. So why does she feel hollow inside? Even if she hated Lord Fintan, she would have no choice but to go through with the marriage. Every day a new credit collector knocks on the door of their London flat, demanding payment for her cousin William's expenditures. Her father's heir seems determined to bring her family to ruin, and only a brilliant marriage can save Somerton Court and the Averleys' reputation.

Meanwhile, at Somerton, Sebastian is out of his mind with worry for his former valet Oliver, who refuses to plead innocent to the murder charges against him--for a death caused by Sebastian himself. Sebastian will do whatever he can to help the boy he loves, but his indiscretion is dangerous fodder for a reporter with sharp eyes and dishonorable intentions.

The colorful cast of the At Somerton series returns in this enthralling sequel about class and fortune, trust and betrayal, love and revenge.

-From Goodreads

REVIEW

I absolutely flew through Diamonds & Deceit. It was such a wonderful read, and I have to say that I enjoyed it much more than the first novel. Therefore I can easily give Diamonds & Deceit 4.5 out of 5 stars.

There were a lot of things to love about this novel. There was a lot of great character growth in this sequel, particularly from Charlotte, even though it didn't happen until the very end. It was fast paced and contained a good number of twists and turns to keep your interest. And it was filled with emotion that made you feel as if you were part of this world. While the romance was a key plot point, it didn't dominate the story. It fleshed out the other emotions--particularly the betrayal and venom that came throughout the story--in a way that made the novel feel very real. There was mystery and tragedy. A beautiful, breathtaking story that I'll gladly read again.  

 

 

 

 

Cinders & Sapphires by Leila Rasheed

At Somerton #1
Disney-Hyperion
January 22, 2013
YA Historical Fiction

ACQUIRED: Public library

SYNOPSIS

One house, two worlds...

Rose Cliffe has never met a young lady like her new mistress. Clever, rich, and beautiful, Ada Averley treats Rose as an equal. And Rose could use a friend. Especially now that she, at barely sixteen, has risen to the position of ladies' maid. Rose knows she should be grateful to have a place at a house like Somerton. Still, she can't help but wonder what her life might have been had she been born a lady, like Ada.

For the first time in a decade, the Averleys have returned to Somerton, their majestic ancestral estate. But terrible scandal has followed Ada's beloved father all the way from India. Now Ada finds herself torn between her own happiness and her family's honor. Only she has the power to restore the Averley name--but it would mean giving up her one true love... someone she could never persuade her father to accept.

Sumptuous and enticing, the first novel in the At Somerton series introduces two worlds, utterly different yet entangled, where ruthless ambition, forbidden attraction, and unspoken dreams are hidden behind dutiful smiles and glittering jewels. All those secrets are waiting... at Somerton. 

-From Goodreads

REVIEW

This one was a difficult one to call, mostly because it was hard for me to get into at the start. It was a close race for the good and the bad on this one, and in the end I settled on a solid 3 out of 5 stars for Cinders & Sapphires. 

One of the things I loved about this book was that it had plenty of interesting twists and lots of drama. There was always something going on with some character. I particularly enjoyed Sebastian's story line, even though the story itself is about primarily about Rose and Ada. It was an interesting twist on the 20's in Britain. The novel also had some very well done characters: characters that were well rounded and seemed to leap off the page. 

There were some bad things about the novel as well. And when I say bad things, I mean that they are things that made it hard for me to give the novel a great rating. Things seemed to happen very abruptly in the novel, going from one thing to another without a whole lot of explanation as to why they were occurring. And while they eventually became well done plot devices, it did put me off a bit that there were several cliched that were used in the novel. The biggest one was the fact that there is the overdone "impossible love" angle. As well as the "good" angelic girl versus the "bad" scheming girl. Of course, they're used well, but they were a bit off putting.

By the end of the novel however, I was invested and loving the story. It took a while, but it was worth it. I look forward to book two.