Tangled Webs

Tangled Webs #1

by Lee Bross

London, 1725. Everybody has a secret. Lady A will keep yours—for a price. This sumptuous, scandalous YA novel is wickedly addictive.

Lady A is the most notorious blackmailer in the city. With just a mask and a gown to disguise her, she sweeps into lavish balls and exclusive events collecting the most valuable currency in 1725 London—secrets.

But leading a double life isn't easy. By day Lady A is just a sixteen-year-old girl named Arista who lives in fear of her abusive master, Bones, and passes herself off as a boy to move safely through the squalor of London's slums. When Bones attempts to dispose of his pawn forever, Arista is rescued by the last person she expects: Jonathan Wild, an infamous thief who moves seamlessly between the city's criminal underworld and its most elite circles. Arista partners with Wild on her own terms in the hopes of saving enough money to buy passage out of London.

Everything changes when she meets Grae Sinclair, the son of a wealthy merchant. Grae has traveled the world, seen the exotic lands Arista has longed to escape to her whole life, and he loves Arista for who she is—not for what she can do for him. Being with Grae gives something Arista something precious that she swore off long ago: hope. He has promised to help Arista escape the life of crime that has claimed her since she was a child. But can you ever truly escape the past?

Genres: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Romance, Historical, Steampunk, Mystery, Fantasy

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 23, 2015

Reviews

[Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies · Rating 1 out of 5]

What was she doing?

She had one job tonight. She had not come to the masquerade to lose herself in wistful dreams. Or in the eyes of the most intriguing young man she’d ever met. She should not wonder which exotic lands he had seen, nor wish to hear more about them. No, she should be meeting Lord Huntington and finishing up Bones’s business. Yet there she stood.

This book is fantastic if you're into insta-love, love triangles, and an allegedly cunning spy whose mind is constantly preoccupied with romance. The main character is supposed to be an accomplished, hardened spy who has spent her entire life as a thief, street urchin, and blackmailer. Theoretically, she should be tough. In actuality, she is filled with emotions, and spends much of the book feeling overwhelmed, in tears, and in blushes.

So many emotions crowded in her throat that it became impossible to take a full breath. Tears filled her eyes and she blinked rapidly to keep them from spilling over. This was so much more than she’d ever allowed herself to dream of that it completely overwhelmed her.

The main character has no common sense. I could see gigantic gaping holes in her plot the entire book. The key to being successful as a spy, a blackmailer, is to not reveal your secrets. Don't get close to people. Don't reveal your weaknesses. She did all of the above. She has no instincts, she does not see repeated coincidences for the traps they are, and remains consistently stupid for the entire book.

Arista is a 17-year old orphan with the hardest-knock life of all. Orphaned since a child, she has been sold to a slavemaster who collects orphans to train them to be thieves. It's survival of the fittest, and somehow Arista has managed to survive this long using her wits, I'm not sure how, considering how incredibly fucking dumb she has been for the entire book, but that's her alleged history.

Currently, she is her master Bones' prize. She uses her wits to act as a blackmailer, collecting information from the wealthy, and using them to garner riches for her boss. She attends masquerades disguised as Lady A to conduct her business...she's mysterious, deadly, efficient. All of the following were proved completely wrong the moment Arista falls into insta-love in the first mission we witness with Grae.

“Have you ever been on a ship before?” he asked, drawing her eyes back to him. All his attention was focused on her, despite the array of beautiful women eyeing him as they walked by. A thrill of pleasure washed over her.

A ship! Bitches love ships! And immediately she is distracted from her mission.

Have you been to India? The phantom voice filled her head. How could she explain that she was not herself because she’d been so close to her dreams of escape?

But the msyterious, disguised gentleman isn't the only one making her heart flutter that night, for Arista has also been holding a secret tendre for her childhood friend Nic. Nic is a fellow orphan, throughout her childhood with Bones, he has protected her, shielded her from so many beatings. And so quickly does Arista's attention span flees the instant she falls into insta-love with Grae.

Yes, she could feel something—had, in fact, earlier in the evening. Only it wasn’t her longtime friend, the boy she thought herself in love with, who made her body tingle with awareness. It wasn’t Nic’s promise that made her heart pound erratically as she sat in the darkness.

It was the memory of a dark-eyed stranger in a highwayman’s disguise that made her yearn for so much more than this life.

Repeatedly, Arista finds herself distracted from her true job.

He had filled her thoughts constantly over the past several nights, despite her best efforts to push him away. She stared up at him, waiting, fighting the breathlessness that had made it difficult to inhale normally.

You’re here to do a job, she reminded herself.

Repeatedly, she finds herself fighting off attraction for a guy when she should be focused on fighting for her life. Arista keeps thinking about him in the most inappropriate moments, like when she is nearly discovered for the blackmailer she is.

Her pulse quickened, despite the precarious position she was in. There was a tone of vulnerability under the steely rage in his voice. It made her stomach twist in unexpected ways. It made her remember their brief time together. She, too, had wished they might meet again under the safety of a disguise. Heat surged to her cheeks. She had to be glowing like a lantern. Did he remember the kiss as well as she did?

She had a chance for escape, and she blew it. I could not believe how incredibly dumb she is. She reveals to her enemies that she cares for certain people, that's fucking dumb. If you reveal your weaknesses, if you reveal that you love someone, those people can be held hostage to make you comply. It's fucking common sense and I cannot believe such an allegedly witty, cunning, clever girl can be such a dumb bitch.

Arista constantly flushes, blushes, heat constantly floods her face. She cries, she is overwhelmed, she sobs, she falls into tears. I'm sick of it and I'm sick of this book. She's such a fucking martyr. I wanted a strong, brave character. I don't want a weeping mess.

The words were punctuated by huge sobs ripping from her chest. He couldn’t really want her or love her. She was nothing. An orphan girl with no past.

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Disney Book Group and NetGalley.)

“What if she could turn Arista into a proper lady who could attend the parties where jewels and money were ripe for the picking? Bones’s greed had become their savior.”



There wasn’t anything awful about this book, I just didn’t really enjoy it.

Arista was a girl who did her job well, and looked out for those she cared about. She wasn’t treated well, but at least she wasn’t forced into a brothel.

"She would never forget the night Nic had told her that Bones planned to sell her and Becky to the brothels. Arista would have died first."

The storyline in this was about Arista leading a double life, posing as a Lady whilst selling people’s secrets, but I just got bored, pretty quick, and I didn’t really care what was going on.

“You of all people should know, sir, that there is no such thing as trust among thieves.”



There was some romance, but even that didn’t interest me, and I was just really, really pleased to get to the end of this. I’m thankful that this was wrapped up rather than ending as a cliff-hanger, because I don’t really want to read another book in this series.



6 out of 10

[Maja (The Nocturnal Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful exteriors often hide the nastiest things, in life and literature alike. We learn that lesson very early in life, and we readers quickly learn to be wary of gorgeous covers. But the wariness can make us miss out, and Tangled Webs has a lot more to offer than just the pretty swirls and colors on its dust jacket.

Not many YA books take place in the 18th century, so when I first read ‘London 1725’ in the summary, I was immediately drawn to it. It must be said that Tangled Webs doesn’t offer many historical details, but it also avoids any accuracies. Because of the fast pacing, going into descriptions of historical settings and society could have been disastrous for this book. Bross gave us just enough to ground his story, but not enough to burden it.

We meet Arista as Lady A, a lady with a feathered mask who trades secrets and blackmails the rich, but not for her own gain. Underneath the ladylike behavior and glamour is a street urchin, a hungry orphan with nothing left to lose. Arista was bought from the orphanage when she was five or six, and taken to be a crime lord’s many child beggars and pickpockets. But as she grew, she learned to talk and act like a lady, all to prove herself useful and save her own life.

Arista has only two friends, the slightly older Nic, her protector, and the former maid, Becky, who is responsible for her clothes and manners. They may be the only people she trusts, but they are constantly used to threaten her into obedience. Through it all, through pain and impossible circumstances, Arista has a backbone of steel. She is sometimes a bit naïve, having missed out on any and all normal experiences, but she is fierce, dependable and kind-hearted.

The romance may just be the weakest part of this book, not only because it’s instalove, but because I never saw any actual trust develop between Arista and Grae. Pretty words and infatuation are what it all came down to. Arista kept working around Grae instead of with him which, while understandable, was also incredibly frustrating.

If I were a nitpicky sort of person in a nitpicky sort of mood, I could find at least twenty seven things wrong with this book. But I’m not, and I won’t. At the end of the day, Tangled Webs is a flawed but entertaining story that kept me awake for most of the night and even made me cry at times.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Tangled Webs by Lee Bross
Book One of the Tangled Webs series
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publication Date: June 23, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

London, 1725. Everybody has a secret. Lady A will keep yours—for a price. This sumptuous, scandalous YA novel is wickedly addictive.

Lady A is the most notorious blackmailer in the city. With just a mask and a gown to disguise her, she sweeps into lavish balls and exclusive events collecting the most valuable currency in 1725 London—secrets.

But leading a double life isn't easy. By day Lady A is just a sixteen-year-old girl named Arista who lives in fear of her abusive master, Bones, and passes herself off as a boy to move safely through the squalor of London's slums. When Bones attempts to dispose of his pawn forever, Arista is rescued by the last person she expects: Jonathan Wild, the infamous Thief Taker General who moves seamlessly between the city's criminal underworld and its most elite upper circles. Arista partners with Wild on her own terms in the hopes of saving enough money to buy passage out of London.

Everything changes when she meets Graeden Sinclair, the son of a wealthy merchant. Grae has traveled the world, has seen the exotic lands Arista has longed to escape to her whole life, and he loves Arista for who she is—not for what she can do for him. Being with Grae gives something Arista something precious that she swore off long ago: hope. He has promised to help Arista escape the life of crime that has claimed her since she was a child. But can you ever truly escape the past?

What I Liked:

When I first saw the name "Arista", I was just the slightest bit turned off. I don't like the name (though it's not TOO bad), but also, I didn't like Lady Arista from Kerstin Gier's Ruby Red trilogy very much (she's a snobby grandmother, so I don't think we're supposed to like her). But Arista from Tangled Webs turned out to be quite a fun and likable character. I enjoyed reading her story, and I sympathized and felt bad for her often. This story was a breath of fresh air, after all those three-star reads I've gone through recently!

The setting is London, 1725. Arista is secretly Lady A, a young woman who everyone knows works for Bones, a dangerous man known for his blackmailing. The highest payer will have their secrets kept by Bones. But fail to pay, and your secrets are out. Lady A ensures that secrets are found out and payments are made. This is not a comfortable life, and Arista wants to leave forever and go to India. When a night on the job goes wrong, Arista finds herself in the clutches of a new thief and blackmailer, deceptively no better than Bones. Arista has things to lose - her friend Becky, her budding relationship with Graeden Sinclair and his family... Arista is caught in a web of deceit, and there is no easy way out.

I love historical fiction! This book is heavily historical, and I enjoyed it. There were some anachronisms in terms of the speech, I believe, but I tried not to let it bother me too much (they weren't common and they were *almost* passable as common across all time periods). I didn't spot too many other anachronisms, which was nice. The historical aspect of this book was lovely! Of course, Arista's existence as Lady A is odd, but this is where we use our imagination.

I like Arista very much. She is hardened and brave, sly and clever. She isn't as devious and malicious as her Lady A reputation might imply. She wants to be free of it all, to go to India and never come back. Arista never wanted to work for Bones, or Wild. She had no choice in either matter, and it was losing her freedom all over again when she "joined" Wild. It's hard not to feel sorry for Arista, given her difficult past, present, and future. But I like how strong she is, how cool and collected yet sad and emotional-filled she is. She isn't a conscience-less thief!

By chance and terrible timing, Arista and her lady's maid/friend Becky are abandoned by Bones, and are snatched up by Wild (sort of). Arista makes a deal with Wild, to keep doing what she's doing, but for him. Arista agrees so that she and Becky will have shelter and food. Arista met Grae at a ball while doing a job, and she can't get him out of her head. Fate throws them together, and now Arista sees Grae often.

I liked Grae, though you'll see a few complaints below. I found him to be a tad one-dimensional (like I said, more below). He's a strong and kind male protagonist with a very important role to play in the story. He's the son of a merchant owning a fleet of ships, and Grae is the captain of one. Grae is several years older than Arista, and he is a lovely young man. He's definitely a swoon-worthy love interest - and the one and only love interest.

The synopsis will have you thinking that there might be some sort of love triangle, possibly with Grae and Wild being the love interests. UNTRUE. Throughout the entire book, the only love interest is Grae. Wild is another employer, another man putting Arista in a gilded cage. There is no romance there whatsoever. There is no romance anywhere except between Arista and Grae.

And I really, really liked the romance in this book. Grae and Arista meet before he meets "Arista" - he met her at a masquerade ball while she was disguised, so he didn't know she was Arista or Lady A. Things heat up between them immediately upon seeing each other - lust at first sight. I LOVED this. And then he meets her as Arista, and he's shocked and angry, but the chemistry is still very much alive. And sizzling. Seriously, for a historical fiction novel, the romance was pretty alive! I liked this a lot.

The story is exciting, thrilling, sad, and engaging. I thought it got a little predictable towards the end, but that might have just been me. Nevertheless, I liked the ending. I kind of hoped this book would be a standalone, but I see on Goodreads that it is listed as a series. Companion series? I kind of hope it's not a continuation series! This book ended perfectly, and I'd almost hate to see a sequel "ruin" it!

What I Did Not Like:

I mentioned above - I found Grae to be a smidgen one-dimensional. He just didn't seem real to me. I'm not sure why, but he seemed a bit flat. Almost too perfect? I liked him a lot, don't get me wrong. But I feel like I didn't get enough time to get to know him - maybe that's it?

That's another thing - time moves quickly in this book. You know that whole "one months later" or "she did this for the next three weeks" kind of thing? The author employs this tactic, which is fine, but it messes with the progression of Grae and Arista's relationship. I feel like Grae and Arista didn't get enough up-close-and-personal time (and I'm not even talking about in a romantic way - though that would have been nice too). Their relationship is well-developed (we know this because of the time lapse), but we as readers don't SEE this development, really. So it wasn't insta-love at all! More like omission of development. If that makes sense.

I liked Grae a lot and I really liked the romance. So don't get me wrong. But both could have been stretched out for readers! This book was short, so another thirty to forty pages of exposition between Grae and Arista would have not only shown the development of their relationship, but also taught us more about Grae!

Would I Recommend It:

Despite a few misgivings, I really enjoyed this book! It's definitely worth the read, so I would recommend it. Kickbutt heroine, sweet and steamy romance, hot male protagonist, swift action - what's not to love? And it acts well as a standalone (though I see Goodreads says it's part of a series), so theoretically, you could stop after this book and love it!

Rating:

4 stars. I'm glad I liked this book! It was great, I've already reread some parts. I'm torn on how I feel about it being part of a series, but I will definitely read the sequel, no matter my feelings on this book and the series. This one ended so wonderfully, there shouldn't be a sequel! But I'll read it anyway.

[Rashika (is tired) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual Rating 2.5

***This review has also been posted on The Social Potato

I haz mixed feelings about this book and that makes me very sad. I really wanted to love it and love it I did not.

Before getting into the nitty gritty, I just wanted to give a shout out to whoever was in charge of all the artwork on the pages and whoever was in charge of the cover because holy guacamole, can I get a GORGEOUSSSSS?

On to more serious stuff though. Lady A was not exactly what I expected. She is not nearly as badass as I had imagined her to be. I wanted to be blown away by her badassery. I wanted to cheer her on as she dealt with the nobility and watched them shrink in fear but sadly that’s not what happened because Arista, aka Lady A, does not enjoy blackmailing the nobility. Alas her soul is not as dark as mine and she hates the life she lives. She would do anything to get out of it (and rightfully so because her ‘master’ is a complete waste of oxygen.)

I just really have a thing for books involving crime okay? I love seeing people be manipulated and not even know it's happening. I LOVE all the cleverness usually involved in books where the main character is part of the crime life but that’s not what I got in this book which would explain my reaction. Now please understand that a lot of this is just personal taste and not really reflective of the book because in spite of my expectations, I actually found myself warming up to Lady A. Sometimes she was a little too loyal in my opinion (given the way she had grown up I kind of expected her to be hardened instead of being soft in terms of the people she has emotional connections with) but in the long run, she was just a young girl trying to make the best of her resources to figure the best way out of a life she wants nothing to do with. I even enjoyed seeing her come across barriers she should have been able to account for but couldn’t because no one can think of everything.

I loved that she was faced with challenges that might have seemed obvious to the reader (and weren’t even major twists or anything) but the actual truth is that no one can be all knowing and more likely than not, things aren’t going to turn out the way you want them to.

My biggest issue with this book was the romance. I didn’t like it. At the beginning of the novel Arista clearly has a crush on Nic but then suddenly she meets Grae and her feelings just disappear. I am appreciative of the fact that there was no love triangle but seriously. Feelings don’t just vazoom (aka disappear)! I also just didn’t like Grae. It’s not that he was bad by any means. He was a sweetheart and treated Arista with the respect she deserved and blah blah blah. My problem was that I didn’t understand his fascination with Arista and I didn’t like how he was casted as Arista’s savior. That girl has brains and is clever, she can save herself. She is a young independent woman who don’t need no man! (although romantic interests can be fun) I think Grae contrasted her character so much it almost made Arista seem helpless when she isn’t.

My favorite character was obviously Nic. Nic is great. He is such a complex character and I LOVED IT. I only wish we could have seen more of him.

The book was very well paced and even though there were some cheesy bits, it was a fun read. I actually really did enjoy all the complicated tangledness (trying to make a pun here guys, just roll with it.) I just wish we actually got more into the secret bartering bit and got to learn what exactly was happening and what kind of secrets the nobility traded to get things accomplished. I did enjoy the set up though and I also liked the world that Bross had created.

I would suggest not to get lured in by the promise of crime because this book doesn’t focus so much on the fascinating crime life than it does on Arista. It’s her story to a better life, not about how she engages in crime. The bits involving crime were great but also, like I said, it’s Arista’s story to a better life.

This was a fun book to read and while I didn’t love it, I’d still say it's something to read if you're in the mood for a light and entertaining book.

Post Script: I also just found out there will be a sequel and I am DEFINITELY curious to see where things will go! This could get verreh interesting.

[Page Grey (Editor) · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I must say that whoever wants to read this should not rely on the synopsis too much!!!

*I picked this one because of the cover . it's like a scrapbook and I love scrap booking*
spoiler alerts but minimised
The story sets in London, 1725, and I find it intriguing when I read the synopsis because I always find London interesting especially if it sets way back.
The protagonist's name, Arista didn't turn me on at all. I didn't like the name but she turned out to be lovable and admirable. She is a notorious blackmailer known as 'Lady A' who works for an abusive master, Bones. At some nights, she attends masquerade parties/balls to trade money over secrets dressed in black gown and feathery mask, along with her bodyguard/childhood friend Nic. Nic wasn't even mentioned in the synopsis. But in daylights, she dresses up as a boy to safely passes through the streets of the city. I must say, she is more comfortable dressing as a boy because no one seems to notice her, unlike as Lady A, who was known and despised by many.

At one of the parties she attended, she met Graeden 'Grae' Sinclair, who I must say was bewitched by her in the first sight. though it wasn't intentional and Arista was wearing a mask that night. I love how they met and their FEW BUT ENOUGH interactions. All in all, I love their love story though I don't think I get connected with Grae as much as I was with Arista. Though Arista is the main protagonist, it would've been better to know and get more intimate with Grae's character but it's enough.
(Grae told this to Arista)
"But there is more. There’s a look you get in your eyes—as if you’re on a great journey, but have gotten lost along the way. All I want is for you to let me guide you back.”

The synopsis, like I mentioned above didn't say anything about Nic. For me, it should've have. Nic, after all, can be considered as another love interest of Arista since at first she thought she's in love with him (not until she met Grae and made her feel what attraction really means.).

However the synopsis mentioned Wild and anyone might think she's some kind of a Knight in a shining Armor who rescued Arista when something went wrong one fated night. And I, too, thought that way and that he is some kind of Arista's love interest. That he'll be a part of Arista's love triangle along with Grae. HE IS NOT. he's just like Bones, who wants to use LADY A's reputation and abilities for his own gain.

Did I mention that Arista is just a child, a mere sixteen-year-old young lass who was an orphan, caught in a fucked-up life and didn't have much of a choice but to do bad things in order to survive but want to be out so badly. We all know how that kind of stories goes but this one isn't boring at all. I love how Grae accepted Lady A's secrets though he was bothered at first since she ended up living in his house with his family.

Their love story was fast-paced but I can only say this because the author used fast-paced tactic. The development of the story weren't all shown to the readers but it is admirable that somehow the author made the readers believe they're already in love without showing too much scenes of their interactions. SO you're forgiven Lee Bros.

It hurt me that Nic died, I shoud've been happier if he found his own girl. He was too nice to Arista though he made some terrible decisions too.

I would recommend this one to everyone since this is an awesome read. Not a five star-rated but this will do to spend hours of reading. Worth the time.

Goodreads listed this as a part of a series but this can be read as a standalone. I was almost hesitant to read it because I don't want to be left hanging with the story. I wasn't, and I'm actually wondering why there's a need for a sequel since for me this has a nice ending already. Maybe their lives in India(that's where Arista wanted to go and they're going). Or Arista will be more of bad-ass character. She already is but there's still room for her to grow as character and I'm sure i'll love her more. I shelved this as piteous character only because her situation is almost pitiful but Arista is a great protagonist. She handled everything well.


NOTE TO THE AUTHOR OR THE PUBLISHERS
--change the synopsis a bit...It's misleading the readers.

:)

[Rachel (APCB Reviews) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nothing beats the crushing disappointment you feel when one of your most anticipated books falls flat. Tangled Webs had lots of promise yet failed to deliver all that it promised to give. The synopsis has everything I'd love to see in a book! The story hardly matches all that the synopsis claims.

To start, the setting of this novel is London in 1725. London is a fascinating city in my opinion. Send me to London in any book in any year, and I'll be pleased. The one stipulation is that you develop the story around the setting a bit or at least describe the setting! This book gives some references to London sights and places and talks a little about London society and fashion, but there's nothing to match this story with what's going on in London at the time. I feel like this book lacked any possible research to make the setting and story blossom. This book literally could have taken place anywhere at any time and still have the same exact story.

I couldn't connect to Lady A/Arista at all. The poor girl has an identity crisis throughout this book. She doesn't know who she wants to be. She struggles to cut ties from the evil people who shackle her to a life of crime. Her flat character continued to beguile and charm others in the novel, and I just didn't understand it, neither do I understand how she managed to stay alive so long. Her naiveté and poor decision-making would led to an untimely demise. She's hypocritical at every turn, and it was grating on my patience,

I love romance that has wonderful development and sparks. This book contained neither. We're told repeatedly about the sparks between Arista and Grae and how they're drawn to each other. I didn't feel nor see any of this though. The romance was more of the author convincing us of the romance's genuineness than actually showing it. This book contains insta-love as well. I couldn't get on board with this romance. It was lackluster and dull. The romance was cringe-worthy and shoved down our throats.

Not much happened in this book. I didn't need action particularly, I just wanted something to hold my attention. I had to force myself to continue reading after each chapter. Overall this one was not my cup of tea. Perhaps you'll have better luck!

[Alyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

... I sense a love triangle coming.

But a female protagonist as a blackmailer??

Holy. Crap. I'm pretty excited.

Edit: 12/29:

Well, I hate to say it, but I was seriously dissapointed. I didn't like the romance at all. I wish the plot had been more focused on the actual blackmailing. (I wanted a lot more of that.)

[Rhea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Things to look out for in Tangled Webs by Lee Bross

A VERY confused MC. Meet Arista aka Lady A aka Ana aka someone help me because so many “aka’s” aren’t even legal. Arista is a thief…or rather, the aid of a thief. Her boss, Bones (Villain #1), collects secrets of the aristocrats in London’s society and he’ll keep them safe, for a price, of course. He is cruel, abusive, and basically owns Arista. He keeps her starved and filthy, only allowing her to dress up family for the sake of masquerade parties, when Arista becomes Lady A and collects the payment from London’s richest. But Arista doesn’t know who she is, or what she wants to be. When she’s Lady A, she cherishes the control she, a girl, has over the rich bastards of the city. But when everything is said and done, Arista only wants to run away, and lead a normal life. All of this struggle and angst is fine, but not until it wears the reader down. Duuuude. You don’t know what you want to do. Newsflash: None of us teens do. What you’re experiencing is normal teenage behaviour. Jeez. Don’t show me your inner struggle for 302 pages out of your 304 page book.

A host of characters with the depth of the finest potholes in your city. When I read a book, I expect to see characters who are thicker than a cardboard and deeper than potholes. I don’t want to see these characters come and go when the story line requires them to, and I don’t want them to be used to drag the story along. Examples of these characters? Nic (Love Interest #1), Becky (Arista’s “friend”), Grae (Reigning Love Interest) and most importantly Wild (Villian #2). These people came when they had to utter a few dialogues, and then left, leaving Arista to ponder upon—what else?—her identity crisis. Sigh.

Instalove? Instalove! I could go on and on and on about Arista and Grae and their love-at-first-sight situation. How she fell in love with his voice and the fact that he had been to India. How she thought about him all the time, forgetting how best friend and companion Nic had always protected her from Bones. How she thought that she wouldn’t even give him her name for fear that he would…what go to the cops? How she decided (without him, might I add) that she would help his family (who found their way into the book, somehow) and make sure that they lived happily—no matter the fact that she'd essentially dug her own grave. And then there was Grae. I loved him the first time he met Arista. He was all soft voice and strong arms and swoons, but as I kept seeing more and more of him, I realised that while he was likeable, he wasn’t some special character that I’d remember. Not bad, but nothing new either. Bummer, because I really like his name. MY NAME IS GRAE SINCLAIR AND I’M MYSTERIOUS AND SEXY *insert sexy pelvic gyrations*

Villains who are as cliché as they come. Two villains in this story, ladies and gents, and both do basically the same thing. One is a brute about it, the other uses sweet words to get what he wants. And if you don’t do as they say, they will take from you, whether you like it or not. Let me tell you, in the history of YA has never been one villain who made me fear for the character’s life. And Tangled Webs is no different. The two bad guys could have been worse had they shown something that other stereotypical villains don’t but they stuck to the old classics and that just weakend the plot even further.

London, 1725…or was it? One of my main reasons for picking up this book was the time period. London in books is my happy place, whether in current times or two hundred years ago. And in Tangled Webs, apart from the repeated mentions of the London slums and squalors and the filth in the alleyways, nothing else made me feel like the book was based in London. In fact, it could be the current time in a city that hosted a little too many masquerades and my feelings about the book would remain unchanged. What is the use of such an elaborate setting if it brings nothing of consequence to the plot line?

Overall, I’m not too sure if I’m going to pick up the sequel to this one, but it’s a confirmed two book series, so why the fuck not, right?



*I was provided a free ecopy of this book in exchange of an honest review. This did not in any way, however, influence the content of this review.*

[Larissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

See this mini review at: YA Midnight Reads

This novel had quite the premise, it appealed to me on every level. I mean come on, historical fiction coupled up with a complex blackmail scenario? Sign me up. Unfortunately with Tangled Webs I found myself simply unable to finish it. I ended up marking it as DNF at 30 percent just because I was so, so, so detached and bored out of my mind. The biggest issue for me was definitely the writing in this one. It just read as so bland and typical, and because of that the characters ended up in the same boat for me. You see I didn’t end up finishing this one not because it was overwhelmingly rage inducing, but rather because it was was so utterly mediocre for me. I had no interest or investment on what happened in terms of plot, characters, romance…anything. I think it says something that a story about blackmailing in the 1700s was so boring.

Perhaps that has something to do with the fact the story didn’t really feel like it took place in the 1700s. I felt as though the lack of worldbuilding made it feel like the novel could have taken place in Canada in the 1940s, or really any time period at all. Given this is a historical fiction novel, I do find the historical elements to be quite crucial and it would be an understatement to say Tangled Webs was lacking in that department. The setting and time period added nothing to the novel at all.

There was definitely romance in Tangled Webs…unfortunately. I didn’t read the story long enough to see if the love triangle presented was in fact a love triangle, but from what I’ve gathered this seems to be the case. The love triangle is between the main character’s sole confident (who has been with her over the course of her whole life and has saved it on a few occasions) and this random gentleman she met one night at a ball and is completely head over heels in love with. I can already make a guess who the main character ended up with (and I looked some reviews to confirm) and it’s truly just sad to me despite how many times we’ve raged about insta-love it continues to prevail in YA fiction. It honestly makes zero sense to me and never will. Of course, since I felt so detached from the characters, their romance(s) among each other definitely didn’t result in swooning, but rather rolling my eyes on an extremely frequent basis.

Overall, I found myself extremely disappointed by Tangled Webs. I couldn’t get through more than 30 percent of the novel due to my extreme ennui, the lackluster romance, how the historical elements were lacking and how I frankly didn’t have a single care towards any of the characters.

[ReadWriteLove28 · Rating 5 out of 5]

REVIEW

I just finished Tangled Webs and...wow. I am trying to put my thoughts together, but all that comes to mind is AEUHRGSR.EIGHR;EGHSOG. As of the time that I’m writing this (March 16th), Tangled Webs is by far, the best book that I have read in 2015. Yes, it was that amazing. I am amazed by Lee Bross’ writing prowess. If this review seems to be a bit all over the place, that’s because I’m trying to put my gushing thoughts into words.

Imagine living your life as an orphan, growing up with no friendly faces, and then being adopted by a frightening man named Bones. Yes, his name was Bones. Imagine having to learn how to steal in order to be given even a scrap of bread. That was Arista’s childhood. But one day, Bones decided to turn Arista into a pawn for his blackmailing schemes. She became known as Lady A, the mysterious woman clad in a gown and a mask, who didn’t take no for an answer. She traded secrets for money, but nothing she did was ever for her- it was all for Bones. Luckily for her, she had two extremely close friends, Nic and Becky, who had grown up with her under Bones’ thumb. Nic served as backup, a bodyguard if you will, whenever Lady A was needed. Becky was a seamstress, and was in charge of making Lady A’s outfits.

While Arista was forced into a deceptive, scheming life, it didn’t mean that she had to enjoy it. She constantly thought about freedom, and what if’s. What would her life be like if she was able to escape from Bones? Who would she be if she wasn’t Lady A? These thoughts constantly ran throughout her mind. And one day, something major happened which caused her life to take a turn that she never saw coming. What was it? You’ll have to read to find out!

Okay, now that you know what the story was about, *commence the book flailing and gushing!*

Tangled Webs taught me what it meant for writing to be gorgeous. I honestly don’t know how to describe it other than being gorgeous! It was smooth, elegant, charming, sophisticated, and just all around beautiful! It was funny- I read the first page, and my eyes immediately opened wide, because I could tell that this book was going to be something special. Yes, I could tell that Tangled Webs was going to be incredible from the first page. That was something special and it very rarely happens.

Also, the characters, ooh la la, I loved them all! I felt my heart jump and skip a beat whenever something nerve-wracking happened, and my heart felt warm and fuzzy whenever something good happened. Not only did I feel like I was inside the book, I actually felt like I was Arista! While I was reading, I had no clue what was going on around me in the real world. All that I knew was what was happening to Arista in 1725 London. Yes, this book did take place in the past, which generally tends to make me a bit iffy, but the setting worked perfectly this time.

I will give a warning- there is a small love triangle. But, with that being said, I had my eyes on one ship the entire time, and I never looked back! Also, I have added a new book boyfriend to my list. Ahhh, my love. It holds no bounds for one of the love interests. <3

Overall, Tangled Webs was simply phenomenal, and I cannot recommend it enough! I am obviously giving it 5 stars. :)This review was originally posted on ReadWriteLove28

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This and other reviews on my blog My Friends Are Fiction


I tend to love historical YA so when I read the summary to Tangled Webs I was captivated and knew I’d want to read it. I had hopes that this book would be romantic, atmospheric and addictive. Sadly, I didn’t end up enjoying it nearly as well as I hoped.

Though this book took place in 1725 London the setting never felt all that historical to me. I didn’t feel swept back in time nor did I get a clear visual of this world that Lady A/Arista lived in. There were some pretty descriptions and I did enjoy a scene taking place at a masquerade ball. Really though, masquerade balls are always a hit with me.

I enjoy a story where the main character is leading a double life so I did like seeing the way Arista handled that aspect of the story. I felt like it gave the reader a good picture of the character and added much needed dimension. Though I felt a slight connection to Arista I didn’t much care for her character. I didn’t necessarily need to like her to enjoy the story but for this book I found myself annoyed with her more often than not. For being the most notorious black-mailer she seemed a bit lost when it came to anything sneaky- yes she is only 16 but if she’s touted as the best I want to see evidence.

Sadly, I never was able to really connect to any of the other characters. I thought I was going to like Nic, Arista’s childhood friend and crush, but he really only came around when it was convenient to move the story along. Grae was easy to like but not easy to really care about. I wasn’t overly concerned about what happened to him or any of the characters throughout the story.

Because of my constant disconnect I wasn’t able to really get behind the romance which really impaired my enjoyment since it was a pretty prominent factor in the book. I never felt chemistry between the romantic leads and honestly everything between them felt rushed. It all seemed pretty insta-love. I really wouldn’t have minded the instant attraction if I’d have been able to feel it while reading.

Final Thoughts:
The summary for Tangled Webs sold me on romance, a historical setting, a girl dressing as a boy–all things I love in YA fiction. Sadly, none of these really felt executed all that well. I do think readers who can connect to the characters and the romance will enjoy this far more than I did. And I must say, this arc was absolutely beautiful as I’m sure the hardcover will be as well.

[Lala_Loopsie [fire breathing B!tch Queen]]

This book was nothing like i expected. I don't really know what i expected, it just wasn't this.

This was one of those books that i read just to continue doing something, to satisfy my curiosity. And it wasn't enough for me. it didn't really drag me in, like other books have done. I almost had to force myself to continue reading. I didn't really care what happened to Lady A/Arista/Ana. And that's not how i should feel.

All in all, the book wasn't bad by any means. It didn't have any "bad elements", per se. It was just lacking. Lacking some depth, and a storyline, more than anything.

It wasn't for me, that's all. Therefore, no rating.

[Josie J · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with the story/mystery it was so good. I was immediately pulled into the story. I wanted to know with every fiber of my being exactly what happened next and I was satisfied with the ending. I don't remember any major pacing problem's but I'm sure there were moments where I was bored but they didn't take over the story. Would definitely recommend.

[Manon · Rating 3 out of 5]

More reviews on my blog, Exploring Pages.

"Lady A." His voice sounded hoarse, like he'd only just started using it.
She inclined her head slightly. He took a long swallow from the glass of brandy clutched in his fat fingers. Just like that, she had the power again.

Thank you Disney Hyperion for providing me with an advanced reading copy for review.

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

Going into a book with little knowledge about it, nor having many expectations, payed off this time. Tangled Webs is, despite the issues, a surprisingly good novel with some surprising qualities.

It is, for example, one of those books I could get easily lost in. The world is always accompanied by rich and vivid descriptions of the touch class system of the 18th century, but also lots of smaller aspects I will get into later on. It's clear the author has done her homework and therefore it feels like a bonus when she also succeeds in letting the atmosphere of the old city shine through in her own book. Ranging from the docks, the slums, the coffee houses etc. to the middle-class families, everything seemed to be done so well. I loved we got to see so many different aspects of the city. It might have been hard, no doubt about that, yet it was worth it in the end.

I applaud the author for not involving any magical elements and staying focused on the blackmailing and the secrets, even though it wasn't enough to fill the entire book and in order to have a tight and solid plot. It often wandered to places, not particularly finding anything, to then head back to the direction it was supposed to go all along. The more we got to the end, the more predictable it became, although still being a pleasant read. It did start off wonderfully, where we as readers are thrown into the cruel lifestyle of a young girl, and her evolution towards becoming a well-known blackmailer. The flashback did a wonderful job here at creating some depth to Arista's situation, although I would have preferred more I found the plot often to lack in background and depth, especially when I look at Arista's training and how she became Bones' trusted puppet. A companion novel or short story would be interesting to see how it all played out, since I am curious for more.

The vivid descriptions did not only have an influence on the view of the world, but also on smaller aspects such as Arista's background, which was depicted beautifully. She had to endure such cruelties in the beginning of the book. It was nearly impossible for me to not sympathize with her every now and then, even though I could never a grip on her personality and her character in general. Because of her double life, Arista showed many different sides, which made it a bit difficult for me to figure out who she really was. To be honest, I don't think she knew either. On the other hand, that was also something made the book interesting.

We are introduced to the era of the Enlightenment, a setting which isn't favorable for a lot of books. Because of that, it had already sparked my interest from the very first page. Yet when the double life of Arista was introduced, I couldn't help but express my enthusiasm. It was rather original and entertaining at times, but I would have liked to see a little bit more of her occupation. Everyone was so contemptuous towards her and even afraid. The author had no trouble in showing it. After all, secrets hold the power to destroy a man. I still do not get what she actually does, and how she holds the power to make men bow. I feel like I have so many thoughts left to write down, even though that might take little while.

Arista's character was surprisingly enjoyable. It has been a while since I encountered a character who uses words and strategy. Someone is not afraid to show her flaws, a certain lack in physical strength or not knowing how to swim. Because she was more focused on inner strength, it brought out some interesting and fun Lady A scenes. Other characters like Sophie, Becky, Wild, Bones and Nic were a pleasant addition to the book because I felt like they all had their story to tell and their role to play. Grae seems to be a more special case. He just seemed like he was destined to be the perfect love interest for Arista. A courageous and loving young man with a desire to see the word. In other words, a character to swoon for. Who wouldn't fall for that? Exactly, I would too. It's not that his perfect personality bothered me, because he still was a likable character. What did, was how one-dimensional he actually was. He was introduced in the book somewhere halfway through, and ever since we meet him, the romance also jumps in. From then on, it seems like the relationship between the two moves on at a very quick pace. It's definitely not insta-love because there really is a certain development, only that it was left out because of the time jump the book made. Therefore I feel like a little more depth into their relationship and a visible development would have made the love between the two much more believable.

In a nutshell, I would recommend Tangled Webs for those interested in a light novel set in a very interesting time period. When I do not look at its flaws such as some flat characters and a lack of background and depth, it does has the premise of becoming something great. The characters still are lovely, and the plot is intriguing and fast-paced. Unfortunately, I have run out of things to say about this book, but let's keep that a secret. Won't we, Lady A?

[starryeyedjen · Rating 2 out of 5]

An ARC of this title was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts are my own. This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.

This was...a bit of a disappointment. It started off well and then went downhill around the halfway point...maybe even before. I should have DNF'd it. I don't know why I didn't, to be honest. The premise intrigued me from the moment I read the summary, and I guess I just wanted to see it through.

I'm a sucker for a girl who gets by dressed as a boy. Usually that girl is fierce and good and what I want from a heroine. But Arista rubbed me the wrong way from the very beginning because she seemed to enjoy her role as Lady A, at least at first, just as her friend and bodyguard Nic did. She liked that power trip...knowing that once she returned home, she'd be just another street urchin. I get that. And I also get that above all else, she did truly want out of that life and to have her freedom. But she also has serious trust issues...in that she trusts ALL the wrong people and pretty much runs head-first into danger at every opportunity. She plays right into everyone else's hands, all the while thinking herself the one on top. Considering her line of work, she is entirely too naive.

She's also a dirty double-crosser, though in that at least, her intentions were slightly honorable, even if the deed itself was more to benefit herself than to assuage any guilt she might harbor over what her blackmailing might have led to. Everything she does is in an effort to rid herself of her Lady A persona, but she endangers the only people who have ever truly cared for her in the process, including the handsome and very forward Grae Sinclair.

Grae was a nice love interest. But he also was a bit of a pushover. Arista lied to him time and again, and every time he excused it and all but told her he'd forgive her anything, give her anything. Even though she'd always thought herself in love with Nic, who'd been her protector up to this point, she has this instant connection with Grae. And he wants to take her away from this life and have adventures on the high seas with her and he's so swoony, etc., etc., etc. And as everyone kept pointing out, she deserved a life like the one he could provide for her. But I can't get over how everyone, especially his mother, was excited about his engagement to a thief and notorious blackmailer, especially when she'd caused their family so much grief already. I just find it very difficult to believe that anyone would have found their union acceptable in the time period this story takes place, no matter if she did end up saving the family's good name or not.

For my preferences, this book spent entirely too much time focusing on their romance and not enough time tying up loose ends, necessitating the need for a sequel. Though if you ask me, a sequel is not warranted and it's very doubtful I'll be picking it up. The writing in this book was just all over the place, so messy and it didn't flow well at all. The characters were flighty. And the ending was too quick and wrapped up too easily for my liking, making me think that it was really only supposed to be one book and not a series initially. I had such high hopes for this book, especially with that gorgeous cover and the interesting story idea, but it just did not live up to my expectations, sadly.

GIF it to me straight:

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC via Netgalley
More reviews on nobentspines.blogspot.com //

What do you get when you put unconditional love, the 1700s, and daggers in a bowl of kick butt? You, my lovely readers, get TANGLED WEBS by Lee Bross. Arista is Lady A, a notorious blackmailer from the London underworld. She gives secrets to Bones and in return…I’m not actually sure what she gets in return besides not being dead. The secrets are that of the rich ton. Dressed in back with a mask made of feathers, she wanders the parties of the influential and gets money in exchange for not spilling their darkest secrets. Giving the money to Bones, she gets to stay alive a little longer. Her only friends are her so very, very sweet maid, Becky, and Nic, who tries to be her protector.

Then her home (or prison, really) comes down in flames. Literally. Because of this she takes an offer from Wild. She becomes the Lady A for his deception and in return, unknowingly, he gives her a family and acceptance. He gives her a home.

So! *claps* Let’s talk about the characters. First of (drum roll please) let’s chat about why I like Arista. She’s brave. She doesn’t deviate from who she is; she doesn’t forget that at her core she is human and she is good, despite all the horror surrounding her fight to survive in a world she can’t quite call her own. She works to get out of the life that has been thrown at her, and even when she finds herself stuck and unable to get out without a fight, she then stays in for the good of her friend.

I like Grey because his love is unconditional. Everyone needs a little bit of that, I think. And he definitely has it. But, that’s about all I really know about him. OH—he also has a ship and has been to India. So, I suppose that means that he is adventurous. I don’t know, I like him and his way of loving, but other than that Grey isn’t really a round character. He is still lovely and beautiful, don’t get me wrong. He is also what Arista needs, but there’s not actual depth to his personality. At least, I didn’t think so.

I actually really enjoyed this book. It felt very ‘taking hold of your life’ to me. It also wasn’t super duper in depth where you have to pay attention to every detail. It was pretty short and sweet, with a story line about finding your strength and getting to know you. *shrugs* I also just really like this time period.

So, yes. I would recommend it, as a matter of fact. However, I wouldn’t say grab a copy asap, but more read it when it feels right. Cheesy, right. *chuckles*

[Pili · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could be a case of bad timing, more of a it's not you, it's me kinda thing. I usually adore historical fiction but in this case I was not as captivated as I usually am.

There wasn't anything wrong with the world building or any historical innacuracies, but there was a certain vagueness to everything as far as the background and the setting. It was London, but other than some references to the foggy weather here and there... my impression is that we don't know nothing of the atmosphere, nothing much but a blurry background. The only setting that felt more real was when we went to the docks and Grae's ship. Only then I felt like it was a real place more than a setting in a play.

I wasn't very keen on the plot progression either mostly because some of the twists were really out of nowhere and very much on the "why now?". Instead of shocking me, they kinda disappointed me, to be entirely honest. And I wasn't keen at all on how Arista seemed to be so clueless when it came to plotting and saving herself when she has spent so many years being a courier and proveyor of secrets.

The romance felt a lil too much too fast, and although I understand that the 18th century was a different time and that things could certainly go fast... From attraction at a dance to declarations of love and more... it just felt all too sped up! Their connection was sweet and their relationship was full of support and positive interactions, Grae being able to let her be who she is. But the way they get there, so fast!

One of my favourite parts of the book was the friendship between Arista and Becky, and how they supported each other and how Arista worried about her friend and wanted to make sure what's right and to ensure he friend would be safe and protected.

I also liked how Arista felt protective about the family she finds herself living with, and how it made her want to find a way out of the web of lies she had been living in.

Arista/Lady A wasn't exactly what I was expecting from the book's summary. She had a very tough life and she wanted out and wanted more. She didn't want to continue with that life, but given how she behaved and acted throughout the book, it feels like she wasn't as good or as savvy at her job as you could have expected.

It was a fast read because it was easy to read but it wasn't captivating and by the end I was a lil annoyed at how things were progressing and the twists that happened. In the end, I cannot give this book more than 2.5 to 3 stars.

[Erin Arkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

Tangled Webs by Lee Bross was a book I had my eye on and I knew that as soon as I had this book in my hands I would have to read it. I mean, it is historical (which I love), has a bit of swoon (which I love), and the underlying story has characters I find interesting (which I also love).

Bross starts this story by creating a world where the rich pay to keep their secrets hidden away…unless someone pays more for that secret. Mixed up in that world is Lady A and she is the face of an operation that certain individuals in society would love to see go down. But underneath her disguise, Lady A is really Arista who happens to work for a man named Bones. He is cruel and abusive and Arista doesn’t see a way out of the life she fell into and now has no choice but continue living.

Two things happen that change things dramatically for Arista. First, she ends up going to a party that wasn’t arranged by Bones and comes face to face with Jonathan Wild (a notorious thief), who offers her a deal she needs to think about. Second, Arista also meets Grae Sinclair, the son of a local merchant, and is immediately drawn to him and the life he has sailing around the world and experiencing things she has only ever dreamed about.

I liked Arista. She is willing to stand up for the people who are important to her. She has never had an easy life and as she struggles to survive working for Bones, she has to make a decision about her future but before she can, things get a bit out of control. When Arista is rescued from a fire by Wild, she agrees to work with him and is sent to live with a local merchant that owes a debt to Wild. I won’t say anymore here but this is the catalyst to Arista learning more about what kind of deal she really made and what that might mean for her.

There were some swoony parts to this story and I enjoyed that piece but I also liked trying to figure out what Wild was really up to and how it all tied back to Lady A. I found that I didn’t want to put this one down because I needed to know what was going to happen next and Bross does a great job of putting action into the right places.

If you like an interesting story that blends intrigue and deception combined with solid characters and a historical spin, definitely check this one out. I will be patiently waiting to get my hands on the next book of this series!

[Liviania · Rating 4 out of 5]

TANGLED WEBS is the first historical novel by Lee Bross, who has also written YA under the name Lanie Bross and NA as L.E. Bross. It is a rather flawed novel, particularly in the way that characters disappear until they're suddenly needed for the plot. At the same time, I found it hard to put TANGLED WEBS down.

Arista works for Bones, who bought her from the orphanage when she was a child. She acts as Lady A, the face of his blackmail operation. Everyone knows her mask, because she's the only one who has personal contact with clients. She takes all the risk with only a knife and her best friend Nic to protect her. When TANGLED WEBS opens, Arista is falling out of love with Nic because she is more desperate than ever to escape Bones and go straight, and she has realized that Nic wants to become Bones and loves this life.

Sooner than she expects, Arista has her chance. But she ends up working for a man who just might be worse. Grae, the son of a merchant, might be her only way out. Associating with Arista might ruin him, however.

It's a tangled web of a plot, with lots of clashing motivations. It's juicy stuff, and the setting of London in 1725 provides as intriguing social milieu. I rather liked Arista, who is good with a knife and not a bad thief, but who is desperate to find a way to break her way free without losing her soul. She wants redemption as much as she wants escape from the men who seek to control her, and that morality limits her choices in a good way.

I did appreciate that TANGLED WEBS mostly escapes the dreaded love triangle, despite their being two men in Arista's life. At the same time, she goes for and spends the most time with Grae, who is a rather straightforward sort. I can see why she likes him: honest, honorable, loyal. Nic, who she is in the process of getting over, drives the plot forward and actually has some ambiguity to him. He and Arista share a tight past, but is he still her friend or has he decided she's expendable? He's a source of internal and external conflict, and yet he disappears to give space to a straightforward romance.

Lee Bross can definitely write the historical side convincingly and spin a plot that keeps the pages turning. TANGLED WEBS has a bit of a character problem, one that hopefully can be course-corrected in the next book in the series. There's potential here, for sure.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I had really high hopes for this book...especially because the cover was so pretty. But a pretty cover hid just a bland story. The MC Arista aka Lady A aka Ana (I think she has multiple personality disorder!) is an orphan who is raised by a horrible man to be a thief and a spy. But that's the problem...she doesn't act like a thief or a spy at all. In the first chapter Arista, while on a mission, meets and falls for Grae. BAM! Instalove!! To the point where she is distracted from her mission. Then for the majority of the book she is daydreaming about Grae. And when she finally meets Grae as herself, and not as Lady A, she spills almost her whole story.

Oh! And what is with all the masquerade balls? I didn't realize that in 1725 in London that there were masquerade balls almost every night. It just seemed like a convenient way for the author to have Arista in her Lady A disguise.

I really thought this book would be more spy and less romance. Oh well.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off so strong but ended up being predictable at times. Also be billed as a historical fiction novel but it's very light on historical accuracy and feel.

[Britt · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE! Review 6/18 @ Please feed The Bookworm

[Roxanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had a lot of potential, but just didn't deliver.

[Aila · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alright now I can get my thoughts in order after reading this book.

I honestly didn't dislike the overall book, but there was a lot of elements in it that added up to an overall low rating. The biggest factor, I have to admit, is the characters. Unfortunately, I couldn't connect to or sympathize with any of them. Not Arista, the main character, or her childhood friend/crush Nic, or her instalusty masked highwayman Grae, or the people who made the "tangled webs" in the story.

I WANTED to like Arista, but her character seemed so unrealistic. Throughout the book she's conflicted about her feelings; having grown up on the seedier side of London, she's always been used and she vacillates between "I want to be free!" and "I CAN'T be free, the only life I've known is this" in the book.

It scared her, this sudden burst of conscience. If she wasn't Lady A, then who was she? Where did she really belong?

Alright, Arista's character premise sounds legit, but she really, really wasn't that strong of a character. Sure, she could do stuff with her knife (that the author never failed to point out was on her thigh - I get it after the fourth time, thanks). But sometimes she'd be badass with her knife and threatening people and the other times she freezes and hesitates and is caught up in a daydream or something. I find myself wondering how she was able to stay alive throughout her life, if she acts that inconsistent.

Don't get me started on when she meets Grae, and sparks fly. The sparks flew so much that she got distracted in her spying game and seriously, I was like "Getcha head in the game!" while she was caught up in Grae's stormy eyes.

"When he touched her bare shoulder, Arista forgot how to breathe. The warmth she remembered so well spiraled outward from his touch. When he curled his fingers around the back of her beck and inched her head closer, a frantic beat began in her chest."

Grae himself seemed like a nice guy, but we see a very superficial side to him. You can definitely tell he cares for Arista, but his lack of character makes him seem quite shallow. And does nobody find it weird how he wasn't really bothered when Arista kept lying to him? Like geez man grow a pair. Nic was the only character that seemed interesting in the book, and he hardly appears at all. The evil guys are as wooden as the main love interest and are your typical mustache-twirling blackmailers. If I had to draw a comparison, I'd say the characters are a bland meal without any spices or sauces to add depth and flavor to the eater, or this case, reader.

I think Bross does her best in making the historical setting seem real, but it kind of fell flat. There are cameos of real life people (dead, of course), but it's just a brief mentioning that has nothing to do with the story. In fact, the historical background is just that - a background. The story doesn't have elements of the time period to add to the plot, it just stands there like a cardboard stage. I'm sure most people would think that's good enough, but I guess I was expecting something a little... more.

Overall, the ending was quite satisfying. There are still enough loose ends to make another book What's Bones going to do, and the thing going on with Louis, but there wasn't a cliffhanger to make me want to grab the sequel. I kind of liked it actually. I'd recommend this to people who don't really read historical fiction - this is a pretty light and short read to get introduced to the genre. But to someone who's been there, done that, then this probably isn't something you'd enjoy.

___________________________________________
July 11

Rating: 2.5
The overall story was quite boring and mundane, the main character was weak and insufferable, and BLEHHH to the romance - just BLEHHH.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**Tangled Webs is one of those books where it was love at first glance. As soon as I saw the cover I fell in love. (side note: this is a beautifully designed book. Each of the chapters even has black and white lace designs on the pages. A wonderfully intricate touch, I thought.) I knew I wanted to read it. And then as soon as I saw the summary, and found out that Tangled Webs was about a blackmailer in historical London, called Lady A who collected secrets, I was even more excited! How amazingly cool does that sound? And then the plot thickens. When I finished Tangled Webs, I liked it and I thought it ended in a good place for a standalone. But then I went on goodreads and saw that it is the first in the Tangled Webs series. Whaaa? Now I am very intrigued to see where Lee Bross is going to take the next installment. I honestly thought it was wrapped up as a standalone, but I am interested to see what is going to happen next. My mind is already spinning with possibilities.

Arista is the mysterious Lady A. I really liked Arista. She is a survivor, but her years of fending for herself didn't make her overly hard and jaded. Sure, she was distrustful, but then again she is a blackmailer- so I guess it goes hand in hand with her business. But she wasn't corrupted to her core. She is still a good person, and I think Lee Bross does a great job of showing Arista's softer side through her interactions with her friend Becky. I loved how protective Becky and Arista were of each other. I also really enjoyed Arista's blooming friendship with Sophia. It was such a surprising treat that Sophia took Arista to the salons to see Voltaire. That was a great enlightenment element woven into the story. I hope we get to see more bits of history in the next book.

There were a couple of little things that I wish I had seen more of in Tangled Webs. Not really things I wanted done differently, because I rather enjoyed Lee's writing and storytelling, but some elements I wanted to see more of. Like the secrets Lady A traded in, for example. I wanted to know what the actual secrets were. We got to know one about the first exchange she had and then we got to find out one at the end of the book, but other than those two there weren't any other big (or even little) secret reveals about her "customers". I also wanted to see more romantic development between Arista and Grae. I love Grae to pieces, but it was basically instant infatuation between him and Arista. Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of them together, and I really liked their shared passion of travel and the sea, but I thought there was a really great opportunity for some building blocks to be laid between the two of them when Arista found herself staying with Grae's father and family by happenstance. We didn't really get that. I just saw Grae totally besotted with Arista from start to finish.

Overall, Tangled Webs was a very good read. I loved the setting and the characters and the plotline was different than so many of the books I have been reading lately. Very refreshing. And while I do wish we got to see more in the way of slow build romantic development between Grae and Arista, as well as more secrets that Lady A collected, I think that these things will resolve themselves in the next book. I can't wait to see what Lee Bross has for us next.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

[Sajda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review originally posted on my blog Across the Words

I really enjoy curling up with historical fiction books so when I heard about Tangled Webs, I was immensely intrigued by the storyline. I had pretty high expectations for this book given that a couple of my close blogger friends enjoyed it. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I hoped and I found it lacking on both the historical fiction and romance fronts.

Tangled Webs is set in 1725 London and follows that story of sixteen year old Arista, who has the secret identity of Lady A, a well-known blackmailer. Lady A is ruthless and has a reputation for being an untrustworthy and cold-hearted individual. However, Arista is tired of playing the role of Lady A and all she wants is a life free from crime and menacing bosses. Her dream is to save up enough money to leave London and travel to countries such as India. She soon meets someone who may help her reach that dream but she has to go through multiple hurdles before she can actually achieve her freedom.

When I first began this book, I was immensely captivated by the world that Lee Bross created. Lady A lived in a world full of masquerades, dances, and mysterious men. I love anything having to do with masquerades so I absolutely adored the setting. I do wish we got to see more of the 1700s setting though because most of the time, the historical fiction aspect of the book didn’t really play a role in the plot. If it weren’t for the masquerades and balls, I would have believed that the book took place in more modern times.

Despite the lavish lifestyles surrounding Lady A, once Lady A leaves the ballroom and deals with her clients, she becomes normal tomboy Arista who lives in the slums. I really admired that Arista was able to effectively lead a double-life; she was able to adopt the persona of the calculating and refined Lady A very well even though she was racked with guilt.

However, my admiration for Arista definitely plummeted once the love interest, Grae, came into the picture. Once her feelings for Grae begin, she stops being the kick-butt Lady A she used to be and begins to make silly mistakes. There are moments when she seems to forget all of her training and her street skills — I just wasn’t convinced that one of the most notorious blackmailers in all of London would let her guard down so frequently.

Arista’s romance with Grae was my main issue with the book. The romance began quickly and was so incredibly rushed that it felt like insta-love. I tried to remind myself that Arista and Grae lived in the 1700s where it was common for relationships to escalate that fast. However, that didn’t work so much because I felt that the two didn’t have enough of a foundation or chemistry for me really root for them.

Overall, Tangled Webs was an okay book but it just didn’t live up to my expectations. People who don’t mind books with sweeping romances will probably enjoy it more but unfortunately, I just wasn’t too impressed.

[Rosy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This review was written for The Review Diaries
You can read the full review here

Thanks to Netgalley and Disney Hyperion for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review

I was so excited for this book, that blurb seemed to tick all of the boxes: strong female protagonist, secrets and spies, set in London in 1725, it seemed too good to be true. And unfortunately it was.

The idea is fantastic, a truly brilliant concept, but the execution was decidedly lacking. Which left me feeling frustrated, bored and unimpressed. By the last third of the novel I was basically skimming.

Let’s start with the setting and language. I love historical novels, but I’m very picky about them. If you’re going to set a novel in a specific time period, that implies that you’ve done a modicum of research into etiquette, clothing and speech and that you want to bring that time period alive for a specific reason. There is a worrying trend in young adult novels where the books are being set in a specific time period, but little to no research is being done. It’s sloppy, it makes the reader feels as though the author hasn’t cared enough to bother researching properly, and leaves you with a book that may as well be a contemporary novel with some pretty dresses and balls. This novel suffers from this in spades. Completely unrealistic dress, no attempt at period appropriate etiquette and the dialogue is filled with Americanisms and modernisms. Things like sidewalk? Really?

If there is a strong enough protagonist at the novels heart then I’m inclined to forgive a lot of other problems in novels, but Arista wasn’t compelling or engaging or even likeable at points. She’s supposed to be this mysterious Lady, who trades and barters secrets and can take care of herself, but she comes across as naïve and immature. She doesn’t seem capable of thinking even a step ahead, never mind several. She oscillates between enjoying the power and hating it but with no real explanation or thought process to allow the reader to understand. In short, she lacked conviction. I didn’t for one moment believe that she was capable of the things she was supposedly doing. I didn’t really see any evidence of it. She is constantly going on about how people hate her as Lady A, but apart from one or two instances we never see this. A whole lot of plot points hinge on things that the reader never sees or is introduced to.

The characters are flat and one dimensional, the plot barely hangs together thanks to Arista, all the ‘twists’ were signposted so obviously that there was no tension or shock factor. The writing needed a serious edit, so much extraneous detail that really wasn't necessary and bogged the story down even further.
All in all this was a case of a novel really not living up to the expectations set up by the blurb, and one that has left me sorely disappointed that I gave up time to read it.

[Raven_Blake (dreamy addictions) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its a good historical fiction novel for young readers. This book got an intriguing plot and I liked it a lot, but I don’t think I can say the same about its characters.Even with all the flaws it was surprisingly a good book.I think people who love historical fiction will definitely like this book.

The character named Arista AKA “Lady A” is a 16 year old tough girl who has gone through a hard life in her childhood. She was brought up as a thief from childhood, and now she’s a notorious blackmailer working under Bones. Her job is to sell the secrets of people to the clients at a price.She hated the life she was living, but she has no other choice but to live in it because she has to do either this or get killed by bones.When bones tries to dispose her she was saved by Jonathan Wild, the infamous thief taker.Arista agress to work with Wild until she can save enough money to buy passage out of London, but she didn’t expected that Wild has different motives.

My main issue is with Arista, she lived her whole life in hell and I thought she would be someone like cold hearted and total kickass girl, but the author portrayed her to be a total softie who got so many emotions inside her which is a downfall for me because I didn’t expected that. Arista has a childhood best friend named Nic who also works under Bones. She had a crush on him since she was a child but I always felt friends vibe from them but nothing more than that.

Except Graedan Sinclair the other supporting characters are not up to the par and I also wasn’t able to connect with them either.The relationship between Arista and Nic was pretty much confusing. There isn’t much part of Nic in the plot, but he is present when needed.The romance between Grae and Arista wasn’t interesting either because I hate insta love romances.

People who don’t like insta-attraction and complicated triangles will definitely hate this book but if you are looking for a good story despite of the issues I’ve mentioned above, then go for it because story wise it’s a good one.

The Author done a good job in vivid description of the regency times because I felt that I was actually living at that time. And Her writing skills are also perfect with no flaws. The plot is slow paced at start but when it came to the end part it become fast paced and exciting, so you can say there were some movements in it where it got me bored a little bit.

The Finest thing about this book is its plot and the only thing that I didn’t liked in it were the characters but it’s intriguing story will certainly make you continue further and read it till the end. Even if I liked the plot I don’t think I can continue with this series. Umm… I don’t know myself if I could recommend this or not but still if you are looking for a good plot then go for this.

[Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Tangled Webs” is a book that promises a glimpse into the seamy underbelly of Elizabethan England, following the life of a teenager who grew up in the household of a thief who used orphans to profit by committing crimes. The premise is a good one and the world is built well, but unfortunately, it did not live up to the promise of what could have been.

As far as the plot goes, it is a very interesting idea. Had it been told in a different style, with some character development tweaked, I believe it could have been much better. The problem is, it is extremely dense. It is almost entirely descriptive. Even lines of dialogue come with flowery descriptions. Perhaps it was in an effort to use third person the way it would be written in the time period, but it did nothing but irritate me as the book went along. A better balance between description and dialogue would have made for much better pacing, and I believe more reluctant young adult readers will give up on the story after a chapter or two.

The character development ranged from iffy to outstanding. Many secondary and background characters give the reader an instant overview of who they are through a couple of well-written sentences. I applaud the author on her ability to do that so well. Arista, the main character, and her partner in crime Nik, are intriguing and well-written. Grae, the love interest, is an “instalove” who seems to have the personality of a rock. I’m not sure why Arista would even notice him, aside from his stalker tendencies, let alone fall instantly in love with him. It detracts from the romantic aspect of the book.

I would like to point out a few wonderful details thrown in from history. The Haymarket Theatre is wonderfully described, and Voltaire and the enlightenment are touched upon briefly. Other details of life in the time are also included, and they flow seamlessly with the story, as opposed to being forced in there to establish time and place. As an aside, the book itself is beautiful designed in a way reminiscent of the era.

Overall, “Tangled Webs” is a disappointment, but I can say that I will read the next installment. There are possibilities for it to become something great, and I look forward to seeing if there is an evolution in the storytelling. This definitely isn’t a book for reluctant or impatient readers, but if you like historical novels or flowery prose, it may be worth a try.

This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.