Venomous Kiss

Secrets of the Eternal Rose #1

by Fiona Paul

Cassandra Caravello has everything a girl could desire: elegant gowns, sparkling jewels, and a handsome, wealthy fiancé—yet she longs for something more. Ever since her parents’ death, Cassandra has felt trapped, alone in a city of water, where the dark and labyrinthine canals whisper of escape.

When Cass stumbles upon the body of a murdered woman, she’s drawn into the dangerous and tempting world of secret societies, courtesans, killers, and a mysterious street artist named Falco, who could be the most dangerous temptation of them all.

Soon, she finds herself falling for Falco, but his habit of getting into trouble could destroy the perfect life Cassandra has built. Will she find the murderer before he finds her? And will she stay true to her fiancé or succumb to her uncontrollable feelings for Falco?

Formerly published as Venom, Fiona Paul’s first installment of the Secrets of the Eternal Rose is perfect for fans of Jennifer Donnelly’s These Shallow Graves and Libba Bray’s A Great and Terrible Beauty.

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

448 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 30, 2012

About the author

Fiona Paul is a pseudonym for author Paula Stokes
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Reviews

[Katerina Kondrenko · Rating 4 out of 5]

8.5 out of 10

Ревью в моем блоге/This review on my blog Living A Thousand Lives (please use Chrome/Yandex browser or Android/IOS to see the page; otherwise, spoiler-tags I use to make my post compact may not work)

Short-Soundtrack:
Josh Groban – All'improvviso amore
Il Divo – Ti amerò
Nino Katamadze & Insight – Once on the street

Genre: historical fantasy, YA, mystery
Stuff: Renaissance Venice, forbidden love, maniac
Fail: some typical YA-moments
WOW: atmosphere
POV: 3rd-person, female
Love-Geometry: seeming, next to none

Quote-Core:

“You may study the bodies of the living and the dead for clues about the mechanism of the muscles, the bones, and even the brain, but you can never unravel the mystery of the human heart. . .”

Imagine that: night cemeteries, moonlight on the canal's surface, narrow streets, beautiful palazzi, mysterious killings. And you have a young artist with a shock of curly dark hair, with bright eyes, blue like the water of Adriatic, with patches of dye on his clothes and very mischievous grin, to help you with criminal investigations. You both would sneak in and out of homes, brothels, and tombs, you would share quite every night (not like that, but a bit 'like that'), though you're betrothed with another man who's studying aboard, and you have a reputation which is so easy to spatter. At first, you would do nothing wrong with this new friend of yours, but with the passing of time, you'll realize how much you would love to left your old life and just run away with this boy.

When I had started this book, I was ready for a typical YA-romance wrapped-up in pseudo-historical decorations and mixed up with angst, but the story did surprise me. Yes, MCs are young, but it's Renaissance Venice with polished manners in daylight and lechery at nights. Despite the age of our characters, their romance is vivid, spicy and achingly bitter-sweet.

BTW, the pseudo-historical decorations turned out to be not so untrue to the epoch. We have Venice (at the beginning of the 17th century) with fantasy elements. Some things are really coming from those times, while some seem a bit unsettled. No complaints by me, though. I, personally, liked the atmosphere created by Fiona Paul with the help of Italian words and city descriptions and didn't care how many details weren't authentic. But Italian people may disagree, 'cause stereotypes and stuff.

Our female main lead's name is Cassandra Caravello, she's 15-16-year-old, has auburn hair and green eyes, and I started to sympathize with her quite immediately. All these arranged marriages, rules, and borders for women of those days seem wild and savage for a modern girl. Cass constantly felt trapped, and I get her point.

MC's parents are dead and she lives with her aunt in San Domenico. Attention, there is a cemetery on this island, right next to the aunt's villa, and I've no idea how Cass's hair didn't turn grey yet. Moreover, she loves coming to this place, 'cause it soothes her somehow. I prefer tea and chocolate to comfort me, maybe that's why I have no Falco in my life. Who's Falco? Patience. We'll reach this point soon.

On the night after Cassandra's best friend's funeral, she hears strange sounds from the cemetery and goes there to see what's up. Are you kidding me, brave girl? You had to cover yourself with a blanket and start to pray! But no, this is how the story would flow: creepy moments all the way! So, Cass goes out, she sees that her friend's crypt is open and goes inside (freaking heck!) to find out that Lili isn't there, her body is missing and her place is taken by another girl, dead girl with a carved X on her chest. Cassandra finally loses her courage and runs away screaming until she bumps into a boy she has already met this morning. Falco da Padova. The artist. This handsome and arrogant fellow would mock and challenge her, that's how our MC will become Venetian Nancy Drew.

And that's just the beginning! The very-very beginning.

Falco and Cass are from different worlds. Moreover, Falco believes in science and despises religious zealots (high-five!) while Cass is a truly Catholic girl (with doubts). They are opposites, but they can't resist each other. I think their paring is super romantic. Night dates, adventures, he would paint her, he would seduce her, he would teach her the art of life and even the art of love. Falco is a clever young man and I adore his vision, his way of thoughts and feels. I see why Cass is drawing to him. I am too. He's funny and loves to make laugh from Cassandra:

“You’re wet,” she said, instinctively pushing a strand of brown away from his left eye.
“Very observant,” he remarked. “I see those private tutors are really paying off.”

Their relationship might smell like instalove, but it's not. Their bond had begun with a mere flirtation and grew into something more with the passing of time, after a bunch of dangers they went through together. You'll see.

Have I mentioned Cass's fiance? At first 70%, he would be just a name, just a memory of hers and not a very pleasant one. I was eager for her to get closer to Falco and forget about da Peraga, the fiance, I was sure he sucks. Boy was I wrong. When Luca had come back, we saw that he had changed. He became tall, broad-shouldered, muscular, handsome. We found out that he has wheat-blond hair, honey-brown-eyes (very nice combination, I have to admit), a very kind heart, and a fire within (the little scandal-scene between him and Cass is one of my favs).

Don't worry, there's no love-triangle in this series (YET), MC is burning for only one person; but I won't mind such a thing, 'cause I enjoy both Luca's and Falco's presence on the pages.

Every chapter has an epigraph from The Book of the Eternal Rose. This is not poetry, as you may think, these are medical remarks, autopsy details, and stuff. It's Renaissance, the Church is in power while sciences are still heresy. So that's really interesting to follow the process of such progress, to see how people's minds still aren't very clear, but already on their way to modern knowledge.

“The human body is a book of secrets, covered in skin and written in blood. Those who which to learn its mysteries must be unafraid to open it and study its entrails."

And I think this book just seems to be a light YA-read, but it's not. If you look closer, you'll see the conflict between religion and science, between mind and soul, you'll see the conflict of morality. Are people, who do something horrible for the sake of humans, evil? Are those, who kill innocents because of faith, good? I mean... not every YA-book brings out such questions into the light. I really appreciate it.

The pacing is fast enough. Dangerous situations would interchange with romantic ones, action-packed with those that are full of feelings, and so on. No boredom. Since I was very fond of romance, I didn't pay much attention to a killer. Funny thing, I kept the man in mind, but I had no idea he was the person MCs were looking for. So when it came to the final vicious revelation, I was like, 'Wait a minute, how could I miss such a thing?!' Maybe for other readers the mystery wasn't a mystery ('cause they aren't that easy to be detracted with handsome boys xD), but for me it was.

The ending is good and the book might become standalone, but thank god it has two sequels. I started the next installment right after 'Venom', and have to warn you, 'Belladonna' as much addictive.

PS: Seems like I start to fall in love with historical fiction/fantasy/mystery genres.

Secrets of the Eternal Rose (Тайны Бессмертной Розы):

— Venom (Под маской любви) #1/3
— Belladonna (Белладонна) #2/3
— Starling (Скворушка) #3/3

[Mitch · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why do I feel like I've just read the Twilight of young adult historical fiction? I am not kidding, the only thing Fiona Paul manages to do right is adapt every single conceivable cliche from every second rate paranormal romance I've ever been suckered into reading into this thing nominally set in medieval Venice. If you're looking for an independent minded but ultimately hapless heroine, a ridiculous love at first sight love interest, shallow, predictable drama between the two, and a plot that ultimately goes nowhere despite the promise of a murderer on the loose, yeah, just save yourself the trouble and imagine that last paranormal you read now takes place in Venice a couple hundred years ago. Done.

Oh, how I wish I could’ve done that. But before I go on, doesn’t the summary give the impression that Venom is going to be a murder mystery? With historical elements? I mean, “stumbles upon a murdered woman,” “dangerous world of courtesans,” “secret society,” that’s all murder mystery stuff, right? RIGHT? Instead, I had to suffer through chapters consisting basically of Cass serendipitously bumping into random artist Falco on the streets of Venice, then again at that graveyard across from her villa that she just happens to be wandering through in the middle of the night. Seriously, can we please stop with the random chance meeting of the mysterious hot guy who the heroine instantly notices but thinks will never meet again until he somehow shows up the next day and plays a huge role in the plot cliche? Especially since how it happens in EVERY. DAMN. BOOK. completely defies the laws of probability? Can we just focus on solving the murder? And not spend the entire time going googly over each other while the murderer is trying to, I don’t know, murder you? Is that too much to ask for?

Those first few chapters were like a huge warning sign, but like any intrepid reader I decided to continue because, how much worse can it get? Oh, it gets worse. Cause Venom of course jumps right on the adults are useless bandwagon, so even though someone is actively trying to kill this girl, she decides to hide this from everyone except Falco. Even though she thinks he might be the murderer. Umm, WHAT? This is explained with your standard ‘I don’t want to get into trouble for wandering around a graveyard and discovering a dead body’ excuse, which I’m sure will work quite well after you’ve been stabbed to death by that murderer who knows all about you discovering the dead body and is currently busy sending you death threats. Yes, yes, I know the modus operandi of these kinds of books is to get the girl and the hot guy together investigating the murders by themselves so they can have hot scenes together, but the sheer stupidity of how Paul sets this up is just mind boggling. I’m sure discovering more dead bodies is no problem at all for these people.

Then, there’s the fact that the murder storyline isn’t even well thought out. It’s more like filler that takes a backseat to the shallow romance that dominates the plot of this book. Why is the first murder victim dumped where she is? It seemed so important, but nope, it’s just written that way so Cass can be drawn into the investigation in the most shocking way possible. Disappointing. And the red herrings pointing to Falco? Beyond obvious. The ultimate identity of the murderer? Horribly developed. I think Cass spends more time obsessing over Falco, and then ending up in a love triangle with her fiance to boot, than actually actively trying to figure out who the murderer is. I mean, if you’re gonna go out, by yourself or actually with one guy, and actually try to solve this thing, at least try to solve this thing. That means spending more than three or four scenes on your investigation and not bumbling around with obvious red herrings until the murderer drops into your lap when he tries to kill you. Ugh.

Hate to say it, but the teaser fooled me, Venom is not a well written historical fiction. In fact, it’s incompetent by almost every measure. Oh, and what secret society?

[Nafiza · Rating 2 out of 5]

Venom invites you to a rich world of mystery and intrigue set in Renaissance Venice. It offers secret rendezvous in graveyards, masked balls and errant lovers mixed with absent fiancés. With a premise like that, I could not help but be interested in the novel. The cover, too, is beautiful and alluring.

So what went wrong?

Many things, I’m afraid. This will take a while so bear with me. I went to this author event recently where Kenneth Oppel presided as the main author in attendance. He spoke about his writing and showed us the amount of work he does before he comes to a draft that he is willing to call his first (it’s actually the 4th or 5th and is about knee-high in papers). By the time he has finished writing a novel to his satisfaction, he has accumulated papers that are nearly thigh-high when stacked together. The reason I talk about this is because as I read Venom, I saw the potential of a good novel but what I was reading seemed more like a first draft than the copy you send out for reviewing purposes. This seemed more like a first draft than the final one.

This is the academic in me but it made me wonder whether the standard is being disregarded because it is children’s literature - but of course, that cannot be true because Oppel is also a YA novelist though I believe his novels are more cross-over than strictly YA. Anyway, I shall now detail to my readers what troubled me about this novel.

The setting of the novel, as I said, is historical Venice. The characters populating a novel set in such a time and place will necessarily be constructed by the ideas and thoughts of the period. Their actions will be informed by the norms of the society they were born and live in – even if they are thinking against the grain. When you take a character that is born in a different culture in a different time and place and project upon her the thoughts and actions of a contemporary American girl, it makes for an illogical and frequently jarring read. Her constant sneaking out and meeting a strange man (despite being engaged to another) without any thought of her position in society is improbable and does not read as an authentic portrayal of a girl of her time period. The lack of attention given to the titles of nobility by the serving class also throws the reader out of the narrator. It does not seem possible that the maid would address her employer by her name – especially in its diminutive form. There probably would be more hesitation when making fast and loose with one’s virtue than Cass shows at any time. Also, I am no expert but I doubt going from one place to another in a gondola was as easy as this book seems to insist it is.

We meet Cassandra at a funeral and her lack of respect for the dead girl is astounding. She assures the readers that she was not very close to the dead girl in question and then proceeds to talk about how much the death is affecting her – how sad she is even though she is backing out of the church and falling into the arms of an erstwhile artist. At her friend’s funeral. Right. She does not read the letter her fiancé sent her in the beginning of the book for about one third of the book despite mentioning it once and again. The letter seems as though it was tampered with (its seal is broken) but this goes nowhere. Cass tells us how her fiancé kissed her for the very time and all she could think about was the bench digging into her back and then as soon as he gets back, she starts noticing him in all these splendid new ways. His shy eyes, his soft hair and oh, his broad shoulders!

The love interest is an artist who takes her to shoddy places, leaves her alone amongst men with rapacious intents, digs up graves and steals corpses, lies to her, drugs her – does he sound charming yet? Cass has no reason to go looking for the killer other than the disappearance of a body – flimsy excuse that does not get better as the novel proceeds. The mystery is under-developed, the villains are vanilla and read almost as though they were cut out from cardboard and the so-called killer is ridiculous enough to induce an eye roll. There are no connections between the “mysteries” and there’s no answer to the question “why do I care?”

The language is too contemporary and some of the words (such as “creepy”) are out of place as is the attitude of the main character.

There is not a single likable character in the novel. And no, it is not like Thackerary’s Vanity Fair where such ambivalent characters are intentional. The main character is rude, unappreciative and deliberately stupid. Also, writing in a journal does not make her a writer no matter how much the author insisted. I really did not like her. At all. The love interest is creepy, stalkery and sometimes murderous. The rest of the characters are under-developed. The pacing is lagging and the diction is troubling. The plotting is weak and full of holes.

Look, this book had the potential of being a lot better. If I were the editor, I would have told the author to work on her characterization – especially where Cassandra is concerned. She is a sheltered young girl of the noble class. If she has to be rebellious, well, sure but not in a way that reads so out of place in the setting. Also, she is very abrasive. She comes off as cold and unfeeling – even to the so-called artist to whom she professes her love. I would have asked the author to work on the mystery, the villains, to create something more substantial than what is present. But alas.

Would I recommend this one? Unfortunately, no.

[Nastassja · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buddy read with Julia with the assistance of Katerina. Girls, our all night discussions were the best time of my life. Julia, your narration of Luca and Falco will stay in my memory forever. I hope you'll quote them for us in the next book too ;) Kat, I am glad you seduced me into reading this book; I am looking forward to our next book-sabbath party!

Actual rating: 3.5

“A blow to the head,
if sufficiently sharp,
can produce an indentation
in the skull. Results may be blindness,
muteness, violent paroxysms
of the limbs, and amnesia.”
—THE BOOK OF THE ETERNAL ROSE

You may be wondering what a strange epigraph to start a review. What does she want to tell us with these words? Is she threatening us? Well, I may be in training to become a professional serial killer and The book of the eternal rose is a very handy set of peculiar notes to help me with my endeavor. If you want to join the profession, you are welcome to read more of these terrifyingly alluring notes - they are in the beginning of every chapter.

Venom is a mix of strange and alluring, terrifying and mysterious, romantic and painful; the atmosphere of this book is really magnificent. I can honestly admit that what kept my attention the whole book is not its characters or romance: it's the atmosphere and mystery. So, if you are a fan of historical mystery - you MUST read this book. I was glued to the secrets of Venice and its dark places; we see the underside of beautiful legendary city - the darker and more creepier side of it. And I was absolutely enchanted ( remember, I am a serial killer in training)

The canal water bubbled and hissed in places. She flinched at every dark misshapen shadow, half convinced the murderer was going to rise up alongside the boat and reach for her.

I wanted to explore every nook and corner of that darker Venice, to find out its terrifying secrets with our heroine:

What had the murderer done with her friend’s body—why move one to hide another? Why the gruesome X carved across the girl’s heart? Where was Livi now?

This book, in a way, is also a story of coming of age. Our MC Cassandra is a 15-16 years-old girl. She was engaged from her childhood to a man she barely knows, she is sheltered but has a wild heart and wants to explore and to live for once in her life. As we all are well aware, such desires do not end good, but that the reason we love such stories, right?

Cass tried to behave; she really did. But sometimes the urge to do something completely overrode her education and upbringing. She didn’t want to break rules, but saw nothing wrong with climbing up the side of a building to get a better view of the busy Grand Canal, or running her hand across the velvety forehead of one of the Doge’s horses as they paraded through the narrow streets during a festival. Impulsive, her aunt, Agnese, called her. Cass preferred to think of it as living.

“How am I supposed to know what feels right?” she asked. “I was never taught to feel—just to obey. It’s suffocating. Most of the time I can barely breathe.”

Cass will find her adventures - romantic and terrifying once. Her itinerary: graveyard, brothel, abandoned house filled with human parts, night rides in gondolas, painting sessions with handsome mysterious artist... should I continue or you get the picture? My Nancy Drew mode was turned on full force and I was suspecting everyone. Seriously, even the heroine's cat Slipper is involved in some shady business. So you see, when I say EVERYONE is a suspect - I kidding you not! In the end of the day I guessed the killer right, but things turned out a little bit lot more complicated than I originally thought.

The romance part. I am most reluctant to highlight this topic, because we have a love triangle. Yes, again! If you know me, you know I hate love triangles, because one of the love interests is usually annoying creature, whose presence in the book serves only a fashion for love triangles. But in the case of Venom I was torn in two: we have for once two decent male characters and it is so hard to choose the right one. Especially when both of the love interests helped our heroine to grow as a person and understand some of her feelings. I won't tell whose team I am, because I don't want for you to make any reservations if you'll decide to read this book. I will explain in a spoiler tags my thoughts about the romance. Believe me, it's better to dive into this unprepared and to track your reaction on both men. Just be ready for a lot of angst. I am team Luca. Falco is a passion and Luca is a common sense. But that is not the only reason why I like him. Luca is also a passionate soul, but he keeps his feeling hidden; he suffered, he lost people he loved and cared about, and, still, he cares about Cass and is ready to give her some space and time to get to know him. Falco is an interesting character too, but in a prism of his relationship with Cass, I didn't like him as a love interest. I don't know, though, how I will feel in the next book about our boys, but so far I am pretty solid in my affections

Finale thoughts: read this book if you are fond of a good mystery in historical fiction book and do not mind a love triangle, even a nice one.

[Sarah (thegirltheycalljones) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book could easily be summed up with four words : Venice, mystery, murders and HORMONES!
Is it a bad thing? Hell no! Is it a great thing? Not really. It's average.
There are lots of goods in this book and some bad, which makes it quite uneven and lower the rating to three stars.

The setting was great : Renaissance Venice. Can you do better, really? I don't think so. Maybe it's because I've been to Venice three times in my life and enjoyed every trip, the last one being only two years back, and the city is still so fresh in mind, but I had the feeling to be there again. And what a pleasure! Venice is mighty, stunning and immortal. You cannot just go to Venice once, I dare you to stay away.
Anyway, being there was wonderful and I'll pick up the next book just to see how the author talks about Florence!
Cassandra is a decent MC even if HORMONES everywhere. I mean, everywhere. A lot of random thoughts at inappropriate times, a lot of random daydreaming about two boys "I like him but I like him too, OMG how can I think about him as I just said I liked the other" #goldfish.
But at the same time, her passionate and obsessive thoughts are so close to what falling in love feels like that I can't really hold it against her. Instead of deeply annoy me (what it should have), it kind of made me...smile? With a touch of adult condescension of course? But still it was a smile? Okay, I found her cute and touching and it has everything to do with the writing! So props to that.
Falco is THE epitome of the hot artist, not entirely respectable, not very bad either - or is he? Ha-HA! Who knows? Mystery, murders and HORMONES!
Anyway, he's H-O-T. Fact. He's hard to figure out, there might be more under his cocky attitude... (or not? Ha-HA! Mystery, murder and HORMONES!)
Side note : Kat, if you ever read this, you know your shit about hot guys. Not that it's new or a surprise, but it had to mentioned!
Luca is just as mysterious in his own different way and I admit I'm curious about him. Plus he has a very messy and dark past (or has he?! Because mystery, murders and... ok, you got it) and has everything to evolve as a deeper character.
I'll not talk more about the main characters, too scared to fall in the spoiler hole. Is "spoiler hole" a thing? Does it sound super weird? Can it become a thing? Does it sound too disturbing to become a thing? Sorry, it's 2am and I need to feed the baby. I'm tired. Back to the book now!
I liked the side characters too, they were developed enough to be memorable, not there enough to create a mess of too-many-people-there.
I really enjoyed the mystery but the pace was so uneven! Some chapters were total page turners, Agatha-Christie-style, WHODUNNIT I WANNA KNOW etc. Some other parts were sooo looong for nothing.
Also, there's the matter of the love triangle.
I admit that this one is not that irritating but... I DON'T CARE ABOUT LOVE TRIANGLES. I don't wanna read about them, I want to wipe love triangles out of the literary world, I don't want to pick a team because PLEASE it's always so obvious, I mean why even bother with two dudes as one is clearly cooler, hotter and every superlative ever (like here, COME ON we all know who we'd choose! Well, I know who I'd choose...) or if not obvious then super disappointing because it turns out not to be YOUR ship in the end and it fucks up the whole series for you.
So yeah, booh! for the love triangle that, I suspect, will drag on and on in the next book...and in the next one...and I wanna hang myself already.

I do realise it's a lot of rant for a 3 stars book. I did enjoy my reading though, it was light and I needed light. I'm curious enough about the characters' fate to pick up book 2. I want to wander around Florence like I did in Venice. I want more mystery, murders and HORMONES!

[Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise is a lot more successful than the execution. The blurb drew me in, but I guess I had different expectations for the book. I feel like the actions of the heroine was way too uncharacteristic for someone of her age and class. I did not like the love interest at all, Falco is an arrogant asshole, and I couldn't see what Cass saw in him besides for the initial bad boy attraction. DNF.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must admit it took me a little while to get into this book. It is told in third person which made it difficult for me to connect with Cass at first. Also the first scene is a funeral so it was sad and slow. But have no fear because soon enough I met Falco and I was hooked! Cass just lost a close friend and at night she likes to walk around the graveyard. Weird, yes, but it is her way to have a little freedom and alone time, plus it's located right behind her house. She visits her friend's crypt and notices that her friend's body is gone and replaced with a courtesan girl. Cass plans to run to tell the Guard but on the way she runs into Falco again.

Falco oozes charisma and charm right off the pages. Plan to swoon all over yourself. The first line he spoke before I even knew his name and I was in love. Falco talks Cass out of going to the Guard because they are corrupt and useless. Falco suggests that they team up and investigate the murder themselves. Cass agrees wanting to know where her friend's body is and the other part of her wanting the excuse to see Falco again. They ended up making a very hilarious pair of spies. Each night they have a different plan of where to go and how to investigate. One night Cass dresses up as a prostitute and they go to a few of the prostitute houses to find out who the murdered girl is. That was not something Cass normally saw. Another night they attend a masked ball. They have amazing chemistry. Falco teases Cass a bit but you can feel how much he admires her. Falco brings out her free spirit that you can feel her wanting to release. When Falco wasn't on the page I was skimming ahead dying to know when Cass would see him again and Cass was always wondering the same thing.

I am not a historical reader at all but I loved the setting of this one. I was drawn to this book based on the fact that it took place in Renaissance Venice and I loved it! The descriptions were beautiful and realistic and I could always picture myself inside the book. I still cringe thinking about the whale bones and crazy contraptions Cass wore. I should also admit I didn't know what half of the things she wore were. I would have never been able to live in those times although I badly wanted to hop on a gondola with Falco and just ride around in the dark making out. lol I loved that Cass slowly opened up and rebelled. She slowly started to be who she wanted, even ripped off the whale bones at one point, but she also kept pulling back feeling an obligation to her aunt. I found her aunt to be rude but since she is all the family Cass has left, Cass doesn't want to disappoint her.

I wanted to report back that there isn't a love triangle but I'm afraid there is. Cass does have a fiancé but it is someone who she is promised to, not someone she picked for herself. She hasn't seen Luca in three years since he went off to school but he eventually shows. Luca was a jerk at first but then later I felt sorry for him. I won't get much more into him because he is a bit spoilery. I felt like he handled things terribly and kept lies that put Cass at risk. Not that Falco didn't have a few secrets but I just thought Luca should have came clean with some things sooner. Not to mention his horridly boring supposed love letters. I think he does care for Cass but I felt nothing between them but Cass feels a responsibility to keep their agreement. It weighs heavily on her mind throughout the story but seriously if she doesn't end up with Falco I'm going to beat my book to death with a whale bone.

Which brings me to the ending that was very open. While the murderer is revealed, there is a whole big other conspiracy going on that we must wait to learn more about in the next book. The mystery was still interesting enough and as I said I really loved watching Cass and Falco work to uncover it. I am happy that the romance was such a large part of the book because it was so fantastic. I was kind of hoping for something more to be wrapped up since it was a somewhat long book at about 430 pages but I'll try to wait patiently. Other than that I absolutely loved the story...okay I admit mostly I loved Falco ;-) But if you need more than just him to read then that is okay too because the mystery is fun and the historical parts are fascinating as well.

"How terrible it must be to be a member of the noble class. So many rules. Such restraint. You must feel like a caged bird, battering its wings against the sides of its golden prison."

"So fierce," Falco murmured, holding out a hand to help Cass to her feet. "I'm beginning to enjoy picking you up off the ground."

"I know you want this as much as I do," he said. "You aren't going to report me. And even if you did, I'm inclined to think a night with you might well be worth imprisonment."

[Tzippy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Is it possible for a book to be underwhelming and horrifying at the same time?

Like many others, I was seriously anticipating Venom. YA murder mystery set in Venice during the Renaissance? How could that not be awesome?

I guess maybe if the main character is a privileged rich girl with a loving family whose biggest problem is that her life is too boring (and she complains about it. All. The. Time). And if her love interest, Falco, is every girl's fantasy: you know, the kind of guy who dresses her up like a prostitute, brings her to a brothel, and then leaves her to fend for herself -- and that's all before his awful secret is revealed. And the letters. Allow me to rant a bit about the letters?

So Cass (the main character) is engaged to Luca, who's apparently the boringest borington in all of Boringville (spoiler alert: he's not really). And he writes her these letters, which Cass puts off reading for the entire book, since she's sure they're going to be... well, have I overused the word "boring" yet? Anyway, like a quarter of this book is filled with Cass seeing the letters, feeling guilty for not having read the letters yet, and thinking, "Okay, soon I'll read them, really, I mean it this time." By the time Cass actually opens one of these letters, I was positive that it would contain, like, the authentic Coca-Cola recipe or something. At the very least, a proof for Fermat's last theorem. (I know, I know. Fermat's last theorem has already been proven. But it hadn't been when this book is set!)

Anyway, the letters are nothing of the sort. They just say blah blah blah, I miss you, don't wander around with strange guys. Unfortunately, they don't say, Be careful, my half-brother Cristian is a murderer and he's got his eye on you. Be more vague and unhelpful, Luca!

So now let's move on to Falco's deep dark secret. You know, usually when a character has a deep dark secret, it's either A) something bad that happened to them when they were young, or B) something stupid they did when they were drunk that had enormous consequences. So, points for originality, Falco! Because his deep dark secret is...

He digs up corpses and uses them as models for his art! Including Cass's friend's corpse! (More on that later.)

Also, he sells some of the corpses to be used as medical cadavers. "But mostly, I did it for the art," he writes in a letter to Cass, and she immediately melts. Oh! He desecrated graves and stole dead bodies for the art! How romantic! That's totally not something a serial killer would say!

Cass's friend's body... well, he was involved in stealing it, but he doesn't know what happened to it. "Maybe it was used for artistic purposes," he says, as if that's supposed to be comforting.

Now, I don't want to come off as a person who doesn't appreciate art.

But.

Gross.

If Cass and Falco were supposed to be ambiguous characters and this were supposed to be some kind of macabre psychological thriller, I could get behind that. But that would require depth that this book does not possess.

Aside from being unlikable, these characters are also underdeveloped. I never got a clear picture of any of the characters; not these three, not Cass's lady's maid Siena, not her friend Mada, not Mada's fiance Marco, not the dead friend Liviana (apparently she was "good"), not Cass's aunt, certainly not her dead parents. And nothing was really resolved by the end of the book. Left for the sequel, I suppose, but "something bigger is going on" is just not enough of a hook to get me interested in reading the next book of the series.

(Renaissance Venice might be enough of a hook, though. Oh, why do I do this to myself?)

[Zoe Stewart (Zoe's All Booked) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Today's review is brought to you by the word of the day - boredom.

Sheer. Boredom.

An interesting concept, but holy fuck I was not into this. One too many instances of "I'm different, I'm not like other girls" and "you're different, eh? Not like all those other girls".

G A G

Seriously. I want to vomit.

A general waste of my time. Today was a reading write off. I read a lot, but like 5% of it was actually worthwile.

[Caitlin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was honestly super excited for this book thanks to the Renaissance Venice setting. I mean, masquerades! Courtesans! Crazy maze like canals and streets and just--Venice was a happenin' place back then and now, let me tell you. But even with a mundane plot, with a mundane, over used romantic trope(I CAN'T TELL YOU BC I NEED TO PROTECT U), love interest--everything--I still would have let it get off with 2.5 stars, even a three. The prose is nice. THe plot, oversimple maybe, but sustainable. The dialogue and characters said and did just enough to keep the pace going. But the thing that ruined this book entirely--lowered to one sad little star--is something impossible to ignore and shrug off: Cass. The God damn leading female figure.

To keep it short, I'll just get straight to the point: Cass is boring, bland and overall puddy. THe entire book she complains about being "a caged bird" and wanting to break free but guess waht SHE NEVER DOES. She goes from one handler to the next And if you think her "breaking free" is her sneaking around then guess again because guess who provokes her to leave in the first place? Falco (who is your typical love interest--sexual harassment and "do you know what you just said" and all). My favorite part is her constant paranoia for some murderer coming after her, and yet she pretty much wanders every other chapter alone (while jumping at every shadow).

She doesn't develop. In fact she devolves practically. You'd think she's just be like "NOPE. NOT TAKING THIS SHIT" but instead she remains fickle and acts out of character so many times that eventually I realized that she has no character. She's purely a device and how am I suppose to care for a literary device rather than a person? Even if she was your typical boring heroine, she's still would be a whole person. Instead, she's just a cursor leading us to each plot point giving us information and thoughts that we already know (because she said it over and over).

Nothing makes me more angry is reading a character who feels so fake and maneuvered by the author. Man, I really REALLY wanted to enjoy this. I tried, but eventually I knew nothing would improve.

[Elesia · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 stars*

While I did enjoy this book and loved the time and setting, it did drag on and bore me at times. It was also a little predictable, but I did enjoy reading about Cass' story! I feel like I'm already on the love interest team most people don't pick, and I'm intrigued enough by the series and the characters to continue reading on!

[Alexandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Čo to sľubuje:

- vraždu, ktorá spustí sled akcie, mystéria, udalostí, z ktorých budete lapať po dychu
- vraha neznámeho a pripraveného udrieť kedykoľvek, ktorý je braný aj ako vážna hrozba
- zápletku, z ktorej tuhne krv v žilách
- podmanivosť renesančných Benátok
- napätie až do konca
- aspoň trochu autenticity

Čo dostaneme z vyššie spomenutého?

...

Nič (ak nerátame absolútne nereálne romance;
hrdinku, ktorej sa začali zapaľovať lýtka a zúfalo jej to nemyslí tak, ako by malo;
arogantného kreténa, ktorý ma vždy prekvapil tým, že vie písať a čítať, pretože na takého debila by ste to vážne nepovedali;
vraha, ktorý je odhalení už okolo stránky 200 aj skôr;
nič nedostaneme. Ohh, a pár príjemných historických detailov, ktoré spochybňujem už dve sekundy po ich prečítaní aj keď viem, že občas to sedí.).

_

Čo vlastne bolo zle?
Veľa vecí, tak veľa, že ani neviem kde začať, aby to celé dalo zmysel. Mám z toho celého pocit akoby to autorka napísala, prečítala, prikývla že "hhmm, hmm, môže byť" trochu sa pohrabala po Wikipédii, kvôli detailom a koniec. A hneď prvú verziu príbehu poslala. Nejakým zázrakom sa stalo, že jej to vydali. Ale ako, keď to pôsobí ako prvá nanajvýš druhá verzia toho príbehu? Akoby to ani nik nečítal poriadne. Nepiloval detaily, nevedel jej nič vytknúť. Uhh, mne je jedno, že je to YA, aj YA má mať úroveň. A najmä keď to sľubuje historické pozadie, ktoré sa mohlo tak krásne využiť.

Toto má byť vlastne historický román. Odohrávajúci sa v Benátkach, správne? Samozrejme, nevieme presný rok, časové rozpätie talianskej renesancie je od 14 -17 storočia, a to je veľmi, veľmi veľa rokov.
Veď nech to mám ťažšie s objasňovaním prípadných kravín (toto je vlastne väčšia mystery než mystery s vrahom z príbehu, o ktorom píšem).
Neviem, či niekto čakal, že nejaký magor vám vypočíta rok.

So...here I am.

Je rok 1636 / 1637
(celkovo je jedno, ktorý presne, nech rátam akokoľvek toto mi vyšlo. Je to vlastne jednoduché, stačí mať nezaujímavo napísaný dej a váš čitateľ si s radosťou vypočíta ako dlho trvalo doviezť kávu z Jamajky do Benátok + Smrť pápeža, ktorý kávu povolil + rýchlosť plavby lode v 17. storočí za ideálnych a menej ideálnych podmienok + morová epidémia v Taliansku + Cassandrin vek + otvorenie 1. verejne kaviarne, atď.
Sedí to (a preto som sa posledné dni pýtala, či sa niekde nespomenul presný rok. Lepšie nech ma porazí počas čítania než tesne po dočítaní, keď už verím, že mám pravdu)

A keď už sa rozhodneš vhodiť svoje postavy do takej doby je nevyhnutné si o správaní ľudí v tom čase aj niečo zistiť. Čítaj!
Autori predsa čítajú, musia, tak prečo mám pocit, že tuto poslúžila asi len učebnica a 2 stránky o renesancii?

A zvyšok vyzerá akoby naši kamaráti boli cestovatelia v čase, a nie postavy, ktoré žijú v Benátkach od narodenia.

Pre mňa je proste nevyhnutné, aby boli cítiť odlišnosti v stavoch, v správaní, spôsobe výchovy, života.
Aby sa pretavili myšlienky tej doby do správania postavy (áno, môže byť rebel, ale nezabúdajme odkiaľ pochádza, aký je rok, ako ovplyvňuje náboženstvo, výchova, mravy správanie človeka tej doby. Veď už len všetky obmedzenia a odlišnosti mohli vyniesť na niekoľko zápletiek!)
Že tam dáš pár talianskych slov a príležitostne sa pomodlíš k Jesusovi, to mi je hovno platné.
A vôbec, keď už som zmienila stavy, nezdá sa mi možné, že by slúžka alebo aj gardedáma mohla ignorovať oslovenia určené pre vyšší stav. Nezdá sa mi pravdepodobné, že by mohla len tak voľne oslovovať svoju paniu iba zdrobneninou jej mena, čo sa stávalo viac než často.
Nie je z toho cítiť rešpekt, ktorý by sa mal preukázať (ak keď takej krave...well).

Prejdime k hlavnej hrdinke: Cass(andre) - ktorá si furt sťažuje na korzety. Čo je už po chvíli otravné, pretože well, si sa v tej dobe narodila musíš byť zvyknutá, hm?)

„Ospravedlňujem sa, signorina, ale možno by ste mali byť vďačná za to, čo máte, namiesto toho, aby ste sa zaoberali tým, čo ste stratili.“

- to si, kurva, píš.

A celkovo. Stále si sťažuje na niečo. Veľmi chce vyletieť z klietky, no namiesto toho väčšinou robí, čo jej povedia. A čitateľ je 100 strán pred ňou.

Prvé stretnutie s ňou máme na pohrebe jej kamarátky Liviany, kde Cass prejavuje až neuveriteľne malé množstvo rešpektu k mŕtvej dievčine.
V zápätí dodáva, že si neboli až také blízke, no ani nie o pár chvíľ zisťujeme, že ju jej smrť neuveriteľne ranila.
A takto v smutnej nálade Cass vypoklonkuje z kostola, aby padla do náručia spodiny-umelco-žobráka. Prekvapujúco je ten trt najväčšou láskou jej života.
Po zvyšok čítania sa už len topíme v modrej farbe jeho očí, ktoré sú ako oceán /je to tak lame, že to neviem ani napodobiť/.

Jaja. Pôvodne sme boli na pohrebe jej kamarátky.
A vôbec, je zasnúbená s istým Lucom, ktorého listy neotvára, a s prehľadom ho ignoruje (a môj mozog sa vzchopil iba na druh sympatie v štýle: "Chudák Luca" )- až kým sa neobjaví na scéne, aby dokončil ľúbostný trojuholík. Btw. Opeknel. A má svaly. Veľmi zapeklitá situácia, koho si len vybrať?

Pretože...je tu Falco. Umelec, ktorému zomrel majster (je cca 6 rokov po smrti, čiže Cass klamal aj v tomto) a chlapec kradne telá z cintorína, aby ich maľoval. Can you feel the love tonight?

Stretnú sa na cintoríne a odvtedy to ide z kopca...
... oblečie Cass ako prostitútku, nechá ju samu medzi ožranmi, klame jej, doberá si ju, vysmieva sa jej, keď sa snaží správať aspoň trocha rozumne a vôbec, ak by Cass myslela mohla by ho pokojne dať popraviť.
Stavové rozdiely, pamätáme?

Ale nie, on má predsa tak hlboké oči a vlnité vlasy a ona sa chce v ňom utopiť
(hento máte na každej strane. Medzi tým tam vraždí nejaký maniak, ale čo to je, v porovnaní s tým, že Cass horí? literally. A na všetko reaguje tak prehnane, že aj z mojej 4 ročnej sestry vyžaruje aureola dospelosti v porovnaní s touto.
Skutočne, Cass za celý čas nikdy nič neprijme ani trochu normálne, vždy sme buď extrémne vzrušení, zmätení, alebo v depresii, čo dosť lezie na nervy, keďže ani nemôžme dúfať, že by ju to zabilo. Má to predsa ďalšie dva diely).

Prečo dievča s Falcom trávy čas? Nuž, Liviana je ten dôvod.
Jej telo ukradli, nechali tam jedno zohavené a tým sa začína najslabšia zápletka, akú si len viete predstaviť.
Mohli by sme dokonca povedať, že Cass používa zmiznuté telo Liviany len ako dôvod, kvôli ktorému sa potĺka s Falcom po nociach a vozí sa v gondole, a odmieta pripustiť, že aj on by mohol byť vrahom. To sa technicky dialo.

To skôr Matteo bude vrah, než Falco, muž, do ktorého narazila pred kostolom a na cintoríne. A o ktorom nič nevie. A ktorý jej len pripomenul, že má pohlavné orgány a je pubertiačka (myslí vagínou 60 % času)



Btw. Matteo je jediný normálny z celej knihy a to sa ani neobjavil v príbehu
Čo ho zachránilo, inak by sa z neho autorka možno snažila urobiť podobnú karikatúru akou sa stal chudák Luca. Luca má inak všetky dôvody správať sa tak, ako sa správa a on a teta Agnese, a všetci puritáni, ktorí kedy niečo Cass povedali majú môj obdiv

O vrahovi mi ani nevravte. Viete ako som naňho prišla? Zapísala som si každé meno v príbehu a spýtala som sa: "Ktorý je najšokujúcejší a zároveň najblbší kandidát s najdivnejším motívom?" Jop.
Mala som pravdu (pretože, keď už viete, čoho všetkého sa tu autor dopustil...všetko je možné).
Jednoducho, on tam bol a bol trápny a ja som sa smiala a plakala zároveň, pri tej poslednej časti. A ten "temný motív spravodlivosti or whatever", ahh, nemám slov.

Ono to potápa samo seba, písanie to tiež nezachraňuje a nie je tu jediný aspekt, ktorý by knihu robil niečím nezabudnuteľnou, o výnimočnosti sa neoplatí ani písať. Opisy? Nula bodov. Máme mená budov, povie sa, že sú honosné + dva ďalšie prívlastky a keď už sa snaží spôsobiť aspoň trochu poeticky v celkovom kontexte to vyznieva len vtipne a zúfalo. Postavy sú neživé, suché, šablónové a na 2 - 3 svetlé momenty, budete chcieť radšej zabudnúť. Čo nebude ťažké.
Ja za to nemôžem. Je to bolesť.

Jediné, čo ma u tohto držalo je história. Ja to milujem. Milujem vzdelávanie. Milujem hľadanie. Detaily, ktoré si budem objasňovať. Je pravda, že som väčšinou natrafila na mená reštaurácií a talianske stránky, ale je tu pár nepresností.

Cass sa zakráda po rôznych kútoch Benátok, často sama. Okej, nielenže je to to najkreténskejšie konanie, keďže sa tam pohybuje vrah, ale nikdy by sa to nestalo. Nikdy. Ženy museli byť vždy s mužským sprievodom, pretože aj keď boli časy renesancie voľnejšie a Benátky si voľnosti užívali najviac, ženy sú stále považované za slabšie (nielen kvôli náboženstvu a Eve).
Okrem toho, hlavná hrdinka je slobodná, mladá, bohatá žena z najvyšších spoločenských kruhov (minimálne je veľmi vysoko). A tieto ženy museli mať na hlave závoj, keď išli do spoločnosti. Z nejakého dôvodu sa toto na Cass vôbec nevzťahuje.

Taktiež sa tam priveľmi využíva oceľ, ktorú používali iba na výrobu zbraní. Ostatné veci ako napríklad, panvice, boli vyrobené zo zliatiny kovov, nie z ocele.

Spomenuté bolo dielo Shakespeara. Jeho dielo bolo oficiálne vydané roku 1623, čo je okej. Väčší problém je v tom, ako sa o ňom Cass vyjadruje: "takmer neznámy autor" - Cass zhodou okolností, čítala dielo, ktoré ho najviac preslávilo.
Ak netrpí podivnou chorobou protirečenia si, nie je pravdepodobné, že by označila na jednej stránke Shakespearovo dielo za "už celkom známeho Shakespearea", kým predtým o ňom hovorí ako o "takmer neznámom autorovi".

Neviem ako je na tom obchod s ľuďmi, otroctvo, zlé životné podmienky a pod, ale úprimne ma štvalo, ako Cass popisuje kurtizány a prostitútky.
Takmer akoby išlo o nejaké krásne, romantické povolanie. Dobre, pripíšme to jej naivite.
Ale neverím, že sa pekná prostitútka mohla udržať na výslní dlho. Alebo kurtizána. S ich povolaním to nie je najľahšie, krása a mladosť nie sú večné, čiže ak benátske ľahké ženy nemali čarovný nápoj, nepríde mi ich popis veľmi dôveryhodný a ony nepracovali veľmi dlho.

Posledný krát si rypnem:
Falco v jednej chvíli ošetruje Cassinu zranenú ruku. Napriek tomu, že nie je nikde spomenuté meno prostriedku, ktorý použil, trocha som pátrala.
Použil jód. Čo je dosť problém, pretože jód bol objavený až roku 1811.

Odkazy na zaujímavé stránky, ktoré som našla:

http://www.umbrellahistory.net/

(Jedna postava sa volala Rambaldo. Čo je škoda, zmena jediného písmenka a mali by sme zaujímavého príbuzného.)
http://alias.wikia.com/wiki/Milo_Ramb...

http://www.zirafy-antilopy.cz/index.p...

(bolo ich pochopiteľne mrte, no toto sa mi najviac páčilo. Mám koniec koncov 9 strán, všetko vám sem dať nemôžem)

Celkovo? Potenciál (áno, bol tam ale) bol nevyužitý.
Zápletka sa dá prekuknúť ak sa snažíte,
z romantiky sa mi chce zblvať aj teraz,
a keď som uvidela druhý diel: "Radšej nie."
Veľa som sa dozvedela - lebo rýpem - ale úprimne dúfam, že sa mi nič historické nepripletie v nasledujúcich dňoch do cesty.

Celkovo by som na to nahuckala ľudí, keby som chcela, aby veľmi trpeli.
Občas ľutujem, že tu nie je možnosť dať: Odpad. tak 1*, veľmi nečakané

[Tee loves Kyle Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Venom is one of those books that stay with you long after you read it. I want to thank Around The World ARC Tours for allowing me to be a part of this tour because it was truly one of the BEST books I have read so far this year. October is going to be the month of EPIC book releases and this is going to be one of them.

Cass lives in Venice with her aunt. Her aunt has secured her a husband and Cass is waiting for him to come home from school to be with her. He is not someone she has picked to be with but she is willing to give it a go because she wants to keep her aunt happy because she is all the family Cass has.Luca is safe and secure and really cares about Cass but they grew up together and I think she sees him more of a safety than a husband. Don't get it wrong though Luca had some secrets of his own and I am dying to find out what they are in the next book.

One day Cass is out walking in the grave yard to visit her best friend who died when she stumbles upon the grave her friend is missing and her body has been replaced by another dead girl. Cass goes off to seek help when she runs into Falco who tells her the police are not going to do anything about it. So they decide to solve the murder themselves. As Cass and Falco set out trying to solve the murder they stumble upon lot's secrets and lies. They have to figure what to trust and who to trust.

Cass will have to make lot's of decisions and she will need lot's of help. In the end all darkness comes to light or so I have been told. She will come to rely heavily on Falco and boy oh boy Falco...... you talk about swoon worthy LORD HAVE MERCY GIRL GET READY TO HOLD ON TO YOUR FISHBONES! hahahaha This is a great OCTOBER READ. It comes out on October 30th just in time for Halloween. Also if you love the Renaissance era you will LOVE VENOM!

[Glory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ну вот даже не знаю...
С одной стороны, атмосфера действительно классная.
С другой - незамутненность героини вывихнула мне мозг)))
Впрочем, как и дикое сочетание общего мрака и наива. Не представляю, как автору это удалось.
Леплю 3 звезды: то ли занижаю из-за героини и ее суицидальных наклонностей, то ли завышаю заради шикарной Венеции и мрачных тайн.
О продолжении подумаю, но явно не в ближайшее время. Ибо то, что мне не захотелось накатать многобуквенный отзыв, уже о многом говорит)

[Tatiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Я поняла, что ничего не поняла. Что это вообще было?

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Four Stars: A historical murder mystery that takes you to Renaissance Venice.

Cass stands in the church enduring the never-ending funeral for her deceased friend, Livia. At last the funeral draws to a close and Cass seeks some fresh air. Lost in a fog, she is unaware of her surroundings as she stands on the plaza near the canal. A boisterous young man accidentally shoves against her, knocking Cass to the ground. For a moment, she is lost in the depths of his blue eyes. Quickly he pulls her up and runs off to join his compadres. Later that night alone in her room, Cass glances out the window and sees a lantern bobbing in the graveyard where her now deceased friend is entombed. Curious, she grabs her cloak and heads to the shadowy graveyard. As she nears the crypt, she hears a scratching noise. Cass pushes aside her fear and dashes in to check the crypt. Everything appears to be normal, until Cass notices the lid of the tomb is slightly ajar. She endeavors to push the heavy stone slab into place. Before she does so, she decides to take one final peek at her beloved friend. The sight that meets her eyes is horrifying and disturbing. In the crypt lies a dark haired girl with bruises and a red 'X' slashed across her chest. Terrified, Cass flees and falls into the arms of the same boy who bumped into her earlier in the day. She begs for help, and the two begin their strange investigation into the disappearance of the body. What follows is a wild adventure through the canals of Venice as Cass and Falco race to solve the mystery. Unfortunately, by sticking her nose into the mess, Cass soon finds herself threatened by the killer. Can Cass and Falco find the murder before he gets to Cass?

What I Liked:
*My absolute favorite aspect of this book is the historical setting of Renaissance Venice. Ms. Paul does a phenomenal job of taking the reader back in time to this old city on the water. She paints a picture of Venice both good a bad. While I am certain everyone is expecting to read about the romantic gondola rides and the watery passages, there is more to it than the ideal vision. Ms. Paul reminds us that during this time there was plenty of filth and squalor. While the idea of the canals may be appealing, in reality they are polluted and germ ridden as the people of the city use them as their dumping grounds, chamber pots and all, they are swirling with venom. I can only imagine how awful it smelled. I loved learning more about this grand city.
*I enjoyed the depiction of the different types of people populating the city. You meet the wealthy aristocrats, the servants, and even some of the more scandalous figures such as the courtesans. I liked reading about the different classes and learning more about the customs and fashions of the day. Of course, there are elegant gowns of silk and lace adorned with pearls as well as hats, handkerchiefs, stays and chopines. I found myself googling chopines to find out about this foot wear. I can't imagine how women managed to walk about in these contraptions! Needless to say, as romantic as the idea of these fancy gowns seems, in reality they were cumbersome and the whalebone stays were constricting and unbearable.
*I liked the partnership between Cass and Falco. The pair traverses all over Venice at night in order to find the culprit. During their investigation, they attend a mask ball, visit the houses of the courtesans and paddle up and down the canals. It is certainly entertaining to follow them as they work together and ultimately the sparks fly between them.
*I admired Cass. She is a young lady brought up amongst the wealthy class of Venice. Even though she has a life of privilege she has a burning desire to seek out adventure and to break free of her confines. Falco provides the perfect opportunity for her to escape. The girl has a lot of gumption to go traipsing all over Venice in the dead of night!
*Finally, on a side note the physical copy of Venom is gorgeous. The cover is striking and inside the book, every page has a lovely scroll design along the bound edge. It is an elegant presentation.

And The Not So Much:
*While I adored Falco, he is flippant, sarcastic and charming, I felt like I didn't know him. The boy pops on scene and throughout the entire book he is enigmatic, meaning there is no discussion on his background, where he lives and even his trade. After awhile it is revealed that he is an artist but everything else remains a mystery. I wanted the details and the dirt on him. I am sure that he will collect many hearts, but I wish I could know him better.
*There were a couple of times in the book where the author flipped on names. For instance she introduces one character, Joseph Dubois, and refers to him by his last name for the majority of the book, then a couple of pages after the first meeting she suddenly flips and refers to him as Joseph for a passage. I was confused and had to go back and read a couple of pages to find out she was referring to Dubois.
*I wanted more of the backstory on the Livia, the dead contessa. The book opens with her funeral and then the theft of her body, but I knew nothing about this girl and her relationship with Cass. Just a tad more clarification on her would have made the reader understand a bit better why Cass wanted so desperately to solve the crime. Obviously, Livia was a close friend, but it is never discussed, you just have to infer.
*I wanted to know more about the Book of the Eternal Rose. Every chapter is introduced by an excerpt from this strange book. Why were these excerpts used? Is this indeed a real book and how does it ultimately tie into the story?
*I would be remiss of me not to tell you that this book moves into a love triangle. For the majority of the book, it doesn't appear that there is going to be a three sided affair. At the opening of the book, the reader learns that Cass is betrothed to a boy she hardly knows and has not seen in three years as he is away at school in France. She has little desire to marry him, but most do so to acquiesce to her aunt's wishes and to maintain her status. She is not in love with him. Once Falco sweeps into the story with his smile and snark, she falls and falls hard. She is constantly lecturing herself, knowing that their relationship can't be, but she can't resist. Soon she is even pondering the possibilities of escaping with Falco, that is until Luca returns. In his absence, he has matured and become handsome. He is also kind and sympathetic and for a moment her heart sways. At the end of the book, it appears that the story is moving into love triangle territory. However, it is interesting and believable so don't let that deter you from reading this one.
*The book has an open ending. There is no cliffhanger, thank goodness, but there are so many lingering unanswered questions, that the author herself presents at the end of the story. Obviously, if Ms. Paul takes the time to address the remaining questions, she is going to address them in the next book. Just don't expect a resolution to the murder mystery or the love dilemma.
*Finally, the one thing I can see might be a problem for some readers is pacing. This book moves at a slow speed. It isn't filled with action or fast paced by any means. In fact, it takes a good long while for the mystery to unfold. The final hundred pages, the book picks up dramatically as the big reveals start coming, but until that point it is mostly Cass and Falco chasing all over Venice at night. If you stick with it the pay off is worth the wait.

Venom is an interesting tale that takes the reader on a wild chase through the canals of Venice during the Renaissance period. This book has body thefts, murder, forbidden love, gondolas, corsets and stays, courtesans and a masquerade ball, all along the banks of the many canals of Venice. Travel back in time and follow Cass and Falco as they work to find a killer and ultimately find the flames of a forbidden passion.

Favorite Quotations:
“Cass was more alone than ever. She might as well be dead; her life was spread in front of her, a series of high walls and predetermined paths, rules, and expectation, all as narrow as the canals, as stifling as a coffin.”
“I’ll see you home to your fancy sheets. I’d say you need your beauty sleep, but it looks like you’ve been getting plenty.”
“Time seemed to slow down as she stared at the blank parchment, brimming with things to write but unable to form her swirling thoughts into sentences.”
“Falco’s eyes widened in fake shock. “Well, then perhaps I should ask for a tour of the house.” He grinned, clearily relishing Cass’s embarassment. “Can we start with your bedroom?”
“Cass’s heart sped up. But this time, he didn’t try to kiss her. He just held her in the dark, his mouth so close to hers that their breath mingled together like mist off the canals.”
“She felt close to him, yet miles away at the same time. It was as if what she wanted was on the horizon, but kept disappearing like a mirage.”
“Cass felt torn in two, like the sky split by lightning. One side guilty. One side wanting. She froze, statue-still, as Falco’s lips brushed against her earlobe and then moved down and across her jawbone. His mouth hovered in the air, a parchment width away from hers. Eternities came and went.”
“He described marriage as much like a cage full of birds, where the unmarried struggle to get in and the married struggle to get out.”
“You smell amazing,” he said. “Like roses and butterflies and cool spring morning.”
“Everyone else was apologizing to God for their sins, and here she was dreaming up some new ones.”
“Her future might have already been decided, but she was still in control of her present.”
“Stop worrying about the rest of the world. Do what feels right. Let go.”
Note the quotations are taken from an ARC and they may differ from the final copy.
Orginally posted @ Rainy Day Ramblings.
Stop by for an international giveaway for a signed copy!

[Annabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

*****FINAL RATING: 4.60 STARS*****

CATCHALL
I don't read a lot of historical fiction. And usually, when I do, it has magic thrown in at one point or another. As a general rule, historical fiction is not my favorite. Yet somehow, Venom defied all those odds and found its way into my heart. I just…I can't even. This book totally resonated with my and made my heart pound. It was wild and crazy and insane and fun, and I loved every single second of it. It amazed me and it thrilled me. In other words, it was sheer perfection.

THE HEROINE
CASS
I liked Cass. I had a hard time connecting to her, a the reason for that is mentioned below. Even so, she's an awesome heroine who is a genuinely good role model. She's courageous but not foolish, and clever but not overly so. She's strong enough to do what she needs to do most of the time but she also has a vulnerability that really made me connect truly with her.

THE LOVE INTERESTS
LUCA
I'm Team Luca, you guys. Luca is not boring at all. He's sweet and kind, and he doesn't have serious problems. But at the same time, it's pretty clear that he's keeping secrets, too. And he's always, always, very good to Cass, even when she's being difficult. Even more than that, he's funny; there's more than one moment where he's making Cass smile and just being there for her.
FALCO
Falco is definitely swoonworthy, don't get me wrong. But he seems like more of the fling type, at least to me. He's described as a rather dark character, riddled with all sorts of dangerous secrets. He's clearly the rascal type, and though I think he's hot, sure, I also don't want him to end up with Cass. Yes, he has his good points. And I do love him. But Luca is better.

THE PLOT
This was probably one of the plots with the most insane plot twists that I've ever read. I would be positive that the plot was going to go in one direction, and nothing could have convinced me otherwise. And then the plot would branch off in the exact opposite way! It was shocking, really. It didn't bother me at all, either; it was too exciting to be frustrating!

The whole murder especially was totally brill. I couldn't tell what or who it was, even when the clues were right in front of me. It was definitely a hide-under-the-covers-and-shiver intense type of thing. Seriously. I don't get creeped out that easily, but when I do…

Everyone is keeping secrets. Everyone. So you just never know what to expect next. As soon as you think you have everything figured out, you don't. Prepare to be surprised in a world where nothing is as it seems.

Italy also has a special place in my heart since Italian is my second language, so I LOVED that this was set in Italy. It was completely awesome the way the setting was really involved with this book, too, not just a background.

This book drew me in with its magnificent plot and so far had refused to let me go. It's the kind of thing that's stuck with me and has been constantly on my mind. It was thrilling, beautiful, and it refuses to be ignored.

THE ROMANCE
Oh, the romance. *swoons* This book is absolutely full of romance, in a wonderful way. I loved the soft and subtle chemistry between Cass and Luca. All bias aside, it seriously does remind me of what one of my aunts and my uncle has. No grand gestures or anything. Just an unspoken agreement to be there. Cass and Falco just…didn't work for me. Yes, they have some seriously sizzling chemistry. I'm not blind. But I also think that it isn't enough for a lifetime. (Even though, sadly, I think it's pretty obvious who Cass is going to end up with, alas.)

THE WRITING
Fiona has some awesome writing. Really. The description is lush and gorgeous, and the banter and dialogue is always witty but knows when to be serious. One thing that did bother me: the third person made it really, really, really hard to connect to Cass. I'm not sure why, since usually I actually prefer third person to first. But for some reason, in this case, the third person didn't work for me as well as I wanted it to.

THE ENDING
The ending was…wow. I mean, talk about a major cliffhanger! Not only that, but I was absolutely shocked. I could never have seen that ending coming. Nothing prepared me for it. It was wholly unexpected and yet it also made perfect sense. When I thought about it more, I realized that everything had been perfectly arranged so that the book would end in just that way. It was artful and gorgeous, and I was very, very impressed.

WRAPUP
I absolutely loved this book, which is a huge compliment coming from me, the non-historical-fiction reader. Cass' world was a joy to live in, and I immersed myself completely in this wonderful world. I cannot wait to return in Belladonna and again in Forbidden to see where everything goes next and how everything is going to work itself out! This is a highly recommended book from me, so order your copy today! Prepare to be thrilled beyond your wildest dreams.

FINE.

Find more of my reviews on Sparkles and Lightning!

[Mrs. S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awww, YA boys. I never fall for the one I'm supposed to. In Venom, Fiona Paul has created a great example of the kind of artsy, edgy "bad boy" that I just know the entire internets will soon be swooning over. Falco is great, and I'm definitely intrigued by him. But you'll be reading all about him in a million reviews soon enough. I want to talk about Luca.

From the minute I learned that our heroine, Cass, was betrothed to a guy she had known in childhood but who she dismissed as "boring", I knew I had found my rooting interest in this book. "Boring" in YA is often code for "sweet, thoughtful, and unlikely to be regularly in mortal peril." I don't know about y'all, but that's way more my type. And Luca does not disappoint. He takes care of Cass and makes her laugh...and he's even got some secrets and mystery, about which I really hope more in the next book.

I also really liked the female characters--Cass, Mada, Agnese, and Siena being the principals. Cass is generally a sympathetic heroine, although I found myself a little frustrated at times with some of her choices. Agnese, Cass's elderly widowed aunt, struck a nice balance between being the strict old lady and being someone who had lived a full life (another piece of this story I want more of!). Cass only really has two young women in her life--her friend Mada and her lady's maid Siena. Mada is wealthy and often a bit self-centered, but she is redeemed by how much she really loves her fiance. And Siena, who seems like a bit of a sad sack at the beginning, really grew on me as I got to know her better.

In short, if you're a fan of historical romance, or mystery and intrigue, or Venice, or Renaissance ideas about religion and science, you'll add this to your list and look forward to October, when this fun little number comes out!

**Disclosure: I won an ARC from the YAMazing Race, organized by The Apocalypsies. This is my honest review of the book.**

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

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

Venom by Fiona Paul
Book One of the Secrets of the Eternal Rose Series
Publisher: Philomel
Publication Date: October 30, 2012
Rating: 3 stars
Source: ARC from a giveaway

Summary (from Goodreads):

Cassandra Caravello is one of Renaissance Venice’s lucky elite: with elegant gowns, sparkling jewels, her own lady’s maid, and a wealthy fiancé, she has everything a girl could desire. Yet ever since her parents’ death, Cassandra has felt trapped, alone in a city of water, where the dark and labyrinthine canals whisper of escape.

When Cass stumbles upon a murdered woman—practically in her own backyard—she’s drawn into a dangerous world of courtesans, killers, and secret societies. Soon, she finds herself falling for Falco, a mysterious artist with a mischievous grin... and a spectacular skill for trouble. Can Cassandra find the murderer, before he finds her? And will she stay true to her fiancé, or succumb to her uncontrollable feelings for Falco?

Beauty, love, romance, and mystery weave together in a stunning novel that’s as seductive and surprising as the city of Venice itself.

What I Liked:

I absolutely love historical fiction, so the setting of the Italian Renaissance something about which I was looking forward to reading. For the most part, I thought the setting was intriguing and enrapturing, and it definitely felt like I could place myself there. The Renaissance is one of my favorite historical time periods, and I am happy to say I was not too disappointed.

The plot was pretty straightforward. Girl finds dead body. Girl wants to know who, what, where, when, why, how. Girl gets help from hot but poor boy. Girl and boy think they fall in love. Boy helps girl, but keeps things from girl. Fast forward a lot. All is revealed at the end. Girl must make a choice. Again, straightforward. Predictable. Which is not bad (obviously, I liked it), because I could follow the plot very easily.

The romantic interests: Luca and Falco. That is not a secret, so I am not spoiling anything for anyone. I cannot believe I am saying this, but I am Team Luca. Usually, I would be on Team New Guy, the new, hot, rugged guy that does not seem perfect for the heroine. But I really, really like Luca. A LOT more than I like Falco. I was not completely taken it by Falco.

Cass is an okay heroine. She tries to be a strong person, but in my opinion, she is not. Which is how it is supposed to be in Renaissance Italy: women are not supposed to think for themselves like that, and gallavant all over town. The fact that she does bothered me a lot.

What I Did Not Like:

There is a lot for this category. I am going to try and condense it.

First, Falco. My goodness, I did not like that boy. I can see Ms. Paul attempting to make him seem "sexy" and "forbidden" because he is of a lower class than Cass, but I really did not buy it. He just seemed dark and mysterious, but not in the usual yummy way.

And Cass. Oh my gosh. Is she kidding me? She has spent all of like, a few weeks knowing Falco, and suddenly her heart is being ripped into two? WHAT? No. I do not buy Falco and Cass loving each other. I believe they love each other because each of them are forbidden to the other. They love the IDEA of each other. So, this romance sucked. I prefer Cass with Luca, but then, I am not a huge fan of Cass, so maybe Cass should end up with no one.

Oh yeah, love triangle. You know how I feel about those. EW. This one is especially ridiculous, since Cass is already engaged to Luca, a steady, stable, handsome, RICH man that she knew when she was younger.

I also wish we could have discovered more about the Secrets of the Eternal Rose (I believe it is a book? I am not sure). There is barely any mention of it, besides those random pages in between chapters. I did not pay attention to them as I was reading. They just distracted and confused me.

And here is my biggest sticking point: ANACHRONISMS.

This book is filled with anachronisms. Every time I saw one, I would cringe and get a little annoyed. For those of you that do not know, anachronisms are things that do not belong in the time period in which they are presented.

For example, hydrogen bombs in the American Civil War. Not happening.

Anyway, anachronisms are present in this book. The speech, for one. Sometimes Cass says things that really only apply to today's speech. One example I can think of is "Deal". "Deal" as in, "yeah, let's do that." People in Renaissance Italy did NOT say that, I am sure of it. There are others too, like "sure". NO. Just... no.

Cass's entire being is anachronistic. Girls of Renaissance Italy did not think or act as she did. The only non-anachronistic thing she did was at the end (not telling).

I am sure I am forgetting things, but I will stop here.

Would I Recommend It:

Probably. If you like historical fiction, go for it. Overall, this book did not impress me. I liked it, but I am not sure I will read it again. I will definitely continue the series though.

Rating:

2.5 stars (I am rounding up to 3 stars. But honestly, the 3-star rating is pretty generous).

[Melissa Cushing · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I am giving this one 5 stars!!! Loved it!!! It was a great story! I loved Cass and Falco, and even felt for Luca as well, later in the book. :) I will not give a blurb or description of the book because you can get that on Goodreads and/or Amazon. Overall I loved the story and the descriptiveness of the characters, the beautifully described clothes that the ladies wore throughout. It was a period piece, with wonderful descriptions of Venice, the opulence, wealth, and excess of Venice and the characters themselves. It was beautifully written and truly made me feel I was there watching on from the sidelines...... great book! Loved it! So, now I am going to read the sequel, which I won as an Advanced Readers Copy and will be leaving a review for that as well. I am sure it will take me no time at all..... this is another one that pulled me in and would not let go until I read the entire book!!! Definitely a favorite and a re read!!!

Some of my favorite quotes and pieces from the book....

And then Falco's mouth was on hers, burning hot, but softer than she had imagined. And Cass felt her whole body tense up and then go weak. Blindly, she reached out for one of his hands, lacing their fingers together. She pressed her lips against him, her soul against him, and she felt truly warm for the first time. Like she'd been living her whole life in a block of ice and had finally escaped into the sun.
AND

"Falco followed her eyes. "You know that I care about you, Cass.""

"But it doesn't mean anything." Cass tried to keep her voice from trembling. "Because it can't lead to anything more."

Falco set aside the oars and turned her face towards his. "You're wrong. It means everything. You mean everything." He held her chin between his thumbs and forefingers. "Why do my feelings have to lead anywhere at all? Why can't we just be here, now, in this moment?"

AND

"What's changed is that I...." Falco reached for her face, his fingertips caressing her cheekbones. "I'm falling in love with you," he said, brushing a strand of hair back from her eyes. "For the longest time I couldn't see it. I didn't want to see it. So impossible. But I can't deny my feelings any longer. You're more than a muse, Cass. I want you to be more. I want you to be mine."

"But you know ---" Cass could barely stutter out a sentence; Falco's words were so unexpected she could hardly breath. "But I'm engaged....."

"Forget the engagement. Forget what you're supposed to do. What do you want to do, Cass? What do you need?"

Oh Yeah...... I am Team Falco all the way!!!!

[Giselle · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Advanced Reader Copy was provided by the publisher for review. Quotes pulled from the ARC may be incorrect and may be subject to change.

Cass is an orphan, engaged to a boy she barely knows, she must marry him for her future. Yet her freedom is within her grasp and she wants out of the restraints. When she meets a new boy named Falco, and their chemistry seems to ignite at their first encounter, she realizes there’s more to the mysterious and attractive boy than he seems.

I was so excited when razOrbill sent out this invitation for the blog tour. I signed up as soon as I could. The ARC arrived so quickly, and I thought I had loads of time to read it. Nope. Didn’t happen. For the first time I couldn’t make the deadline and I felt terrible. But luckily I couldn’t stop reading Venom. It sucks you right into Cass’ world set in renaissance Venice, Italy. (Yes the city that floats on water with the canals and gorgeous palazzos)

The vivid descriptions of the scenery remind me of the depth of J.K. Rowling‘s writing. Detailed to the point of having the scene fill out right before your very eyes. I LOVE Fiona Paul’s writing. She is a star at weaving the characters together in one chapter, and then grabbing your attention in the next. It was such a joy to read. The Renaissance Era was clearly researched and developed very well. The pacing is slow. It’s super slow, it dragged on. I felt it could have been shortened. Maybe I’ll read the final copy to see if there are any changes! I wouldn’t mind re-reading this one.

Cass is a character you want to root for. She’s a socialite, yet has the decency to talk to her fellow hand maidens, cooks, and gardeners. Her wealthy upbringing doesn’t damage her personality at all, it makes her more humble and aware of what she has. Then there’s Falco..WOW. That is pretty much how I can sum up his character. (Can I just say I picture him to be a younger Matt Bomer?)

Overall, a novel worth buying and sitting on your bookshelf because not only is it it beautiful on the inside, it’s just as gorgeous on the outside. Full of mystery, intrigue, suspense, murder, ROMANCE, chemistry, and characters that make you fall in love with…Fiona Paul, I heart you. MUST GET THE NEXT BOOK!

[Zuleeza · Rating 2 out of 5]

**This review contains mild spoilers. Continue at your own risk.

Had to stop at 40% into the book.

No, no, no, no, NO, NO, NO, NO!

Another interesting premise down the drain...

A historical fiction YA book set in Venice during Renaissance era? C-c-combo breaker! Sadly, the execution was done at a very sub-par level.

Okay, I believe in common sense. With that in mind, there are so many things that I found as ridiculous and non-sensible about this book. I disapprove this book until I would go to the extent of pasting Nicholas Cage picture on every single page of this book if what I have is a physical copy.

Nicholas Cage should feel so lucky because I only have a digital ARC of Venom.

Venom opens with the funeral of Liviana, a close friend of our main protagonist, Cassandra or Cass. Strangely, we weren't told of how much Liviana actually meant to Cass i.e. how Liviana was a good friend to Cass, how did they spent their times, and all the good memories. The only thing we learnt about Liviana is that she is a good girl. That's all. During the funeral, Cass seems to focus more on how tight her dress is, how the priest seems to target her personally, how her aunt is falling asleep...I mean, does she really care that her best friend is dead?

It turns out Cass likes to hang out in the graveyards. How...morbidly fascinating. I read something similar in Ember but contrary to in Venom, this kind of behaviour makes sense in Ember because the protag can actually sense death. But for an elite like Cass to actually likes hanging out in graveyards, well, I don't buy it. Let alone, when she actually had the nerve to dig out Liviana's grave.

Cass had her second encounter with Falco in the graveyard just after she dug Liviana's grave out and found the body had been replaced with an unidentified courtesan. This gets the ball rolling as Cass and Falco are set for a quest to find the murderer and Liviana's missing body.

Cass
Okay, I believe Fiona Paul had this vision of a strong, brave heroine when she wrote about Cass but Cass for me, came across only as a reckless and dumb heroine. She is so trustworthy of Falco despite having an absolute zero knowledge about him. Look, he met this guy for the first time when he somehow ran into her and he jokingly admitted that he did that on purpose. Second time they met, it was in the graveyard and Falco had Cass' journal but refused to give it back. Later, he talked Cass into not telling the authority about the murder, decided to break into possibly the murderer's lair, stole Cass' aunt gondola and claimed he has some business to tend to at 2 am in the morning. And oh, Falco also somehow knows about the secret knock to a brothel house!

Falco
Falco is not your classic 'I am a mysterious and dangerous guy', he is an immoral prick. Only idiots would find him attractive.

Furthermore, he always taunts and mocks Cass into doing all those stupid acts, challenging her 'unless you're too afraid to' or 'or you can't wait to go home to your satin sheets?'. lolwut? Was it Cass' fault that she was born into a family of elites? It was as if Falco views all the rich people as spoiled little brats. How mature!

Oh, I'm not done with Cass yet
Cass characterization can also be confusing at times. I understand that she also faces a death threat from the mysterious murderer but most of the time, her primary motivation is to find Liviana's body. Remember she acted like she didn't give much shit during Liviana's funeral? Moreover, when she found out about the identity of the murdered courtesan, she feels excitement and wonder and fear? Fear is understandable but excitement and wonder? Hate to break your bubble, girl but while you've been dumb enough to undertake this so-called little mission on your own, it doesn't hurt to react appropriately according to common sense.

So...this is a YA book, you say?

During Cass and Falco little visit to the brothel house, Cass accidentally stumbled upon a room in which a couple were you know, doing it. While of course I had issues with Cass seemingly content with watching people having intercourse and even imagining herself with Falco in their places, the narrative is kind of descriptive for a YA book.

Rich and vivid writing
Is the only thing good about this book apart from the setting (hence, the 2-stars). I could totally imagine myself in Venice during Renaissance Era while reading Venom. It's obvious that Fiona Paul put a considerable amount of efforts in putting this book together and it clearly reflected in the way she built the tone and setting of Venom.

The Verdict
I did try to reconsider taking this book back from my DNF pile by browsing through other reviewers' opinions. What I can gather is, I don't think it's worth to continue with the book. So yes, it will stay in my DNF pile for good.

**An ARC was sent by HarperCollins Australia in exchange for an honest review.

[Kanra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very exciting journey through old Venice, filled with dark secrets, pain and pleasure. I liked the characters very much except the author made Cass seem like a pretty dumb girl with really bad memory. Buuut, everything was enjoyable and I'm excited to see what happens next.

[Berke Kılıç · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yorumun orijinali Kitap Hayvanı'nın Günlüğü 'nde.

Tamam, itiraf ediyorum; ilk başta bu kitabı fantastik sanmıştım. Bu yüzden kitabın son 100 sayfasına kadar oradan buradan bir hayalet çıksın ya da biri paranormal bir şey yapsın diye bekledim. (Hep senin yüzünden Goodreads!) Neyse ki bu beklentim kitabı gölgelemeye yetmedi. Karanlık Sular, son sayfasına kadar kendini okutmayı başarabildi.

Karanlık Sular, Rönesans döneminde, dünyanın en çekici şehirlerinden Venedik'te geçiyor. Baş karakterimiz Cassandra Caravello iyi bir soydan geliyor. Anne ve babası vefat etmiş, bu yüzden teyzesi Agnese ile beraber eski malikânelerinde yaşıyor. Kitabın başında Cass, en yakın arkadaşlarından Liviana'nın cenazesinde çıkıyor karşımıza. Cenazede hem anne ve babasının ölümünü hatırlayan hem de Liviana için üzülen Cass, biraz olsun rahatlamak için dışarı çıkıyor. Ve herhalde o dönemde yaşayan her kadının rüyalarını süsleyen ressam gençlerden birkaçıyla karşı karşıya geliyor. Ressamlardan bir tanesi -kahverengi saçlı, mavi gözlü, çarpık gülüşlü olanı- Cass'e çarparak kızı yere deviriyor.

Cass'in hayatı asıl cenazenin olduğu günün gecesinde değişmeye başlıyor. Agnese teyzesinin evinde odasına çekilmişken, yakındaki mezarlıktan gelen tuhaf sesler yüzünden huzursuz oluyor. Liviana'nın de gömüldüğü mezarlık orası; bu yüzden Cass içgüdülerine uyup mezarlığa gidiyor. İlk önce arkadaşının mezarında göğsünde kanlı bir X işareti olan başka bir kadının yattığını görüyor. Ardından da cenazeden sonra çarpıştığı ressam çocukla karşılaşıyor. Yani Falco'yla.

Kitap boyunca X işaretli kadın cinayetlerine yenileri ekleniyor. Cass ve Falco ise bu cinayetlerin faillerini tek başlarına araştırmaya çalışıyorlar. Tabii bu araştırmalar sırasında başlarının belaya girmemesi imkansız. Ayrıca Cass için bir tehlike daha var ki, adı Falco. Fransa'da okuyan çocukluk arkadaşı Luca'yla nişanlı olan Cass Falco'yla zaman geçirdikçe kesinlikle statüleri uyuşmayan bu serseri kılıklı ressama tutuluyor.

Karanlık Sular, gizemlerle dolu bir kitap. Ama bunun yanında Rönesans döneminde geçmesi kitaba ayrı bir hava katmış. Büyük bir tarihi roman fanı değilimdir, ama okudum mu da beni içine çeksin, o dönemle ilgili bir şeyler öğretsin isterim. Karanlık Sular öyle çok şey öğretmedi o dönem İtalya'sı hakkında. Yine de ufak detaylar yok değildi. Hem İtalyanca kelimeler de mevcut kitapta. Şiddetle öğrenmek istediğim dili az da olsa okumak bana içten içe mutluluk verdi açıkçası.

Ayrıca her bölümün başında bir alıntısına yer verilen Sonsuz Gül Kitabı var ki o kitabın ne olduğunu daha doğrusu aynı adlı tarikatın varlığını kitabın sonlarına doğru öğreniyoruz. Ancak bu bilgi o kadar merak verici olmasına rağmen ikinci kitaba saklanmış olmalı ki yetersiz kalıyor. Bu yüzden serinin ikinci kitabı Belladonna'nın çıkmasını beklemeye başladım bile.

Katil, adaylarımdan biri çıkmasına rağmen Karanlık Sular son derece eğlenceli bir okuma sağladı bana. Kitabın çevirisi ve baskısı mükemmele yakın. Kapak görseline ise hayran olmamak elde değil.

Kısacası, Karanlık Sular, farklı mekânları, eğlenceli karakterleri, başarılı kurgusuyla sevdiğim kitaplar arasına girdi. Söylemeden geçmeyeyim; kitabı bitirdiğinizde Venedik'e gitmek için bahaneler uydurmaya başlayacaksınız.

[Kacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an ARC I picked up, so I will try to keep this review honest while avoiding spoilers as much as possible.

This book disappointed me, which is a shame because I love Italy and the author did a good job of setting up atmosphere. The actual mystery was the only thing keeping me reading because I was tiring of the romance. There were so many "don't do it" moments, and Cass herself keeps telling herself she shouldn't be doing something. Yet she does it anyway. That got to be very frustrating for me.

Some of the better parts of the book for me were the settings and the build-up of suspense. The author does these very well. You can feel the creepiness of graveyards, the shock of brothels, the beauty of canals. If there was more focus on that and less on the romance, I think I would've enjoyed the story much more. True the romance played its part in making Cass question herself and Falco, but all the moments bringing them together felt odd.

Probably the thing I disliked the most was the exerpts from The Secrets of the Rose preceding each chapter. I kept reading hoping the actual book would play a part in the story, but it didn't. Given that this is a series, I hope that it will make an appearance in a later book but it would've been nice to get even a passing mention.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy historical fiction, and those who will be happily enchanted by the atmosphere of Italy.

[Kelly (Diva Booknerd) · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://www.divabooknerd.com/2013/10/v...
Venom for me has been the surprise of the year. I'm not sure what I had expected, but not only was it entertaining, it was a true thriller in every sense of the word. Set in an era where ladies should be just that, expected to maintain the upkeep of their household, and rely on their Lady's Maid to run their errands, but Cass isn't your average girl. Her sense of adventure far outweighs her density, and she is far too accepting of others.

Fiona Paul has created a lush and lavish world, made realistic by the seedy underbelly of murderous crimes and forbidden love. The storyline will keep you guessing from start to finish and I had no clue where the plot was heading. Suspenseful and thrilling, it's sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.

[Kassidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is just flat-out great!! From the love story to the mysteries, it kept me engrossed the entire time. The setting is absolutely fabulous. The descriptions of Venice are so beautiful and lovely.

Overall I enjoyed Cass's character and I really liked the development of the relationships she had with people such as her aunt and Falco.

I loved Falco because he was just enough bad boy! The love story between them progressed very nicely and it definitely avoided the whole insta-love thing.

This book is creepy and mysterious while still capturing a romantic feel. If you like historical fiction or have never tried it, I would highly recommend this story!! It has just enough action and mystery to keep you on edge while also intertwining a seductive love story!

[Faith]

OCTOBER??? REALLY? I might die by then of extreme impatience! Seriously, I'm not kidding. I just read the review and I am already banging my head against the desk my computer is on. I have to wait until OCTOBER! I am already waiting for two other books to come out and now this one! Kill me now!

[Jean Valjean (OG 2010) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This looks like SO much fun! I can't wait to get my hands on this little gem.

[Dee · Rating 2 out of 5]

“But you are different from most girls, aren’t you, Cassandra?”

I don't know how many times this phrase was repeated, but it was way too many. 🙄 I'm so glad the whole *~not like other girls~* YA trend died out in recent years.

The only thing I liked about this novel was Luca. That's it. Cass and Falco were so damn annoying and sappy. I kept rolling my eyes throughout their scenes. Also this book could have benefited from being 150 pages shorter. I felt it was unnecessarily wordy most of the time and it bogged down the plot.