Concealed

Beholder #2

by Christina Bauer

Alternate-cover edition can be found here

As a Grand Mistress Necromancer, Elea’s a witch who commands the ultimate power over spirit and bone. It’s magic that she’ll need in order to stop the Vicomte Gaspard from killing her Sisters by draining their magic along with their life force.

To find and free her fellow witches, Elea must venture into some of the most dangerous places in the realm. What starts off as a rescue quest could easily turn into a suicide mission. And with the handsome warlock Rowan along to help, Elea may be risking more than her life. Her growing feelings for Rowan might put her heart on the line, too.

BEHOLDER
1. Cursed
2. Concealed
3. Cherished
4. Crowned (Fall 2017)

ANGELBOUND ORIGINS
1. Angelbound
2. Scala
3. Acca
4. Thrax (Fall 2017)
5. Armageddon

ANGELBOUND OFFSPRING
1. Maxon
2. Portia

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Young Adult Romance, Young Adult Fantasy, Fiction, New Adult

350 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 25, 2016

About the author

Christina 'CEE BEE' Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes young adult romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too. Christina lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby. She loves to connect with her fans at ChristinaBauerAuthor.com.

ANGELBOUND ORIGINS
About a quasi (part demon and part human) girl who loves kicking butt in Purgatory's Arena
1. Angel bound
2. Scala
3. Acca
4. Thrax
5. The Dark Lands
6. The Brutal Time
7. Armageddon
8. Quasi Redux
9. Clockwork Igni
10. Lady Reaper
11. Reaper Games
12. Angry Gods

ANGELBOUND OFFSPRING
The next generation takes on Heaven, Hell, and everything in between
1. Maxon
2. Portia
3. Zinnia
4. Rhodes
5. Kaps
6. Mack
7. Huntress
8. Gage
*This is a finished series

ANGELBOUND LINCOLN
Events of Angelbound from Lincoln's POV
1. Duty Bound
2. Lincoln
3. Trickster
4. Baculum
5. Angelfire

ANGELBOUND XAVIER TRILOGY
The story of the Archangel Xavier
1. Archenemy
2. Archnemesis
3. Archangel

FAIRY TALES OF THE MAGICORUM
Modern fairy tales with sass, action, and romance
1. Wolves And Roses

2. Moonlight And Midtown

3. Slippers And Thieves

4. Shifters And Glyphs

5. Bandits And Ball Gowns

6. Fire And Cinder

7. Fairies And Frosting

8. Towers And Tithes
9. Mirrors And Mysteries
10. Rapunzels And Powers

DIMENSION DRIFT
Dystopian adventures with science, snark, and hot aliens
1. Scythe
2. Umbra
3. Alien Minds
4. ECHO Academy
*This is a completed series

PIXIELAND DIARIES
The story of sassy pixie, Calla, and her elf crush, Dare
1. Pixieland Diaries
2. Calla
3. Dare
*This is a completed series

BEHOLDER
Where a medieval farm girl discovers necromancy and true love
1. Cursed
2. Concealed
3. Cherished
4. Crowned
5. Cradled
*This is a completed series

VAMPIRES OF THE DAEMONVERSE
Adult fantasy written under my pen name, CEE BEE
1. Violins and Vampires
2. Veils and Vampires
3. Vixens and Vampires
4. Valor and Vampires

Reviews

[Lillian ☁ Cloud 9 Books ☁ · Rating 5 out of 5]

***** 4.5 Stars *****

Cannot be read as a standalone.

I'm in love with this magical storyline. Rowan and Elea are back to fight the Vicomte. Get ready for new spells and discoveries.

After Elea and Rowan sent the Tsar into exile, Elea's new mission is to find her sisters and to stop the Vicomte from gathering magic. Her journey leads her to new friends and many dangerous encounters.

As a romance junkie, my favorite part of this series is the attraction between Rowan and Elea. They have a forbidden romance that I'm addicted to. Although the chemistry is innocent, it still gave me plenty of butterflies in my stomach.

I also loved the new spells and incantations. They definitely kept things interesting and exciting even though there were moments when the spells just seemed too convenient and I couldn't get a full grasp of what their limits were.

The story has so many twists and turns, and I have so many questions! I need book 3 now!

[Jen (jenslostinthepages) ♥Star-Crossed Book Blog♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Spoilers for Cursed #1*

Concealed was a solid second installment to the Beholder Series and was filled to the brim with magic, friendship, romance and betrayal. And I loved that it was such an easy book to devour and read. But you know what wasn't easy? The betrayal. It was a bitter pill to swallow and don't say I didn't warn you. But besides that heart damaging fallout, I swear I'm not being overly dramatic lol, Concealed was a ton of fun and I can't wait to see how this series will continue to go.

“Band of Eight? I only ran across five of them.”
Rowan’s smile broadened. “I might have helped a bit. Someone has to keep an eye on you.”
A warm feeling spread through my chest. Rowan watches over me. “You didn’t need to do that.”
“I know.”

Three months have passed since the end of Cursed, and Elea still hasn't found her Sisters. They were taken by the Victome, and while he didn't seem much of a threat, with the Tsar gone he has become a man obsessed with power. Elea is in a race to find her Sisters, before they are next in line to die at the hands of the Victome. On her mission to find her Sisters, she comes into the path of Lady Amelia Masson, who is one of Victome's adopted children. With Amelia quick to join Elea's aid, they have adventure, heartache and much more than either of them ever could have imagined in their future.

Amelia gripped my hands again. “Do you think we can really do this?”
“Absolutely.” I was pleased that my voice didn’t waver.
Amelia nodded slowly. “I believe you.”

When we first met Amelia, I wasn't too sure about her. To put it mildly, the girl was rather quirky. You'll see what I mean! But after spending time with her, I definitely warmed up and came to adore Amelia. And the same thing happened with her brother, Philippe. He was a total player, but his love for his sister and his aid to Elea quickly won me over too. The three of them together made the most interesting team! I loved that they built their friendship on a mutual goal, and over time their trust and friendship with one another grew.

I can’t afford to feel more for you than I already do.”
Rowan’s eyes took on that intense look I knew so well. A muscle worked in his jaw for a long moment. “I understand. We both have work to do.”
I exhaled. “I’m glad you can accept the truth.”
“I didn’t say that.” He scooped up the ropes and offered them to me. “This isn’t over.”

But what I loved watching grow the most was Elea and Rowan. Rowan was there for Elea, time and again. Not only was he there to physically help her out, but emotionally too. And if that wasn't enough for me to fall that much harder him, I loved that he let Elea know how much she meant to him. His actions, words and loyalty to Elea made my heart oh so happy. Rowan was still fierce and protective to Elea but his charming and seductive side shined through hard. Especially when they were kissing. Sigh, their kisses were electrifying. It was impossible not to absolutely love everything there was about Rowan.

I wound my arms around his neck and pressed my cheek against his firm chest. “Thank you.”
“I’ll always come for you, Elea.” He gently kissed my cheek.

And I was so happy that Elea had Rowan in her life, because the girl never seemed to get a break from all that she was up against. And that was definitely evident when she was slapped in the face with betrayal. Again. Now here's the thing. I saw this betrayal coming back in the first book. The clues were definitely there and they were scattered throughout this book too. I hoped that I had guessed wrong, but sadly I didn't. *cries* Lies, betrayal and deceit stung my heart, just as hard as it did to Elea. And I'm just standing here hoping that we get all of our whys answered in the next book because that ending was brutal. I'm not okay with what unfolded and I'm definitely going to need a very solid explanation as to why some things were done. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed that there's a lot more hope to be found in the next book. Elea most definitely deserves it! Now I'm off to start the next!

PS Again there were typos in this book but I'm emailing them to the author so they can get fixed.

*Book was kindly provided by Christina Bauer in exchange for an honest review*

For more of my reviews, please visit:

[Arlene Arredondo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a perfect sequel. Full of action and adventure.
This is a young adult series focusing on Magic, The Necromancers and the Creation Casters.
In this world created by Christina Bauer, the necromancers are almost extinct by a devious Vicomte who which to harvest all the necromancer magic by draining the poor victims.
Elea, our main character, has become a powerful entity and she is set to find and rescue her lost sisters taken from the cloister. Trying to locate them she will do anything, and will make alliances with unexpected characters to fulfill her promise and duty to her sisters.
In between her quest is the constant presence of her star-crossed lover, Rowan, a Creation Caster from a Royal family. He is bound by duty, but will always watch out for Elea.
This has a great plot and very unexpected twists. The tale is fast paced and well developed.
Can´t wait for the third book of this series.
Note: I received a digital copy free for review and an honest and unbiased opinion.

[Alli Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christina Bauer has done it again!

This story is so much darker than the first and took me on quite a roller coaster of emotion. Elea is just as snarky as ever but her character growth is tremendous.

If you liked Cursed then you need the fulfillment of Concealed. Not that Ms. Bauer doesn't leave you wanting more at then end here. I can't wait for book 3!

[Summer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to wait till next year for the next book.... aaagh!!! Im so attached to Elea and Rowan.
This book was simply breathtaking...even better than the first one. The plot twists and reveals were not what i expected at all and it was wonderful for a change. Much darker than the first one and it keeps you hooked from the first page.
I love this series is understatement. 5 beautiful stars.

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't read the first book in the series but dived in with this one. Which was a mistake. Although it wasn't too hard to get the general drift of what was going on, I had trouble relating to Elea in the first chapters, and I'm pretty sure this would have been avoided if I'd read book one.

Elea is searching for her fellow Necromancer sisters, who have been taken by the Vicomte for—what Elea fears—very evil reasons. She discovers the first real clue of where they might be held, but time is running out. Even with the help of the powerful Castor, Rowan, Elea might not find them before its too late.

Boring is not the word for this read. It's packed full of intrigue, surprising turns and all sorts of dark, tense moments. Elea is quite the character. She packs an attitude and knows what she wants. Her determination and magical aptness make her a kick-butt heroine to cheer for the entire way through. Her very direct personality caught me a little off guard at first, cheeky and not friendly. But as time went on, I warmed up to her and couldn't put the story down. I had to go back a couple times to verify that this is really classified as a Young Adult read. Elea's a bit too mature for YA, the relationships also edge toward an older audience and there is a brief scene with slight nudity. All of this taken into account, I'd push this one up to the New Adult category.

The writing grabs and doesn't let go. It's a darker tale and holds all the suspense and tension a story like this should. Hope shines through every now and then, but it's not always a sure thing. There's a broad array of characters, some to trust and some not so much. It keeps the reader guessing much of the way through. Even the romance, which seems a sure thing through most of the book, takes interesting twists and turns and insure an exciting book three.

I can't wait to dive into the next installment, not only to see what will happen with Elea, but also to discover the answer to several questions which appear to have been left open since book one. Because the ending is sure to be exciting and packed with surprises as well.

I received a complimentary copy through Netgalley and enjoyed reading this enough to want to leave my honest thoughts.

[The Book Junkie Reads . . . · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elea had done what she did not want. She has become a Grand Mistress Necromancer. She was happy being that simple girl on a farm that used her necromancy magic when the need arose to do chores and the such. That was until she needed learn as much as she can and as quickly as she can to make a difference. The road was long and the journey brought to her friends with the common purpose of defeating the one that just could not allow for the course of the world to flow. This time around she must save her sisters from a very despicable man, Vicomte Gaspard. He wants to kill her sisters for their magic while at the same time draining their life force.

Elea was not alone in this rescue mission and the chemistry coming off of her and Rowan were felt. She was the grand mistress and he not. The road before them will be long and tested often. There were twist to this tale that was exciting. The new incantations that Elea used were fun. The friendship from book one carries over and makes for a strong backdrop of all that goes on in this one. This one holds more magic, more betrayal, stronger friendships, intenser connection, and a few confusing spells that make a lot of things happen just in time.

Elea was a strong willed young lady. She fought hard and proved that she deserved the title she had. She was no helpless little miss in the corner waiting for someone else to come save the day. She took on adventure. I loved the way the world was coming together, the characters (both secondary and primary), the background information that allowed for a deeper connection to Elea, and the build in direction of the story. I do look forward to the next book of this series.

[Cas ♛ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Initial thoughts: Wow, if you thought Cursed was epic, wait until you read Concealed! There are so many conflicting emotions running through me right now I don't know what to think.
———————————
Elea may have sent Viktor into exile, but now the Vicomte has stepped into his place, his plans perhaps just as sinister– if not worse– than the Tsar's. Once again teaming up with the Casters, who she can't seem to be rid of, Elea's quest continues as she searches for lost Necromancers abducted by Gaspard and a mysterious Lady Amelia.

Concealed really steps it up a level. Plans turn to dust and moves become frantic as time is truly against them. Finding Lady Amelia proves to be quite the challenge. Elea resorts to masquerading as another in order to infiltrate Royal events. As always, Rowan is there and his presence is a confusing thing for Elea.

Draining Necromancers is more the focus of this book, as stopping the Tsar was in Cursed. It's more than just defeating the Vicomte, other sinister forces are at work, all intending to stop Elea from achieving some peace and the freedom of her people.

Hybrid magic. As always, the key to everything. We are still only in the stage of uncovering things about it, but there is something beautiful about the way it's introduced. A true phenomena which I cannot help but marvel at. Casters and Necromancers are two types of very different people, and the Gods willed it this way.

Enemies pop out of nowhere, you'll be left gasping in shock! Cherished continues the legacy of Elea and enchants readers some more. Before you know it, you will be bewitched!

[Hetal · Rating 4 out of 5]

received an e-arc from the lovely Christina Bauer in exchange for an honest review


My real rating is actually about a 3.65

My heart is breaking and the next book doesn't come out till next year. Why are you doing this to me Christina Bauer!?!?! Like literally, my heart hurts, and yes I get really attached to characters, leave me alone!!!!

expect plot twist
heart break
A DOUBLE CROSSING GOOD FOR NOTHING SOMEBODY
and an interesting new sibling pair to spice things up.
oh, and Alea being kick-ass as ever!

Honestly, with all the secrecy going on woth the casters I knew something was up, and heart break was on it's way, but I didn't expect to lose my respect for Rowan. He was a strong guiding character in book 1 and I exchange expected to see his character grow in book 2, but what I saw, I was not happy with. I can only hope that Bauer has a plan for book 3 that will redeem him because right now he needs one hell of a redemption

The prose, wasn't as catchy or page-turning as Cursed, but it was way darker than I expected.I physically whimpered at some parts and kudos to Bauer for not holding back and delving into just how cruel humans can be to each other

I think some of the events at the end were unnecessary and redundant from book one, but without giving too much away, I really would like to know the relationship between the deities and the

Also this:
In truth I had no idea why the bone crawlers would give it's hybrid magic to me."

Me too Alea, me too and I demand answers in book 3!

Christina Bauer has really set up one doozy of a plot for book 3. Yes, this book suffered from second book syndrome, but I am ready for one hell of a finale.
If you've read Cursed, Concealed is a must read! If you are thinking about starting the series, I highly recommend it. the books are short and you won't be bored!

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elea’s Necromancer sisters have all been taken hostage by the Vicomte Gaspard who is draining them of their magic. Elea must find them before this happens or the Necromancers will be extinct. Elea has been searching the country side for a certain Lady Amelia someone who can hopefully help her find her sisters. When she finally finds Amelia she learns that she is the daughter of the Vicomte. So Elea teams up with Amelia and her brother Philipe to find her sisters.

Elea is not alone in her search for her sisters no she has the all-powerful Caster Rowan to back her up as always. Elea and Rowan care about each other very much but Elea tries to stay away from Rowan well because Necromancer are not supposed to show any emotion. They are supposed to keep all their emotions under lock and key always. But Elea has a hard time with this rule as she cares a lot for other people and wants to save everyone if possible. When it comes to Rowan this is one rule that Elea can’t help but to break in every way. But when Rowan lies to her and breaks her heart Elea leaves vowing never to see him again and loses her best friend in the process. I think Elea handled Rowan’s betrayal very well at least better than some would. She didn’t go all crazy and use her magic to rip his head off or turn him into a toad or something.

I have loved following along with Elea, Amelia, Philipe, Rowan and all the other characters on their journey to stop the Vicomte and save the Necromancers. I love the magical world that Christina has created for Concealed and all the incantations as well. I can’t wait for more of the Beholder’s world.

[Magda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a solid continuation to "Cursed" that I reviewed before. This book has a bit more intrigue and surprises. Even with the steady, almost slow pace, it reads well.

Once again we're mostly dealing with Elea and Rowan, but there are some new, interesting characters that kind of grab your attention, especially Philipe... he's... well, I don't really know what to think about him now, I kind of like him, but at the same time, he's the type you should rather stay away from. He's painfully adorable to every woman around him, it seems like he wants to have them all, but he also has a certain amount of trustfulness reserved for few chosen ones. I guess I'll have to wait for the next book to see how he really is.

The story is creative and nicely crafted. Even though we're dealing with new villains, the old evil is still hanging over their heads. You can still feel their influence. Overall a good read and if you read the first book you should continue with the series.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahh! I hate when I start a good series and the next book isn't out until later next year :(

Not impressed with Rowan at all in this one. I don't understand the reason he couldn't tell Elea the truth. I actually liked Philippe better, he's a total cad but his witty banter and the way he cared for Elea won me over but I'm guessing this is a one ship series so I'm not getting my hopes up :p

[Red Ink Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concealed (Book 2, The Beholder Series) - Christina Bauer

Christina Bauer is an American author who writes many fantasy stories. Besides the “Angelbound Offspring” series she has also written the “Pixieland Diaries” and the “Beholder” series plus many more.



Elea is a young Necromancer, a Grand Mistress Necromancer, not that there's many necromancers left at all after the trouble the Tsar caused and what the Vicomte is up to now.

Necromancers are disappearing, being tortured, drained of power and more often than not, left for dead.

Elea has made it her mission to foil whatever plan the Vicomte has come up with and to save her people, save what’s left of the necromancers.

In order to do this though she must put herself in danger and constantly be on the lookout for signs of her people – all with the assistance of a handsome warlock, Roman. Roman is as distracting as he is handsome, who is hiding his own secrets. If Elea is not careful, Roman’s distractions could very well cause her to fail what she sets out to do.





“Concealed” is a YA fantasy story that is both full of youthful innocence, hardship and betrayal. The author has written Elea as a young and slightly naïve girl trying to do what she can to protect her people – a heavy burden for anyone especially one so young. Rowan is your typical handsome love interest - mysterious and aloof and as always, a damn heartbreaker. I love the relationship build up that the author created between Elea and Rowan – the twist towards the end of the book was not one that I predicted at all. The pace of the book was really good, small conflicts that gradually built until the final conflict and then the betrayal at the end. I’m interested to see what journey the author takes the characters on next.

[Merissa (Archaeolibrarian) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Concealed is the second book in the Beholder series, and it is a series, so it does need to be read in order.

Elea is on her mission to save her Sisters and Brothers from the vicious Vicomte. Rowan is on his mission to do goodness knows what - damn those Casters and their secrets! Elea wants to keep her distance from Rowan, but he has other ideas. He protects her whenever possible, and also gives her one of his familiars so that she can call for him whenever she needs to. Elea finds Amelia, the person Veronique told her to find, and she gets more information that will help her. Of course, time is always a constraint, plus other tendrils sneak in to disrupt Elea.

Without giving anything away, I had managed to guess the 'secret' and yet it still broke my heart. It took me a moment because that is exactly what I had thought during book 1, but then we met another character and thought I was wrong. Turns out I was right, and it HURT!!! On both sides, it hurt. For him and her. I really hope that there is a HEA coming otherwise I might be permanently scarred I tell you!

Incredibly well written, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. This book was thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish, with plenty of character development. It is also full of twists and turns that make it even more enjoyable.

If you like #Fantasy, then I can definitely recommend the Beholder series by Christina Bauer. Absolutely brilliant.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!

[bee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Elea is back and better than ever. In the second installment of the adventurous Beholder series, Elea is getting used to life as the Grand Mistress Necromancer (a role she never anticipated). Her adventures aren't quite over yet. She will have to utilize her necromancer powers over a body's bones and spirits in order to defeat her world's latest evil, the Vicomte Gaspard. This villain is known for killing Elea's magical brothers and sisters by draining their magic. While Elea and Rowan's relationship is still a central focus of the book, it did not seem to have the same "be all end all" vibes as in Book 1. The two of them definitely have passion, but other elements of the story take precedence.

This is an excellent follow-up to the first book, with Bauer continuing established relationships and showing the true power that Elea possesses. I am excited to see how the third book continues this arc and maybe even offers more twists to enjoy. I found it really interesting that the characters became more established, yet fairly similar at the same time. This book is for sure darker than Book 1, but it also allows for an absolutely engrossing plot.
Be sure to check out my review of the Beholder series Book 1: Cursed.

Overall Review: 2.5/5 (Rounded to 2)

Concealed is available for purchase now. Be sure to add them to your Goodreads shelf and see where it's available for purchase. Also, be sure to check out Christina Bauer's website!

I was lucky enough to be able to read this Advanced Reader's Copy through my partnership with NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[May · Rating 5 out of 5]

The series continues with Elea as Grand Mistress Necromancer who commands the ultimate power over spirit and bone. It’s magic that she’ll need in order to stop the Vicomte Gaspard from killing her Sisters by draining their magic along with their life force.

To find and free her fellow witches, Elea must venture into some of the most dangerous places in the realm.. And with the handsome warlock Rowan along to help, Elea may be risking more than her life. Her growing feelings for Rowan might put her heart on the line, too.

The excitement and the suspense heat up in this second book. As usual, this book is very fast-paced... The twists and turns are amazing. It's a little darker than the first book but the romance is sweet enough to make up for it. Elea is a standout character and Rowan is amazing as usual. Another wonderful book.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC. .

[Bree Scena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive this book as a Giveaway, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

I found this book to be more mature and slightly more developed than its predecessor. The book on its own is an engaging, suspenseful, and all around solid story. Elea is a young necromancer trying to find and save her friends from being tortured and drained of their power while fighting her forbidden love for her companion, Rowan.

I thought Concealed did a wonderful job of portraying the struggle that Elea goes through, especially as a young woman discovering love for the first time. Having to juggle her Grand Mistress Necromancer training (which warns heavily against love), her determination to save her necromancer sisters, and her exploration of love and friendship all makes for a very compelling read. Even though her initial reactions to these new experiences are hesitancy and second guesses, her zuchtlos nature allows her to eventually open her heart and accomplish things that would not be possible otherwise. Her character is incredible, having gone through most of her life depending on few others, she is strong, confident, incredibly smart, and powerful. However, despite all of that, she shows us a vulnerable side when she is introduced to new relationships like Amelia, Philippe, and even Rowan.

I enjoyed how Ms. Bauer allowed us to explore the world of the Forgotten Ones in more detail. (Especially since I haven't read a young adult novel with a pretentious royal ball that I didn't thoroughly enjoy, and she definitely did not disappoint). The Forgotten Ones, though non magical by nature, live closely alongside the necromancers and casters, and therefore have some minute effect on their lives. Seeing their demand for etiquette and juicy gossip next to the imaginative and colorful worlds of the Necromancers and Casters made me almost pity them. Though that exact stereotype of "royals" surrounds our history outside of novels, they take on almost a childlike characteristic in this series. They pose no particular threat to our heroine, but they are still an obstacle, one that Elea needs to adapt to and learn to temporarily live among (however unsuccessful she winds up being).

Each Forgotten or Royal character we meet seems more pompous and pitiful than the last. The unfortunate knowledge that they lack any magical ability while living next to two significantly powerful races makes them overcompensate a bit in their own social matters. The Vicomte in particular, is extremely pitiful as he seeks to steal necromancer power to use for his own benefit. He is a character that I absolutely loved to hate. He's a sniveling weasel in the first book, and in the second he is almost exactly the same, except with a bit more of an inflated confidence from the elevated status he stole from the Tsar. However, his antics didn't scare me as much as his Fantomes did. I could never tell who they were truly loyal to, the Vicomte, the Tsar, or themselves. As a result, I almost sympathized with the Vicomte's complete inability to trust a single person, even those who swear they are completely loyal to him.

The Fantomes had a palpable dark presence that seeped off the page whenever they were mentioned. The hopelessness that followed them made it all the more suspenseful to read. Like Elea, they are Grand Mistresses and Masters of Necromancy, and incredibly smart. Unlike the first book, Elea is not able to deceive her pursuers, at least for very long, which left me with a terribly uneasy feeling whenever they showed up in the book. They were an incredibly dark and sinister addition to this world.

Lastly, I have to mention how the resolution of the book set me so on edge, that I neglected to realize that two and a half hours of train ride passed while I was reading it (seriously, I almost missed my stop). I thought Ms. Bauer did an incredible job of building up to the climax and finally the resolution brick by brick, intense moment to intense moment. The relief of finding Ada and Veronique, and killing the Victome was completely destroyed when you learn the truth about Genesis Rex. (Even though I had predicted this from very early on, I still felt every gut wrenching emotion that Elea did in the moment. It was painful and confusing and so ultimately sad, I was surprised by my reaction even when I knew it was coming!) And then when you think you're left to deal with that, who returns but the Tsar who becomes twice as powerful as he was in the first book. This gives Elea no other choice but to transcend everything she is to create an army four times as powerful and shut away the Tsar once more. It was so suspenseful, I felt that I was with Elea every single step of the way, truly feeling her confusion, sadness, and terror. I was actually taken aback by how much I was swept up within the actions of the book and with the thoughts of this remarkable character. Even during the very end, when she decides to return to Braddock farm, I felt her relief, and her need to rest and heal after years of doing nothing but fighting for someone else's life, as well as her own. I thought I would be upset that Elea and Rowan didn't ride off into the sunset together, when in fact I was incredibly content with it. I felt betrayed and tired from the entire ordeal (I refuse to believe their story is over though).

I thought this novel was an incredible depiction of the struggles many women go through when they decide to let someone into their life or not. Especially when they are new to friendship, love, relationships as a result of being abandoned or betrayed in their past. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and I am really looking forward to the next book.

[Denice Langley · Rating 5 out of 5]

#2 in the Beholder series but this story is anything but second rate. The first book wove a world where the lives of every witch was endangered as they were hunted for their magic. In CONCEALED, Elea is desperately searching for her sisters to prevent their deaths at the hands of the Vicomte. The road blocks she faces are many, her friends few and those she can count on, even fewer. Rowan continues to be her rock as he offers her his help and his heart. The stories are sooooo good. You will quickly become immersed in Elea's battles, cheering her on while trying to keep up with the twists and the action that Christina Bauer throws at us so quickly. I should have read more slowly, now I have to go find book #3.

[Sairaika · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enticing read!

A struggle to fight her feelings...
A struggle to find her Sisters and Brothers...
A struggle to win the war and end the enemy...
A struggle of power plays...

When I'm reading Elea and Rowen's story, I become so lost in it that I do not want the journey to end. I cannot recommend this series enough! Such a brilliant plot and characters.

Once this book finished, I could not wait to start reading Cherished! I knew I had to immediately start reading it.

Hands down, this book and the first book, Cursed, are perfection!

Full of Necromancers, powers, Casters, Sentinel Spirits, enemies, secrets, danger, adventure, mystery, fantasy, betrayal, surprises and romance.

Perfect for readers of dark fantasy/epic fantasy.

[Jasmine Book · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book wasn’t any better or worse then the first one to me. I enjoyed it a little bit but I immediately started reading it after I finished the other this afternoon. I got through it really quickly but I found myself being bored at some times. I want to try to read both of these again and the third but maybe in physical form. I don’t know, I just felt like the characters didn’t have that much development from the first one. Also the first chapter Elea talked about how she wanted to be with Rowan but that she couldn’t and then proceeded to just feel bad for herself the entire time they talked. It was kind of annoying to me honestly. Was hoping for more development.

[Cheryl Whitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say each book gets better than the one before.
This was non stop action, one again Rowan and Elea team up to defeat an even worst baddie than the Tsar.
This has an almost complete story following the main characters, but cannot be read alone.
I am in awe of Christina Bauer imagination and world building.
It is so easy to put yourself into the stories and not want to come out.

[Camilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This fun series features necromancy and animal magic and all manner of adventuring. At times it feels a little rote, and I still can't figure out how Elea can be such a powerful necromancer but so darn easy to trick all the time (and her rings don't seem to do her much good), but the series is enjoyable.

[Anna Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first one I've read in this series, although it is book #2. Elea is having a rough time of it, although in this book she meets a couple of people who are willing to help her with her problem of rescuing other friends.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jaime Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great characters. fast paced, exciting. A few surprises I didn't see coming.
The writing wasn't what I've come to expect with the Angelbound series but still loved it. Will definitely continue the series.

[Monster House Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elea is a mage who must save her fellow Necromancer Sisters. This is a dark adventure with light romance and lots of twists and turns. Buckle in because it's a great ride!

[Chloe Macphail · Rating 4 out of 5]

starting off i really loved the cover its what first enticed me to read the book. was a quick enjoyable read. wish it was developed a bit more to make it longer. however the book was time restrained by three days.

[Aneta Bak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elea thought that her problems would be all gone once she got rid of the Tsar, unfortunately that just helped the Vicomte take his place and become even more powerful. With Elea's Necromancer sisters being held captive by the Vicomte, and waiting their turn for him to steal their powers, Elea must race against time and stop the Vicomte before she's the only Necromancer left.

I absolutely loved the first book, but for a few reasons I just couldn't love this book as much.

I loved Elea in the first book, and I still like her a lot, but unfortunately she really disappointed me in this book. Elea is a very strong and determined character, she will always follow her heart and do what she thinks is right. She's incredibly powerful, witty and such a loving character. She has all the traits that I absolutely love in a main character, but what really disappointed me, was the fact that she just doesn't learn from her mistakes. In the first book, Elea makes the mistake of trusting someone she shouldn't have trusted and she ends up being deceived, in the second book something very similar happens, where the boy she loves basically tricks her and has been lying to her the whole time. While I understand that this sort of thing happens in real life, I would expect a main character to learn from her mistakes and further her character development, but unfortunately Eleas character did not develop this way at all.

There are two new characters introduced and I absolutely fell in love with them right from the start. Amelia was adopted by the Vicomte, and is his only heir. After the loss of all her friends, Amelia is desperate for company other than her brother Philipe. Elea becomes friends with the siblings and they work together to rescue Veronique and Ada, as well as the other Necromancers. Honestly, Amelia and Philipe are hilarious, and while I really liked Amelia, I fell in love with Philipe! He is hilarious, outgoing and isn't afraid to be who he really is. I love his personality and the relationship he has with Elea. To be quite honest, I liked him hell of a lot more than Rowan in this book, and I'm kind of shipping him with Elea now... oops.

There wasn't a lot of action in the beginning of the book, and while it started out strong in the first chapter, there was barely any action till about 60% in. It was a little dry and hard to get through, but if you loved the first book then definitely try to get through the boring part because you will definitely love the ending.

While this book had a lot of twists and surprises, there was also a lot of foreshadowing in the book and I was able to guess what the twists were before they happened. I was a little bit disappointed because there was no WOW factor that I didn't see coming at all.

Overall, this series is still amazing. I love the world Christina created and I will definitely continue reading this series. If you loved the first one, you will definitely love this book.

Happy Reading,
Aneta

[Hannah D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second novel in the Beholder series, Concealed continues the action packed story of our necromancer heroine Elea as she tries to save her people from eminent destruction. By incorporating into the royal and fancy, Elea infiltrates her way into royal grounds to search for her stolen sister and brother kidnapped necromancers. Time is ticking and if she doesn't find them soon, then there might not be anybody left to save.
Interesting and engaging for most of the story, Concealed ratchets up the stakes and increases the danger that Elea faces, as her concerns go from trying to just simply survive to saving the entirety of her people from mass genocide. In each novel in the series so far, it has felt like Elea has properly matured, making it possible for her to take on the next big challenge to be thrown at her. She is a very well developed character, that is rounded very well throughout each novel. The story's plot was mildly predictable and I was able to guess most of the finale of the novel mid way through. I was still surprised by some details, but the majority of the end could be deduced fairly quickly for somebody who has been exposed to a lot of story telling in their lifetime. It still might surprise some newer readers fairly well. Romance wise, I would not say this book was full of it. It had a few moments here and there, but ultimately was not concentrating on the romance side of things. All in all, Concealed was a good read and I give it FOUR OUT OF FIVE STARS!!!
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[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very thankful to get this book because I really liked the one before it, and was anxious to see what was going to happen. Elea is back and trying to rescue Veronique and Ada, as well as the other necromancers, and will use whatever method she has at her disposal. And, she will to do it whatever it will cost her in the end. Along the way, she runs across a pair of very interesting siblings, and I am very excited to see what happens with them in the next book. As I don't want to give too much away of the book and I can't say much about this, but there was an interesting plot twist that just broke my heart involving the siblings and another character. I didn't see it coming, and now I don't know how to feel about one of the characters it involves. It moves Elea in a direction at the end of the book I'm not sure I like. I believe, however, that Ms. Bauer will make it all better in the third book! I do have to point out that this book didn't have the overall smoothness of prose of the first one, and could be a little slow at times, but it wasn't terrible, and didn't interfere too much with the overall enjoyment. All in all, this was a very character-driven book, with some excellent action scenes, and an interesting plot, with a little more darkness than the first one. I can't wait to see what is really up with Elea's magic, how the character I don't know about anymore is redeemed, and just how all the questions are answered, including Quinn. Worth your time and money. Recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and INscribe Digital/Monster House Books for the e-book which I voluntarily reviewed. This exact review posted on both Amazon and Goodreads.

[Fiona L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Concealed by Christina Bauer is the second book in the Beholder series. I much enjoyed this more than the first book, Cursed. We get to know more about Elea and we also see the feelings grown between her and Rowan.

Now that the Tsar is in exile, thanks to both Elea and Rowan, they face another problem - the Vicomte. The Vicomte has effectively taken over the Tsar's followers and is continuing the same type of evil plans the Tsar originally had.

In order to get to the heart of the Vicomte's plans, Elea had to infiltrate the Royals' ranks. She went in search of a Lady Amelia and finally found her after her 16th attempt or so. It took a lot of convincing but Amelia finally took Elea under her wings. After discovering even more of what the Vicomte wants to do, thanks to Amelia who was forced to do the Vicomte's bidding in the past, there was no time to waste for Elea.

At the same time, Elea grown closer and closer to Rowan. However, Rowan has a lot of secrets of his own. What is he hiding? Eventually Elea found out and things did not look good for them.

Eventually, the villains were defeated and we do get quite a happy ending, except for the question hanging between Elea and Rowan. I'd love to see more of them in the future!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)