Royal Ball

Pimpernel #2

by Sheralyn Pratt

One man, one night, one dance, and one question…none of which Claire Ramsey sees coming.

She thinks the night is a test—a call to rise above her insecurities and step more fully into her skills. It’s been a year since she learned about the Pimpernel and fell in love with the man of so many masks. Jack’s world is full of high stakes and big players, and Claire wants in.

To her frustration, Jack is dragging his feet on letting her all the way into both his heart and his work. The risk is too high, he says. But Claire is ready to prove him wrong. She’s ready to go all-in.

What Claire doesn’t know is that Jack is no lone wolf, and the world he is shielding her from is much bigger than she has ever imagined.

But one man, one night, one dance, and one question will change everything.

*Sequel to the award-winning novel, Pimpernel*

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Fantasy, Mystery, Fiction, Science Fiction, Clean Romance

292 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 10, 2017

About the author

I like to keep things light and fun, and believe that life is journey so if you're going to buy a book, your life should better for it. Whether a book I write is intended to help you escape for a few hours or designed to teach you a new skill, I hope you find it unforgettable...in a good way. ;)

Current/Upcoming Titles:
- Pimpernel
- Walk of Infamy
- King of the Friend Zone
- The Kiss that Launched 1,000 GIFs

About the Rhea Jensen series. I like to tongue-in-cheek tell people, WARNING: This Series Contains Mormons. This series is more mystery/adventure with a dab of romance. HOWEVER, the last book in the series, Walk of Infamy, will be a stand-alone novel and end to the Rhea Jensen series that Pimpernel fans will likely enjoy.

Reviews

[Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽]

3.33 stars. This was kind of an odd book, definitely not what I was expecting from the sequel to the delightful Pimpernel, but I give the author props for taking a risk with it. From a crime caper/modern Scarlet Pimpernel type of plot in the first book, we veer off into a hidden, fabulously wealthy world of powerful, non-public figures, the mysterious Royals and their court, who pull strings behind the scenes. Their sworn enemies are “the Fours.” The science fiction vibes are much stronger with this book than the first one, with a definite whiff of fantasy mixed in.

Claire, our heroine, wants to join this hidden society of Royals that her boyfriend Jack belongs to, but she's up against some serious opposition at the highest levels of the court. But she gets a surprise invitation to the Royals' annual ball, and a chance to prove herself to the court on this fateful evening ... or not. Meanwhile, the author is also tying this series together with her Rhea Jensen series, with the ongoing adventures of Kali/Rhea. So this is more of a transitional book than a self-contained story, with a mild cliffhanger ending.

It was so different than what I expected, but I'm definitely interested in finding out what happens next to Jack, Claire and Kali.

I received a free copy of this book from the author for review. Thank you!!

[Heidi Robbins (Heidi Reads...)]

WHOA. Some seriously cool stuff going on here! I'm totally intrigued by the world/society Jack is involved in. I loved the eye-opening insights into Margot and Kali, and of course seeing how Claire and Jack's relationship is still so sweet after a year. I'm very glad I re-read Pimpernel before I dug into this one to have a good feel for Claire's character and the beginning of her romance with Jack. More books? Yes please!!!

[Kathy * Bookworm Nation]

I'm speechless. Actually, I have a lot I could say, but am totally baffled on how to review this one.

Imagine you're five books into the magical world of Harry Potter and suddenly book six is a romantic comedy. Total shocker, right? Well, that's how I felt reading this book. I think I've read all the Rhea Jensen series and absolutely loved Pimpernel, so I'm very much used to the setting of these books being in the mystery-suspense real world type genre. Well, Royal Ball totally throws all that out the window and tips its toes into the Urban Fantasy world. Seriously, it almost felt like fan-fiction, and someone was like, "Hmm, I wonder how Jack, Clarie, Kali, Ren and Margot would fair in a Science Fiction novel..."

Honestly, this would have been great as a start of a brand new series (fantasy series) with all new characters. It all takes place basically in one night, there is a LOT of world-building and info dumping and like our main characters, Kali and Claire, I was constantly wondering what was going on.

Me: "I thought this was a mystery?"

Book: "No, its urban fantasy now"

Me: "But, I've read like all seven books in the series, and it's always been a mystery series."

Book: "Nope, you're wrong."

Like I mentioned before, I've read all the other books and maybe I missed something, but I never saw any hints of this stuff. Ever. It was just too over the top for me. The other books take place in the "real world" and the stuff in this book really takes a big stretch of the imagination. I don't even mind the whole secret society angle, that's actually pretty believable, it just seemed over the top unbelievable to me. Don't get me wrong, I adore urban fantasies. I just didn't think changing things up this late in the game was all that great of an idea. I missed when the Pimpernel was more of a normal guy with killer skills. And while he was still good in this book, he was kind of overshadowed by Malachi. To be honest, I don't really care for the new mythology. Sorry! I liked it when it was more like The Italian Job and less like Minority Report.

Ms. Pratt is a great storyteller and I loved a lot about the story, I loved Malachi (he stole the show), and I admit, its a fun setting. Just not at all where I wanted or expected this series to go. Give it a try, but I'd recommend reading the previous books first.

Content
Romance: Clean, kind of on the back burner
Language: None
Violence: None-mild
Religious: None

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Nominated for a 2018 Swoony Award, vote here http://bit.ly/2CWYB9U

[Lefthandedbibliophile]

The book opens with some unknown entity heading to some unknown destination (I more or less didn’t care at that particular moment)
Now
The book opens with our female protag, who is suffering from the affliction of any sane thinking person-Curiosity. But we all know what happens to those who suffer from that!



YES!!! And that is exactly what happens. She or should I say I fell into the proverbial rabbit hole. It all is impressively crazy from here on. There would be times when I asked myself



Book Said:


There would be moments of sheer brilliance with mind boggling analogies and parlour tricks, involving....I kid you not!


But it all came together in the end (or I would like to think so)

This book is like one of the characters (of the book), which another character describes about that (aforementioned) character, “..it all makes sense in retrospect”
I kept scratching my head and feeling like a fool the entire time I read the book.

I seriously don’t know how to rate this book. Do I give it 1 star for making me feel that I have the IQ of a fly or do I give it 5 stars for the author being so brilliant and bla bla bla
I’l go with 3.75 and be gone with it.

P.S.- The place with which the book opens has an implication in “retrospect”. JFYI.

[Kathy]

Another wild ride reinforcing the fact that Sheralyn holds a top spot on my list of favorite authors.
Royal Ball was not at all what I was expecting and yet somehow it managed to meet all my expectations. Go figure. I have no clue how Sheralyn always manages to twist and turn things around taking me to places I wasn't expecting, while somehow leaving me totally satisfied by the end her books. The cover of Royal Ball might suggest to your mind that it's a fluffy romance. It's not. There is romance in it but it's more of an action/adventure/mystery mix with a little romance. I'm fascinated by how complex the world of the Pimpernel is and am amazed at Sheralyn's ability to weave together story-lines in such a seamless fashion.
This book is definitely a sequel so if you haven't read Pimpernel you should read that one first. I highly recommend reading Walk of Infamy too (or even better the entire Rhea Jensen series).
When's the next book coming out? Not tomorrow?!? That's far too long of a wait in my opinion!

Content: Clean

[Katie (hiding in the pages)]

What just happened?? I love this series and love how it ties into the Rhea Jensen series. The first 25% is the fast-paced, high tech, spy thriller type of story and then it suddenly morphs into a world of magic with a sci-fi twist. I kept reading to desperately try and figure out what was going on--it was very intriguing and kind of confusing--but very engaging at the same time. So many twists and turns. I don't want to give a thing away, but I will say this--I'm dying for more so that I can hopefully make sense of it all and connect the characters together in more ways. I have no idea where this series is going, but my curiosity is piqued.

Content: some mild violence; very mild romance

[Aimee]

It's been so long since the last book that I felt like I was trying to remember things as I read. I think this is a series I would love to read at the very end so I didn't have to wait in between books. Just when things were getting intense and I was fully invested, it ended. I hate waiting for the next book! I love all the nuances in this book, how everyone and everything is more than it seems at first glance. I hope the wait for the next book isn't so long that I forget everything again!

[Christine Jensen]

I think that Pratt could write just about any genre and I would enjoy it! She makes me think (don't worry, it's not work!) and her characters are well developed and engaging.

Pimpernel: Royal Ball is no exception to the rule. This is truly an adventure with new twists added to what we know about Jack (aka the Pimpernel), Margot and Kali and their world. But this adventure is dressed up in a Ball Gown! Imagine Cinderella with a shot of Sriracha, and that is a bit of what you can expect when you pick up Royal Ball. A little bit of what you already know, but WOW, what is that kick?? Um I like it. Yep, Cinderella and Sriracha...

I do recommend reading a couple of Pratt's books first: Pimpernel and Walk of Infamy. Both books will help you have insight into what is going on in this story. It will take a while for you to catch up if you don't at least read Pimpernel first. Walk of Infamy is optional, but highly recommended.

What are you doing still reading my review, you should already be reading Royal Ball!

[Annette]

I was really excited for this one. I loved Pimpernel, in all its unique, twisty-turny glory, so I was hyped to get my hands on the second installment.

There was a lot I liked about it. The writing is great, the storyline moves, the characters are all distinct and interesting. It's a good read. And it's a solid 4 stars for me because it was very interesting, kept me guessing, and was told well.

When I finished with it, though, I had to figure out why it was that it didn't leave me fully satisfied. I hadn't been really truly invested in the characters and I didn't know why. I loved these characters from getting to know them in the first book, so what was the deal?

There were several things.

1. The story is told from 3 points of view. Claire and Jack (who are the main characters of the first book, and whom I care about) and a third POV of a semi-secondary character. When I got to the end, I realized that those 3 people hadn't really felt like the main characters. They had mostly all been reacting instead of acting. The one person that was controlling and manipulating the situation and all three of these characters seemed like more of a main character because he was the driving force behind all the action. It was odd.

2. The story felt like one big set up for the next book. There was a whole lot of world building and big set-ups for characters that weren't the main characters. I was reading this book because I was invested in Claire and Jack's story, but a lot of their story got side railed by shiny new plot lines that didn't seem to have anything to do with them.

3. The characters didn't feel as human as the first book. These characters are incredibly smart—super-human smart—but in the first book, the author did a great job of showing their flaws and making them relatable. In this book, it mostly felt like every character was super-human smart and there was less humanity interwoven.

[Amy]

Michelle prepped me too well for this one. I went in with 0 expectations...maybe even less. Negative expectations.
Except I really did enjoy it! This book proved unexpectedly delightful...or perhaps more precisely, imaginative.
The things I liked:
*Creative world building that doesn't info-dump
*Everything taking place in only a few hours
*The morally ambiguous Malachi
*The characters from different myths and legends
*The scene where Jack one-ups that punk kid
*The little King
*His Mom

Things I feel meh about:
*It doesn't feel much like the first book. This could easily be a separate series that coincidentally shares characters with the same names. But at the same time, you need the first book for clarity.
*This isn't much of a stand-alone. It really just sets up for future books. Less fluffy-fun, more doom-n-gloom & save-the-world-from-evil-and-fate.
*Dang, way to throw a wrench into poor Margot's love life.

In conclusion, somewhat mixed feelings, mostly positive, looking forward to the third one.

[Alisa]

Wow! Sheralyn Pratt knows how to deliver a story! Every time I thought I knew where the story was headed, I was surprised. The world that Jack and Margot live in is more than I (or Claire) ever expected. This story goes back and forth between Claire and what is happening to her, and Kali and what is happening to her.

We get more of Margot's story and it's easier to understand why she is the way she is. A new character, Malachi, is introduced and he adds so much to the mix.

I highly recommend reading Walk of Infamy (Kali's back story), and then Pimpernel (Claire's story), and then this one.

Content: Clean
Source: Kindle Unlimited

[Mindy]

I could not wait to read another book with some of my all-time favorite characters. I was especially anxious to find out more about Kali's fate. This book did not disappoint! I loved it. As with all of this author's book, the characters are well developed and the plot is exciting, intense and nail bitingly wonderful. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. If you haven't read Pimpernel, I would recommend reading that one first as Royal Ball is a sequel. While you're at it, just read the whole Rhea Jensen series too. Jack is wonderfully Jack and I loved getting to see how Claire and Jack feel about each other, the chemistry between them is awesome. Margot is also wonderful, as is Ren. There are some intriguing new characters introduced, one especially that still has me guessing.

I received a PDF from the author, all views and opinions expressed are my own.

[Pascale’s*ARC,Unwind,Read,Review]

Sheralyn Pratt is a master at her craft! She had me all wrapped up like a pretzel 🥨 reading this! This book is incredibly clever. The metaphors, the mind games, the puzzles... she had my head spinning, trying to keep up with it all! I love the characters that make an appearance in this newest book. The description she uses is visual imagery at its best. No need to skip over any boring details (there aren’t any). At times it can get a little confusing but stick with it! All will be revealed (almost) in due time and it does make more sense after a while. She only reveals a tiny bit at once so the reader feels they are figuring things out at the same pace as the characters. I loved, loved, loved, loved this book! Can’t highlight it enough. I was fortunate enough to be an early reader and I’ve been chomping at the bit to get my own copy. So excited it’s here at last! Totally worth the read!!

[Kristen Robison]

What. Just. Happened?!? Do you know when you pick up a warm chocolate chip cookie and can't wait to bite in to the chocolaty goodness...but find it's a raisin oatmeal cookie instead. Not necessarily bad, just not what you expected...or wanted. I LOVED Pimpernel. I Told everyone to read Pimpernel. I was sooo excited when I saw the 2nd book was released. I bought it, started reading...and the first half of the book I was wondering if I was in the Twilight Zone. Wha..... I figured it out but didn't love it. It was good, just not what I hoped for. I kept wondering if she switched genres on me? Too much "world building" going on. I have really liked everything else I've read by this author, so I'll probably read #3. But I think I'll just pretend this book never happened. Kind of Like Sharon Shinn's 'Angel-Seeker' or Megan Whalen Turner's 'Conspiracy of Kings' or 'The Phantom Menace' with Jar Jar. Bummer.

[Charissa]

This is SOOOOO good. I loved the first book Pimpernel, and have reread it several times. This one takes Claire into her “uncomfort” zone. When she breaks into her boss’s office (Margo) and finds a handsome stranger there, she is unprepared for what he asks. She can keep living life as she knows it, but have to walk away from Jack, or she can go with him to a Royal Ball and see if she can work with Jack forever. This had great twists and turns and [squeal!] it even has Kali in it (Rhea Jensen who has been hiding from the Fours for over a year). I love all the characters, and this one throws in some new ones that I found captivating (especially Malachi—he’s so cool, but so mysterious). It is a well done book in every way possible. It even has a nice tidy ending, even though there is potential for many more Pimpernel books in the future (At least I hope so…PLEASE!!!). This author writes captivating plots, fantastic characters, and always surprises me. I love her books! She’s amazing!

[Cathy]

I don't know if you've read anything by this author, but if you read even one of her books, you're going to become so hooked on them that you need to read more and more and more until, like me, you've read them all and you're sadly waiting until more by her has come out!

I loved everything about this book! I loved that it was intense, wow, it really kept me hooked and wanting to read more until I'd read every word! And what do you think about the cover, isn't it fantastic?

I loved the characters. Claire is one of my very favorite characters ever written. I love the way she has a constant running commentary from her head that almost becomes another character. And it's right on with every comment! But it was fun to see her be able to break free from that just a little bit in this book. I loved seeing her grow a bit!

I loved Jack too! He's in an interesting position in this book. And you don't really understand or know all of why he's doing what he's doing until the end of the book, but that just makes everything about it better!

And then there's Kali, I love that you get to see part of the story from her perspective and I LOVE when she is who she is. I can't tell you, it will ruin everything for you!

This book is just amazing in every way! I don't know exactly how to put this on into a category, it's got a bit of everything, action, adventure, romance and more! I can't wait to get my hands on more by this author, but since this one just barely came out, I'll have to be at least a little bit patient!

Actually, if you haven't read this author's other books, I have an assignment for you, you need to at the very least read Pimpernel before you read this one, I guarantee this won't make any sense without that one. And if you have time, you really should read the whole Rhea Jensen series first. That one's not a prerequisite, but things will make a lot more sense.

[April]

4 1/2 Stars
Book 1 blew me away and Book 2 has done no less! Pratt has woven a story with intriguie, unforgettable characters, adventure and romance. There are so many secondary characters that I want to know more about and see how their stories play out. She upped the ante in this novel by creating a world/society that I want to delve deeper into. I cannot wait for the next Book in this series! A wonderful and engaging clean read!

[Cait]

Hella confusing until it wasn't

This book is the crazy sequel to the fun "Pimpernel." I was thoroughly confused for a large portion of the story, but when author Pratt finally explained the terminology and world, I found myself really enjoying it. I did not read her other book that is also a prequel of sorts, because I don't 100% get LDS fiction, not being a Mormon myself, and as I understand it the "Rhea Jensen" series is more overtly religious than the "Pimpernel" one. All that being said, once everything was explained I thought it was a good read. A solid 4 stars.

[Mayedah]

It's like a mystery and love all rolled into one. Love it!!

[Michelle]

This sequel felt like the first half of a book. I need to read the next one to fully understand the Royals. Also, there really wasn't a clear climax in this story to make it feel complete.

[Michael Andes]

Read this!

W great second book to The Pimpernel. I have a complaint and that is read this book in two days which meant I went to work tired. Can’t wait to read the next one.

[Leah]

I liked this book and it kept my interest the whole way through. However, after reading it, I still feel like I have just as many questions as I had in the beginning.
The first book, felt more like high tech smart people in the real world and this one felt a little more magical/sci-fi.
There were lots of characters and stories and back stories, that sometimes I felt like my brain needed a break so I could process all the information.
Also, I don’t feel like I know Kali any better even though we had her POV during parts of the book.
All that said, I still enjoyed it and look forward to reading the future books.

[David Pratt]

All of my favorite books introduce me to a world in contest beyond the world we know. Most include a male and female lead, inflexible commitment (like love or fate) that leads to extraordinary action, a real possibility (even probability) of failure, a cast of support characters with enough individuality that the book could just as easily be imagined from their view (rather than the protagonist's), and a dangerous menace that must be faced.

In each series and book, the worldviews and insights of each character are relatable and understandable. Percy Jackson, Fablehaven, Twilight, Harry Potter, The Secret of Nimh, I Am Number Four, A Wrinkle In Time, and others whose titles I need not bore you with, have each of these elements in a wonderful balance. So does Pimpernel.

Like each of the above, once I started Pimpernel, I didn't want to stop. Things like a bedtime and a schedule in general take a back seat to me finding out what comes next. The Pimpernel world is dangerous and exciting. It has wealth, technology, people, organization and power players that intimidate and inspire me at the same time. Just as in any of the titles I gave, Pimpernel characters challenge my beliefs and inspire me in the best way, and the storylines get me excited for what could be coming next.

Royal Ball introduces the Pimpernel world in earnest. We find that Jack and his team, extraordinary as they may be in "our" world, are commonplace citizens on the lower rungs of their own world. We see that, capable as they are, they are subject to the whims of fate, and have to deal with, or at least prepare for, those whims.

Claire (pictured on the cover) wants to be part of the Pimpernel's world. She feels like a natural part of it, and she never really belonged in the world or family she grew up in. Jack, the Pimpernel (and now, her boyfriend) wants her fully in his world with him, but the people who call the shots believe that her presence is a danger to him. About to be separated forever, Jack and Claire gain an unexpected ally who guides Claire who gives her exactly one chance to prove her worth and show how she is like nobody else, so she can get where she wants to be--but he gives her this chance believing that doing so endangers Jack, so just how much can he be trusted? How much is he really looking out for them, and how much is he looking out for his own interests?

In this world, romance and hope must coexist in a world of hidden agendas, extraordinary abilities, and power players whose interests must be served to gain their cooperation or help. Careers, relationships and lives hang in the balance, all while the actual story plays out.

On the nitpicky side, I am slightly irked that, despite my keen enjoyment of the book, my unwillingness to put it down, and the character development that it lays out, there was, in the end, so little story. Also, while the end was satisfying and uniquely enjoyable, I would have liked more storyline leading up to it. Maybe a date with Jack as an opening to the story, and then transition from this to the moment Claire gets it into her head that she will do what she does when the storyline in this book actually begins...just to present Claire's clearly evident commitment to her anchor, and to show an independent and balancing beginning and end to her storyline. Similarly, I could have done with a prequel chapter on the Kali storyline for similar reasons. One chapter for each could have been included in the prologue.

I feel like the book is the highlight reel without any of the buildup, making it, in turn, a great teaser for what is coming next in the story, but more of a short story than a standalone novel.

I hope you enjoy this book as I did, so my sister has incentive to keep building this world.

Full disclosure: she has not influenced my review in any way, except with the same book I invite you to read. At the end, she asks for a review as an incentive for more books from her, and this review is my response to those exact terms.

[Elizabeth]

2.5, rounded up because of how much I liked the first book. Honestly this one was a big disappointment. Save your money and go read Pimpernel.

This book was an almost total departure from the first storyline, but not one that made any real sense. I don't mind implausible plots or events because fiction, but implausibility just for the sake of it, or implausibility that's totally outside the character and plot really takes the reader out of the story and just seems jarring.

That's what this was like - it seemed like there were really random events here that were crammed in to fit the Cinderella (??) storyline, interspersed with unnecessary descriptions of the dress and ball, etc.

Spoilers
***

The first book, which I loved, was more of a mystery/Oceans 11 type plot, taking place largely in Nevada. This book seemed to take place in some type of mysterious mountain kingdom, like those fake kingdoms in hallmark movies, and was suddenly full of fae (?), pet bears, phoenixes and random royalty.

That's all without getting started on the actions of Claire, who is supposed to be this intelligent and incisive character known for her brains. That's why I picked up this series in the first place. Suddenly she is willing to go with a strange guy in the middle of the night on a plane to a mysterious castle without being suspicious? Really? And because he offers her this cool dress and is hot it's all okay? It just doesn't fit at all with her character from the first book and was really disappointing. DNF.

[Sharon Hogenson]

This book was a hard one to rate. It is better than a two-star book, but I'm actually confused as to why it is a Pimpernel sequel. Okay, I understand that it took characters from the first book to build the story, but it wasn't really about the Pimpernel at all. As a stand-alone I'd probably give it three stars, but it can't stand alone because it uses the same characters and builds on what we already know.

Which is another thing that really bothers me. In Royal Ball, it comes out the Margot is married and has been for 12 years. Jack knows this in the first book, he attended the wedding, but is hoping that Magot and Ren will get together. Nope. Don't like that at all!

And I still don't see how this is a Pimpernel story at all. Would I like it more if it wasn't supposed to be? Maybe, but since it is I guess I'll never know for sure. It definitely moves into the Sci-fi genre...

I quite like the Rhea Jensen series by this author. Maybe my expectations for this series were too high.

Oh, by the way, the editing was much better in this book than in the first one.

Later:

No!!! No, no, no, no!!!! I just made the connection. Kali is Rhea Jensen. No, no, no!!!!!!

October 11, 2022
No, this isn't a journal, but I dated this entry anyway. I've been doing some research and found that this book was written about four years after Book 5 in the Rhea Jensen series and a year before Book 6 in the same series. Although Royal Ball does give clues to Kali's identity, it appears that perhaps Walk of Infamy (Rhea Jensen 6) was written later so Ms Pratt could explain how Rhea became Kali. More explanation will be given on my review of Rhea Jensen 5.

[Amy S]

This one had a different feeling than the first book. More of magic and virtual reality existing in the real world than real world spies performing bits of magic. It was still enjoyable and creative but different.
A few new characters were introduced and played significant parts in this sequel. I didn't feel like the relationship between the two main characters of the previous book advanced beyond where we left off at the end of the first book. I was hoping for a bit more of the romance aspect. Still, lots of interesting things happened and all of it took place within the space of a single evening.
The setting was much more developed and played a larger part in the story than in the first book. Less was left to the reader's imagination there.
Something about the style of the first book invited the reader along on the adventure while this one felt a little more like the author was handing out pieces of information while also quietly murmuring "do try to keep up" as we stumble around a bit in confusion.
The problem we seemed to be solving in the beginning of the story was not the problem that seemed to be solved by the end of the story. So much was left open-ended that it didn't really feel satisfying.

Some violence. No sex. Mild language. A bit of family drama and a little bit of mental health stuff.

[Elizabeth]

Royal Ball feels a little like stepping through the Looking Glass, but stick with it - it doesn't disappoint! I was as surprised and amazed by this new world as the Claire and other characters just becoming acquainted with it. Pratt gives us enough bread crumbs to lead us along the plot, but keeps us guessing and excited with unexpected twists. Royal Ball also makes the move from pure action/romance and throws in a surprising (and I think highly rewarding) dash of fantasy! Pratt elbows past our expectations and creates a world all her own. I'm So Glad she's inviting us all along for the ride! Starbreaker, book three of the Pimpernel series, keeps a similar mix of 90% action/romance and 10% urban fantasy. I love how deftly Pratt maneuvers us through the ins and outs of this fascinating, fun world, while keeping her character development solid enough to keep us crossing our fingers and holding our collective breath, rooting for the protagonists. I enjoyed every twist and turn, every laugh and gasp of surprise. Keep It Coming!!!

[Claire]

I LOVED the first book in this series so much that I'm crushed to tell you that this one is just nonsensical and silly to a degree I can't explain. While the first one I felt hugged the line between young adult and adult, this one had a decidedly young adult tone, while completely untethering itself from reality plot-wise :( I don't mind urban fantasy (also known as fantasy set in the real world) but this just played relentlessly with and clearly *wanted* to be fantasy yet constantly insisted that the fantastical skills and events depicted have a real-world explanation, however shoddy and ridiculous. It stretches the reader's suspension of disbelief to such a degree that mine snapped and ceased to exist only half way through. SIGH. If you like the fun, breezy tone of this and the compelling characters, but want those in a world and plot that are coherent (and in the fantasy context they deserve), go for Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series.

[Tierre]

Long-awaited and Worth It

I re-read Pimpernel (I've read it three times now) before I read this book. I have to say I was rather amazed by the contrast between the two. They both feel like introductions to a series, just two different series. The first a sort of crime-stopping magician, with moments that made me laugh out loud, the second a more fantastic, Harry-Potter-like world. That being said, I absolutely LOVED both and am interested to see where this series goes. I also haven't read Walk of Infamy yet, so we'll see how that fits in. Overall, I highly recommend the book and am hoping the author is able to write another soon. Very excited to see what happens to Margot and hoping something actually develops there with her and one of the many men in her life (I almost don't care which at this point. Just someone, for her sake!)

[Our Book Confessions]

The best books and the best writers, are those that don’t fit into a specific category or they've broken the mold in a given category. At first I felt like Kali’s chapters in this book were a distraction, they didn’t seem to flow with the plot and it took effort to try and fit her in. Then we meet Malachi who is described as a secretive genius with his own agenda and schedule which no one seems to understand until months afterwards. As I continued to read I realized, Sheralyn Pratt is her own kind of Malachi. Lightbulbs started going on all over the place. The characters you’ve come to know and love have amazing possibilities and millions of story line directions and you’re on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next. Check out full review here: https://bookconfessionsblog.wordpress...