My review of Dance of the Red Death

Dance of the Red Death (Masque of the Red Death #2) by Bethany Griffin
Release Date: April 4, 2013
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In Dance of the Red Death, Araby’s world is in shambles—betrayal, death, disease, and evil forces surround her. She has no one to trust. But she finds herself and discovers that she will fight for the people she loves, and for her city.

Her revenge will take place at the menacing masked ball, though it could destroy her and everyone she loves…or it could turn her into a hero.

Dance of the Red Death is the wondrous and stunning conclusion to The Masque of the Red Death. The stakes are higher than ever and Araby and her friends are against time to find the cure to the disease wiping out most of the population. But our main girl has to fight the betrayal surrounding her. She cannot trust Will, despite her pull to him. And nor can she trust Elliot, who may claim to love her, but is hiding something deadly.

One of the things that I love about the books is the setting. Araby's world is dangerous and full of mystery and twists at every corner. No one is safe, no matter where they are. The disease will catch up with you if you do not possess a mask. I love the tension and world building in these books and that's what really stands out for me. You can't fully be absorbed into a book like this if the world isn't described properly, but Griffin does a wonderful job.

Araby is just as we left her! Courageous, loyal and strong - maybe even stronger! She manages to put Will's betrayal aside while they are on their journey, and work through the obstacles put in front of her at every turn. Her determination to help April no matter what really touched me. A great example of an amazing friendship.

I didn't exactly enjoy her relationship with Elliot since I have been team Will since page 1. But I did keep going because every now and then, Araby and Will end up in the same room or near each other and they talk and those conversations show that Araby still cares about Will, no matter what he did, and that Will cares about Araby even though it might have seemed otherwise when he betrayed her. Will is lovely. He tries to make it up to Araby in little ways that will make your heart ache.

There are quiet a few bad guys that appear in this book, and I got quite a lot of them mixed up. Damn my brain. But I enjoyed the tension and danger they added to the plot. 

Dance of the Red Death is a brilliant conclusion that I could not bear to put down! Action and mystery riddled on every page, with romance on the side to make the story that much more interesting. I'm anxious to see what Bethany Griffin may have for us next!

Rating

A review copy was provided by Orion Publishing