Velvet Undercover

Presenting Velvet Undercover by Teri Brown.

Here is summary of the book:

Perfect for fans of Jennifer Donnelly and Libba Bray comes this page-turning historical spy thriller from Teri Brown, author of the Born of Illusion series.

Samantha Donaldson's family has always done its duty for the British Crown. In the midst of World War I, seventeen-year-old Sam follows in their footsteps, serving her country from the homefront as a messenger for the intelligence organization MI5. After her father disappears on a diplomatic mission, she continues their studies of languages, mathematics, and complex puzzles, hoping to make him proud.

When Sam is asked to join the famed women's spy group La Dame Blanche, she's torn—while this could be an unbelievable adventure, how can she abandon her mother, who has already lost a husband? But when her handlers reveal shocking news, Sam realizes she can't refuse the exciting and dangerous opportunity.

Her acceptance leads her straight into the heart of enemy territory on a mission to extract the most valuable British spy embedded in Germany, known only as Velvet. Deep undercover in the court of Kaiser Wilhelm II, Sam must navigate the labyrinthine palace and its many glamorous—and secretive—residents to complete her assignment. To make matters worse she must fight a forbidden attraction to the enemy—a dangerously handsome German guard. In a place where personal politics are treacherously entangled in wartime policy, can Sam find Velvet before it's too late . . . for them both?

A thrilling story of one girl's journey into a deadly world of spy craft and betrayal—with unforgettable consequences.

World War I Germany. Spy Thriller. La Dame Blanche. An impossible rescue mission. Velvet Undercover by Teri Brown is all of that but somehow along the way it is cheesy and rather lighthearted for a story of this genre. Of course the cover doesn't give much away, instead of giving the feeling of a warm contemporary story instead of the historical dark period that was WWI. Even with its failing this proved to be a quick and breathless read spurring us forward with the next to solve the identity of Velvet, a most daring spy conveniently positioned in the House of the Kaiser.

This is the story of the tenacious Samantha. Girl Guide. A master puzzle solver and fluent particularly in German. Plucked from school to be chosen for La Dame Blanche to go to Berlin undercover and identify and retrieve the spy code-named 'Velvet' on the promise that the mysterious disappearance of her diplomat father be looked into thoroughly. Strong willed, stubborn, a scholar and quite possibly way out of her depths in the business of a spy. Before being deployed into the field she receives her needed help with what she needs to know. The spy training at best felt sorely lacking and Samantha herself detracting from the mission on account of her running scared.

The first rule of espionage - don't trust anybody and don't get attached. Falling for the enemy is not an options. Sam strikes a friendship with royal guard Maxwell. While insta in its origins, share a multitude of cute and well paired scenes together. But with such failings notwithstanding the narrative flows smoothly and we are invested in the pursuit of uncovering who Velvet is. Expected a lot more out of the book but the experience was rather satisfactory.

"An exciting spy thriller in WWI Berlin. Satisfactory but also unputdownable"

Genre :     Historical Fiction, Espionage, Thriller, Mystery, Romance

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Release Date: 20th October, 2015

My Copy: publisher & edelweiss

Rate:             4/5 (Really Liked It)

Buy:         Amazon | Book Depository 

Born of Illusion #2 Born of Deception

Presenting Born of Illusion #2 Born of Deception by Teri Brown.

Here is the summary of the book:

Budding illusionist Anna Van Housen is on top of the world: after scoring a spot on a prestigious European vaudeville tour, she has moved to London to chase her dream and to join an underground society for people like her with psychic abilities. Along with her handsome beau, Cole Archer, Anna is prepared to take the city by storm.

But when Anna arrives in London, she finds the group in turmoil. Sensitives are disappearing and, without a suspect, the group’s members are turning on one another. Could the kidnapper be someone within the society itself—or has the nefarious Dr. Boyle followed them to London?

As Cole and Anna begin to unravel the case and secrets about the society are revealed, they find themselves at odds, their plans for romance in London having vanished. Her life in danger and her relationship fizzling, can Anna find a way to track down the killer before he makes her his next victim—or will she have to pay the ultimate price for her powers?

Set in Jazz-Age London, this alluring sequel to Born of Illusion comes alive with sparkling romance, deadly intrigue, and daring magic.

Circa 1920. Highly anticipated sequel to Born of Illusion. Born of Deception follows Anna Van Housen to London with its mysteries, the steampunk, a chance for her to perform her own magic show and a chance to meet other sensitives life herself. Of course, Cole, the love of her life is there too, so its double perk.

But life it seems is not sunshine and roses for Anna, as she alights on English soil in the middle of a major predicament. Something treacherous and evil is afoot. Other sensitives are going missing, A murder and blood-letting and Anna has to make some pretty serious decisions about her life and regarding her safety.

Teri Brown does a good job, shaping this sequel. Suffers a little bit on melodrama but the intrigue and trill of the first book can still be found here. Anna still remains the strong, stubborn and independent girl we saw in the first. A danger magnet if you will, one of the redeeming qualities about her? She is not perfect, makes a lot of foolish mistakes but at the end of the day she is a human and everything is acceptable if you learn from your actions.

Cole, adorable and frustrating. He is like the epitome of a gentleman beau of said era. He doesn't know how to express his feelings well but come the time for being affectionate towards Anna, he is your guy. Dependable and helpful, he is the overprotective one who tries to help everyone in need and protects his loved ones with all his power. And seeing his relationship with Anna gradually grow was he highlight to this story.

I had a few issues with the story, First there was actually no need for an apparent love triangle this time and the way they approached the culprit behind the disappearances and murders was too sudden and very predictable. Although I appreciated the action that followed but I had hoped that they could have spent more time going through the clues instead of the angst that was there between Cole and Anna throughout, But I liked how it ended and i'll say this again like I said in my review of the first book, there is actually no need for a sequel since both the books are complete in their own bounds but I will definitely check it out if another book follows next.

"Thrilling and enticingly dramatic"

Genre :      Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Romance

Publisher: Balzer+Bray

Release Date: 10th June, 2014

My Copy: publisher and edelweiss

Rate:              4/5 (Really Liked It)

Books in the series (review links):
              #1 Born if Illusion

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository 

Born of Illusion

Flapper-era new York, magic shows, illusion acts and séances. Presenting Born of Illusion by Teri Brown.

Here is the summary of the book:

Anna Van Housen is thirteen the first time she breaks her mother out of jail. By sixteen she’s street smart and savvy, assisting her mother, the renowned medium Marguerite Van Housen, in her stage show and séances, and easily navigating the underground world of magicians, mediums and mentalists in 1920’s New York City. Handcuffs and sleight of hand illusions have never been much of a challenge for Anna. The real trick is keeping her true gifts secret from her opportunistic mother, who will stop at nothing to gain her ambition of becoming the most famous medium who ever lived. But when a strange, serious young man moves into the flat downstairs, introducing her to a secret society that studies people with gifts like hers, he threatens to reveal the secrets Anna has fought so hard to keep, forcing her to face the truth about her past. Could the stories her mother has told her really be true? Could she really be the illegitimate daughter of the greatest magician of all?

Magic, mystery, drama, the act of illusions, escapists.... oh don't you just love it when a magician produces such wondrous magic infront of you. You are just awed aren't you. It is there in your mind somewhere, that little corner of truth that all this is not real, just that the person on stage uses some well made props to execute such marvel and is a really good actor but we don't really care do we! We are just looking to be entertained,to forget reality for a short while, and while in this fantasy. Brown's Born of Illusion transcends all of this perfectly within ts pages pretty well.

Anna Anna Anna..... oh I totally loved her. She is a worthy protagonist. In this cut throat world of performers, she is but one of them. Living under the shadow of her mother, she has learned to hide her abilities well. Se knows her mother wouldn't hesitate to throw her out of the show, if for a slightest chance it becomes apparent that she is getting more attention than her mother, who is the main act of their show.

Her supernatural abilities or should I say psychic abilities also gives her an edge of mysticism. She truly wants to control it but can't seem to know how to as they have a tendency of attacking her in broad daylight.

Then enters Cole. Handsome Cole. He moves in next door and in an old England sort of way has an air of an even greater mystery to himself. His chance collision (literally) with Anna and his suspicious behavior makes it difficult for Anna to trust him at first but in time she finds out that they are more like her out there and that Cole is actually trying to help her.

Besides the magic and coming into your abilities part which form the core of the tale. It is clear enough with this 1920s, Flapper-era New York tale that romance takes an almost back seat. Dealing with the supernatural is what form the core of the book but love is present too but not dominant. And just like the magic shows providing a good time for us Ms. Brown's book provides for a good time too. I definitely had a very good time reading it.

"Magic, Mystery, Drama, and facing the unknown Teri Brown's Born of Illusion provides it all in spades"

Genre :      Young Adult, Historical Ficiton, Paranormal, Romance


Publisher: Balzer & Bray


My Copy:  Publisher and edelweiss


Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)