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)
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
My Copy: Publisher and edelweiss
Rate: 5/5 (It was Amazing)
This book looks really good. I love that it's set in the 1920s and deals with magic and illusions. I'm glad you liked it, it makes me even more excited to read it. Thanks for the review :)
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