Shannon's Review - A Great And Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

A Great and Terrible Beauty

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Gemma Doyle learns she has supernatural powers that include visions of the future and traveling to other dimensions. But it's not as simple as that. In a vision, she saw her mother die,and after it came to pass, she told no one, thinking she was crazy. So she keeps her visions to herself. But she also begins to butt heads with the girls at her boarding school. And after she gains their respect, and shares her secret, the thrilling ride begins.

My Thoughts: My review is on the audio version of this book. It is amazing what one person can do to there voice to make it sound like so many different people--reader Josephine Bailey does an excellent job. The story keeps a thrilling pace, and the characters dive into dark places and find different aspects of themselves. Like Gemma, who realizes she has special powers. Even though she's told not to use those powers, she realizes that having power has it's benefits, especially in an age when women are repressed. At the same time, there are dark forces trying to capture her to steal that power for themselves, so she has to use the power subtlely. I found the characters interesting and different, and I can't wait to listen to the rest of the series.

About the Author: Libba Bray has written two other books that accompany A Great and Terrible Beauty. The second book is Rebel Angels, followed by The Sweet Far Thing. To read more, go to Libba Bray's Official Website.