A Great and Terrible Beauty - Libba Bray

Saturday, August 1, 2009
A Victorian boarding school story, a Gothic mansion mystery, a gossipy romp about a clique of girlfriends, and a dark other-worldly fantasy--jumble them all together and you have this complicated and unusual first novel.

I absolutely could not put this book down. I finished it in about twoish days and I am so happy I got the other two books in the series or I'd be going out to Barnes and Noble in my nightgown to get them! It's about a sixteen year old girl named Gemma and it's set in the late 1800's-1900's and something terrible happens to her family. She then moves to London where she goes to an all girl boarding school and discovers things about her mother and some other magical properties. It was really interesting and I found myself reading really late into the night so I could know what happens next. I can't wait to start the second one! This book and series is easily one of my favorites ever, not to mention the gorgeous cover! Love.

*****