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These Vicious Masks #3
These Vengeful Souls
England, 1883. On the run with the grieving Sebastian Braddock, Evelyn wants two things: to be reunited with her friends, and to get revenge on the evil Captain Goode. Not only has he misused his and Sebastian's powers to rack up a terrible death toll, but he's also completely destroyed any hope of Evelyn or her friends regaining the life they once knew.
Evelyn is determined to make Captain Goode pay for what he's done, but is her revenge worth risking the lives of Sebastian and her friends? Or is it better to flee the city and focus on staying alive? And with the Captain spreading lies about Sebastian in an attempt to flush them out of hiding and turn the populace against them, does she even have a choice at all?
Evelyn is determined to make Captain Goode pay for what he's done, but is her revenge worth risking the lives of Sebastian and her friends? Or is it better to flee the city and focus on staying alive? And with the Captain spreading lies about Sebastian in an attempt to flush them out of hiding and turn the populace against them, does she even have a choice at all?
291 pages, Paperback
First published February 20, 2018
About the author
Tarun Shanker
7 books317 followersTarun Shanker is a mild-mannered assistant by day and a milder-mannered writer by night, currently living in Boston. His idea of paradise is a place where kung-fu movies are projected on clouds, soul music fills the air and chai flows freely from the fountains. He is the co-author of the These Vicious Masks trilogy with Kelly Zekas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
February 26, 2018
Mr. Kent deserves his own book.
April 6, 2018
*Source* Library
*Genre* Young Adult Fiction / Fantasy / Historical
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
These Vengeful Souls is the third and final installment in co-authors Tarun Shanker & Kelly Zekas These Vicious Masks trilogy. Picking up 3 days after the horrific ending to These Ruthless Deeds, things are looking pretty bleak for Evelyn, & her friends (Sebastian Braddock, Nicholas Kent, Rose Wyndham, Catherine Harding, Miss Chen, Laura Kent, Emily Kane, & Radhika Rao). Evelyn, who made a life or death choice in the previous novel, is now in the fight of her life against Captain Goode & his Society of Aberrations allies.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Genre* Young Adult Fiction / Fantasy / Historical
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
These Vengeful Souls is the third and final installment in co-authors Tarun Shanker & Kelly Zekas These Vicious Masks trilogy. Picking up 3 days after the horrific ending to These Ruthless Deeds, things are looking pretty bleak for Evelyn, & her friends (Sebastian Braddock, Nicholas Kent, Rose Wyndham, Catherine Harding, Miss Chen, Laura Kent, Emily Kane, & Radhika Rao). Evelyn, who made a life or death choice in the previous novel, is now in the fight of her life against Captain Goode & his Society of Aberrations allies.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
September 15, 2018
AHHHH. I love this series so much, and I'm so sad it's over, because I'll miss Evelyn and Sebastian and Mr. Kent (him especially, pretty sure we're meant to be). But that was a WILD, BRUTAL RIDE, and I enjoyed it so much I read it all in one go. I couldn't stop. This installment isn't as funny as the other two (how could it be after THE WAY BOOK 2 ENDED, I'M STILL SCREAMING) but there was excellent squad goals and shipppppity shipppppppppp. I also love how intense this Kelly and Tarun take things, and I LOVE the inventive ways they use the characters' X Men powers. This series is just such a treat, and I want to hug the whole thing to my heart.
April 29, 2018
Oh well, another anticipated release and series finale that did not live up to my expectations. Mr. Braddock, divorce!
RTC when I have free time again (maybe never *inserts sad face*)
RTC when I have free time again (maybe never *inserts sad face*)
February 27, 2018
Not a bad ending! I liked this more than These Ruthless Deeds and I really liked how murdery and revengey Evelyn was! This series was definitely darker than I initially expected it to be tbh.
June 1, 2018
Fantastic ending to a great series.
More to come...
More to come...
March 1, 2018
2.5 As I adored THESE VICIOUS MASKS, it saddens me to report that I've four areas of rather large disappointment:
1. Hasty pacing detracted from an otherwise tight plot—and lent to harried action scenes heavy on telling.
2. Too large an ensemble cast offered little page space for character arcs—and contributed to one-tone characterization for comedic effect: broody Sebastien Braddock broods, witty Mr. Kent relishes his witty re-joiners.
3. Humor ill fits what ought to be a devastatingly teeth-sharp, ruinously ravishing, atmospheric and over-embellished, daisies-on-berets-on-top-hats final installment.
4. 'Twas far too simple a matter to trounce the villainous Captain Goode—little room for character growth and taut-less, illusory high stakes.
1. Hasty pacing detracted from an otherwise tight plot—and lent to harried action scenes heavy on telling.
2. Too large an ensemble cast offered little page space for character arcs—and contributed to one-tone characterization for comedic effect: broody Sebastien Braddock broods, witty Mr. Kent relishes his witty re-joiners.
3. Humor ill fits what ought to be a devastatingly teeth-sharp, ruinously ravishing, atmospheric and over-embellished, daisies-on-berets-on-top-hats final installment.
4. 'Twas far too simple a matter to trounce the villainous Captain Goode—little room for character growth and taut-less, illusory high stakes.
March 11, 2018
Oof. I loved book 1, so easily a 5 star book. Recommended it to anyone and everyone. Book 2 was solid , and took things in a new direction; I stuck with it and hoped for the best.
And then Book 3 happened. This just wasn't the direction I saw for the series. The characters I had come to love changed, but in very different ways than I expected. The cast got too big. The vengeance too extreme. Everything else, especially relationships, became secondary to this revenge plot.
Mr. Kent is still so wonderful and I would read anything he makes an appearance in. He is my Victorian/petticoat-fantasy Loki. I will anxiously await some sort of Mr. Kent spinoff series while I avoid actually thinking about how this series ended.
3/5
And then Book 3 happened. This just wasn't the direction I saw for the series. The characters I had come to love changed, but in very different ways than I expected. The cast got too big. The vengeance too extreme. Everything else, especially relationships, became secondary to this revenge plot.
Mr. Kent is still so wonderful and I would read anything he makes an appearance in. He is my Victorian/petticoat-fantasy Loki. I will anxiously await some sort of Mr. Kent spinoff series while I avoid actually thinking about how this series ended.
3/5
July 12, 2018
These Vengeful Souls, the final book in Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas’s historical fantasy series, These Vicious Masks, is packed with action as Evelyn and company make one last stand against the nefarious Captain Goode. There’s an added wrinkle in this final book where the public has become aware of individuals with these amazing and dangerous abilities. Goode uses people’s fears to turn them against Sebastian in particular and the handful of allies he has left. Both Evelyn and Sebastian carry loads of guilt; Sebastian because his power was manipulated, resulting in ballroom full of dead people and Evelyn because she had a chance to stop it, but chose to save her sister. Evelyn wants to put an end to the war between Goode and those who no longer wish to be his pawns. Unfortunately, Evelyn is prone to rash decisions, driven by love and a need to protect those around. She often chooses to go in alone rather than put her friends in danger. Despite mistakes Evelyn makes in this one, I loved that she eventually got to a place where she learned to trust those around her to help her in taking down Goode. Seeing Evelyn and minor characters like Rose, Mr. Kent, Miss Chen, etc, come together and work as a team was really rewarding. It’s a testament to their development as characters. I feel like Sebastian never really got a moment to breath throughout this series and I really wanted this for him. It’s hard to blame him for brooding all the time when he never really had much to celebrate. I really wanted to see him get a handle of his powers and in general, I wanted to see more happy moments for all the characters, but that probably says more about my attachment to them than anything else. Overall, this has been a really enjoyable historical fantasy series that I’d recommend to fans of the genre.
October 6, 2019
The conclusion of These Vicious Masks series was excellent, and I'm astounded by the events happening. However, I'm a little baffled when Evelyn said it was her fault that she brought so much pain. I know she wanted to help Sebastian so much, and, if she didn't, then he wouldn't learn how to manage his powers with the help of his friends, including Evelyn. I'm not sure about the part when she said it as her fault that she chose Rose over everyone. I don't know if it's because Evelyn doesn't want to risk losing her sister again or that it's the effect of Rose's power (either way it sounds bad). But like Sebastian, Evelyn helped her sister embrace her power and use it for good, which I'm glad that Rose can.
And of course, I was a bit annoyed that Evelyn has her own plans and be a bit of an impulse or---in other words---Byronic. Still, I think a few of the mistakes not only helped her with character development but also plan out on how to defeat Captain Goode.
And the fabulous Mr. Kent, loving and humorous. I still cannot help but chuckle whenever he goes through his crazy antics and funny inputs. I enjoy his humor whenever the situation gets tough.
I think this will be the most memorable series I have ever read. Maybe one day, I will pick up the series again in the near future.
And of course, I was a bit annoyed that Evelyn has her own plans and be a bit of an impulse or---in other words---Byronic. Still, I think a few of the mistakes not only helped her with character development but also plan out on how to defeat Captain Goode.
And the fabulous Mr. Kent, loving and humorous. I still cannot help but chuckle whenever he goes through his crazy antics and funny inputs. I enjoy his humor whenever the situation gets tough.
I think this will be the most memorable series I have ever read. Maybe one day, I will pick up the series again in the near future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2018
This wasn't quite the finale that I was looking for, but it still a pretty good ending to a fantastic series. Even though I wasn't as pleased with this novel, this is still one of my most favorite series. It does everything brilliantly from fantastic characters, witty and ridiculously entertaining writing, and more. I think this book just suffered a bit from a couple of different things, but it still brought so many smiles to my face and still something I couldn't put down.
The first thing that always gets me about these novels is the writing. I don't know how Shanker and Zekas do it, but they do it so seamlessly and brilliantly. It's fun, witty, and so easy to read. You're never confused, you're always entertained, and there's never anything in the novel that doesn't need to be in there. I will forever be reading anything by these two authors - whether it's them being their dynamic duo selves or them going solo. They actually make me laugh out loud, which is so very rare to do.
Mr. Kent was just absolutely brilliant in this novel as well. He will forever go down as one of my favorite characters ever. He's right up there with my absolute love, Carswell Thorne. He is honestly everything that Oscar Wilde would ever want with a character, and CAN SOMEONE JUST GIVE HIM HIS OWN BOOK SO I CAN CRY AND FANGIRL OVER HIM FOR ETERNITY? pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
I felt some of the other characters were a bit contrasting for me in this one. Evelyn has been one of my favorite heroines that I've ever read, but I felt like she was so consumed in this novel about revenge and murder that I lost a lot of the characteristics that I loved about her. She seemed so unlike the girl that I had read about in the prior two books, and she acted so rash and impulsively that I just sat there going, GIRL, CHILL. I felt she redeemed herself in quite a few instances, but I just felt a bit of a disconnect from her in this one. I felt the same issue with Mr. Braddock as well.
The cast of characters continued to grow in this one, and while I loved a lot of them, I felt like since the cast was SO large, a lot of the deeper characterization got a bit lost. I mean, I knew who a lot of them were and really enjoyed them, I felt that I just felt swarmed by cool characters and I was just really overwhelmed by them. However, I really liked the more in-depth characterization we got with Catherine and A-Person-That-Can't-Be-Named-For-Spoilers, and I absolutely adored the romance that was brought between them. I also really enjoyed that person a lot more than I did in the prior book. Shanker and Zekas can create a fantastic side character, though, and there are so many people that I absolutely loved like the addition of Mr. Adeoti and the Tuffins, and Miss Chen, Emily, and Laura were fantastic as well.
I also felt a bit confused about Goode's motivations. Like, I know he was bad and we had to stop him, but I was confused about why he was doing what he was doing. I just felt a bit lost, and I just wanted more from this villain.
The plot was interesting as well for the most part. I was totally enraptured in some parts, but some times, I was a bit unclear what was going on. I mean, they were kind of just sitting around and going in circles. It thought there were just things happening, and I couldn't figure out what was the big end game besides murder?? The ending didn't feel as concrete as I wished it would be. I was pleased mostly with it, but I guess I wanted something a bit more from it.
To be honest, there wasn't too much romance in this one besides the official ending of the love triangle, and I was surprisingly okay with it. There was a lot of characterization and wrapping things up that they were handling that romance wasn't really a factor. I was pleased with the choice that was made because I did think it made the most sense and did feel organic; however, my heart did feel a bit jipped with the one side of the love triangle - which I knew was going to happen anyway since I loved both of the love interests dearly.
Overall, I think it was a good ending to a fantastic series, but I just wanted a bit more from it. There were a few issues it, but it was still the fun and witty writing, characters, and plot twists that made me love this series in the first place. I honestly am so sad that this series is ending, because I just desperately want more from these characters, writing, and the plot. CAN THERE BE A SPIN-OFF SERIES PRETTY PLEASE WITH MR KENT JUST DOING MR KENT THINGS????? OR THE NEW GENERATION OF POWERED PEOPLE? PLEASE. I AM CRYING OVER HERE. Such a fantastic series, but three crowns and a Belle rating for this one!
The first thing that always gets me about these novels is the writing. I don't know how Shanker and Zekas do it, but they do it so seamlessly and brilliantly. It's fun, witty, and so easy to read. You're never confused, you're always entertained, and there's never anything in the novel that doesn't need to be in there. I will forever be reading anything by these two authors - whether it's them being their dynamic duo selves or them going solo. They actually make me laugh out loud, which is so very rare to do.
Mr. Kent was just absolutely brilliant in this novel as well. He will forever go down as one of my favorite characters ever. He's right up there with my absolute love, Carswell Thorne. He is honestly everything that Oscar Wilde would ever want with a character, and CAN SOMEONE JUST GIVE HIM HIS OWN BOOK SO I CAN CRY AND FANGIRL OVER HIM FOR ETERNITY? pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
I felt some of the other characters were a bit contrasting for me in this one. Evelyn has been one of my favorite heroines that I've ever read, but I felt like she was so consumed in this novel about revenge and murder that I lost a lot of the characteristics that I loved about her. She seemed so unlike the girl that I had read about in the prior two books, and she acted so rash and impulsively that I just sat there going, GIRL, CHILL. I felt she redeemed herself in quite a few instances, but I just felt a bit of a disconnect from her in this one. I felt the same issue with Mr. Braddock as well.
The cast of characters continued to grow in this one, and while I loved a lot of them, I felt like since the cast was SO large, a lot of the deeper characterization got a bit lost. I mean, I knew who a lot of them were and really enjoyed them, I felt that I just felt swarmed by cool characters and I was just really overwhelmed by them. However, I really liked the more in-depth characterization we got with Catherine and A-Person-That-Can't-Be-Named-For-Spoilers, and I absolutely adored the romance that was brought between them. I also really enjoyed that person a lot more than I did in the prior book. Shanker and Zekas can create a fantastic side character, though, and there are so many people that I absolutely loved like the addition of Mr. Adeoti and the Tuffins, and Miss Chen, Emily, and Laura were fantastic as well.
I also felt a bit confused about Goode's motivations. Like, I know he was bad and we had to stop him, but I was confused about why he was doing what he was doing. I just felt a bit lost, and I just wanted more from this villain.
The plot was interesting as well for the most part. I was totally enraptured in some parts, but some times, I was a bit unclear what was going on. I mean, they were kind of just sitting around and going in circles. It thought there were just things happening, and I couldn't figure out what was the big end game besides murder?? The ending didn't feel as concrete as I wished it would be. I was pleased mostly with it, but I guess I wanted something a bit more from it.
To be honest, there wasn't too much romance in this one besides the official ending of the love triangle, and I was surprisingly okay with it. There was a lot of characterization and wrapping things up that they were handling that romance wasn't really a factor. I was pleased with the choice that was made because I did think it made the most sense and did feel organic; however, my heart did feel a bit jipped with the one side of the love triangle - which I knew was going to happen anyway since I loved both of the love interests dearly.
Overall, I think it was a good ending to a fantastic series, but I just wanted a bit more from it. There were a few issues it, but it was still the fun and witty writing, characters, and plot twists that made me love this series in the first place. I honestly am so sad that this series is ending, because I just desperately want more from these characters, writing, and the plot. CAN THERE BE A SPIN-OFF SERIES PRETTY PLEASE WITH MR KENT JUST DOING MR KENT THINGS????? OR THE NEW GENERATION OF POWERED PEOPLE? PLEASE. I AM CRYING OVER HERE. Such a fantastic series, but three crowns and a Belle rating for this one!
May 4, 2018
Buddyread with book bff and general life bff Lona (Windowsill Books)!
Check out our full blog post here!
“I’m not going to say go on without me,” Mr. Kent said as we stumbled backward. “I’d honestly prefer we all just died together.”
We decided to write this in a kind of “rip-the-Band-Aid-off-and-apply-ointment” kind of approach in which we will describe exactly what we didn’t like, followed by what we actually found great about the book to help ease the pain. For starters, this book stays extremely true to its title in which it is really all about revenge. And trust us, while we do appreciate a good revenge plan (except for in real life, we would advise turning the other cheek), this scheme hardly qualifies as a “plan”. Most of the plot involves the characters arguing over whether they should get revenge on Mr. Goode, or if they should just run away. Obviously, since there wouldn’t be a book if they just ran away, it took much too long for them to officially decide to stay and fight. Furthermore, once this decision was made, there was not much effort put into formulating a solid plan. Instead, the characters acted rashly and without thinking (classic YA), which led them into very unnecessary problems.
One of the things we loved most about the previous books was the amazing cast of characters, and we were hoping so much for the last book to really wrap up each characters’ story! However, this book kinda got carried away and threw in a million new characters who took away from getting to know some of the original cast better. And with so many new names and powers to remember, it made it extremely difficult to follow along with what was happening at times. Honestly, we are still pretty confused about all the events that took place in the story. There were so many plot holes and odd rules in the magic system that it was tough to picture exactly what was going on.
Finally, this book lacked the romance we all so anticipated between Evelyn and Sebastian! There were such great humorous and heartwarming scenes between the two in the two in the previous books, and there were only maybe two short, rushed ones in this finale. Other than these few brief moments, it was also unclear as to exactly what their relationship was. Are they officially together? Are they just really close friends who sometimes kiss?? We need to know if this ship is sinking or not!!
Whew! The Band-Aid is off! If you survived this far, here’s the good news: there were some SUPER FUNNY moments spread throughout the book. Bless Evelyn’s sassy stubbornness, Braddock’s ever-broodingness, and Miss Chen’s uncensored bluntness. However, the real star of the story was Mr. Kent! His incredibly witty retorts and clever use of his truth-telling power had us laughing out loud for hours! If you are unsure whether you want to finish the series, we would honestly recommend reading the final book just for him! All we want is for their to be a spin-off series focused on the many adventures of Mr. Kent and his brilliant life theories (still waiting to hear that Grand Ankle Theory). Dear Mr. Kent…
Overall, we just expected more. Although we love, love, loved the first two books and still hold them close to our hearts, we just did not have the same level of passion and affection for this one. If you experienced similar feelings, please let us know that we aren’t alone in this!
Final Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Check out our full blog post here!
“I’m not going to say go on without me,” Mr. Kent said as we stumbled backward. “I’d honestly prefer we all just died together.”
We decided to write this in a kind of “rip-the-Band-Aid-off-and-apply-ointment” kind of approach in which we will describe exactly what we didn’t like, followed by what we actually found great about the book to help ease the pain. For starters, this book stays extremely true to its title in which it is really all about revenge. And trust us, while we do appreciate a good revenge plan (except for in real life, we would advise turning the other cheek), this scheme hardly qualifies as a “plan”. Most of the plot involves the characters arguing over whether they should get revenge on Mr. Goode, or if they should just run away. Obviously, since there wouldn’t be a book if they just ran away, it took much too long for them to officially decide to stay and fight. Furthermore, once this decision was made, there was not much effort put into formulating a solid plan. Instead, the characters acted rashly and without thinking (classic YA), which led them into very unnecessary problems.
One of the things we loved most about the previous books was the amazing cast of characters, and we were hoping so much for the last book to really wrap up each characters’ story! However, this book kinda got carried away and threw in a million new characters who took away from getting to know some of the original cast better. And with so many new names and powers to remember, it made it extremely difficult to follow along with what was happening at times. Honestly, we are still pretty confused about all the events that took place in the story. There were so many plot holes and odd rules in the magic system that it was tough to picture exactly what was going on.
Finally, this book lacked the romance we all so anticipated between Evelyn and Sebastian! There were such great humorous and heartwarming scenes between the two in the two in the previous books, and there were only maybe two short, rushed ones in this finale. Other than these few brief moments, it was also unclear as to exactly what their relationship was. Are they officially together? Are they just really close friends who sometimes kiss?? We need to know if this ship is sinking or not!!
Whew! The Band-Aid is off! If you survived this far, here’s the good news: there were some SUPER FUNNY moments spread throughout the book. Bless Evelyn’s sassy stubbornness, Braddock’s ever-broodingness, and Miss Chen’s uncensored bluntness. However, the real star of the story was Mr. Kent! His incredibly witty retorts and clever use of his truth-telling power had us laughing out loud for hours! If you are unsure whether you want to finish the series, we would honestly recommend reading the final book just for him! All we want is for their to be a spin-off series focused on the many adventures of Mr. Kent and his brilliant life theories (still waiting to hear that Grand Ankle Theory). Dear Mr. Kent…
Overall, we just expected more. Although we love, love, loved the first two books and still hold them close to our hearts, we just did not have the same level of passion and affection for this one. If you experienced similar feelings, please let us know that we aren’t alone in this!
Final Rating: 2.5/5 stars
March 18, 2018
Actual rating is a 3.5.
I really enjoyed this trilogy, and overall I'm quite happy with how it ended. I did think this particular story was a bit repetitive, and I found some of the character quirks more irritating than in the pervious two books. Still, I enjoyed seeing all the different powers, and thought the fight scenes were pretty good. I also appreciated that Evelyn grows out of some of her bad habits by the end of the book. I'm so glad I picked up the first book at the end of last year. It's been a fun journey following this cast of characters on their adventure.
I really enjoyed this trilogy, and overall I'm quite happy with how it ended. I did think this particular story was a bit repetitive, and I found some of the character quirks more irritating than in the pervious two books. Still, I enjoyed seeing all the different powers, and thought the fight scenes were pretty good. I also appreciated that Evelyn grows out of some of her bad habits by the end of the book. I'm so glad I picked up the first book at the end of last year. It's been a fun journey following this cast of characters on their adventure.
February 20, 2018
(I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
I'm not sure how to properly convey how much I adore this trilogy. The characters are smart and sweet and flawed and relatable. The plot is engaging and timely. The relationships are real and heart-wrenching.
As a conclusion to the trilogy, These Vengeful Souls is right on the money. Shanker and Zekas tie up most loose ends while teasing out some new threads so that the characters can live on in your heart. Evelyn is such a compelling heroine, both courageous and selfish, and I loved watching her grapple with her flaws in this book. The supporting cast is just as compelling, with all the brooding from Braddock and all the wit from Kent that you've come to expect and love. The budding romance between Catherine and Rose is also so unbearably sweet, my heart could barely take it.
Get ready for a twisting, turning ride full of squees and sighs and book-flinging and maybe some tears. I was so thrilled to get an early copy of this book, but now I'm just envious of everyone who still gets to experience it for the first time.
I'm not sure how to properly convey how much I adore this trilogy. The characters are smart and sweet and flawed and relatable. The plot is engaging and timely. The relationships are real and heart-wrenching.
As a conclusion to the trilogy, These Vengeful Souls is right on the money. Shanker and Zekas tie up most loose ends while teasing out some new threads so that the characters can live on in your heart. Evelyn is such a compelling heroine, both courageous and selfish, and I loved watching her grapple with her flaws in this book. The supporting cast is just as compelling, with all the brooding from Braddock and all the wit from Kent that you've come to expect and love. The budding romance between Catherine and Rose is also so unbearably sweet, my heart could barely take it.
Get ready for a twisting, turning ride full of squees and sighs and book-flinging and maybe some tears. I was so thrilled to get an early copy of this book, but now I'm just envious of everyone who still gets to experience it for the first time.
May 25, 2018
I really rather enjoyed the first two books in the series, but, in this third episode, the authors seem to be attempting to write a X-Men movie for boys who like to blow things up.
Sebastian does nothing but sulk. The protagonist (I finished this two hours ago, and I can't recall her name! That's how low the quality of this book has fallen.) goes from likeable to an angry, stupid girl. And, even though the authors killed off tons of characters at the end of book two, there are still so many that it's hard to keep track.
It seems they let this story get way out of control, so they resorted to explosions and battle scenes. There's no character development, no real suspense, no romance. But there is a lot of destruction.
Sebastian does nothing but sulk. The protagonist (I finished this two hours ago, and I can't recall her name! That's how low the quality of this book has fallen.) goes from likeable to an angry, stupid girl. And, even though the authors killed off tons of characters at the end of book two, there are still so many that it's hard to keep track.
It seems they let this story get way out of control, so they resorted to explosions and battle scenes. There's no character development, no real suspense, no romance. But there is a lot of destruction.
February 23, 2018
I'm not crying, you're crying
August 2, 2022
what a great end to an awesome series
April 16, 2018
Evelyn really got on my nerves.
January 9, 2024
I started this series a very long time ago and then i saw that a third book had came out, so i had to do some much needed rereading. I have one complaint: THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE BRADDOCK MOMENTS. I feel like we didn’t really get to know him. I had more of a connection with Mr. Kent and he wasn’t even the main man. I did love him though. Thankfully, we got a cute little letter by Mr. Braddock himself. My favorite part.
Yes, this is a Mr. Braddock stan review.
Yes, this is a Mr. Braddock stan review.
April 1, 2020
I honestly don't what was that .. Sebastian is such a DRAMA QUEEN and Evelyn is just trying too hard and everything is a complete mess
The story is all about Evelyn trying to get her revenge of Captain Goode for what he's done in the fateful party that killed a lot of people, there are twists and turns, Mr. Kent and the rest of the team were great but Sebastian is such a pain on everyone with his over dramatic attitude, I'm soooo over guys like this
so glad I finally finished this in one piece
The story is all about Evelyn trying to get her revenge of Captain Goode for what he's done in the fateful party that killed a lot of people, there are twists and turns, Mr. Kent and the rest of the team were great but Sebastian is such a pain on everyone with his over dramatic attitude, I'm soooo over guys like this
so glad I finally finished this in one piece
January 19, 2024
I would like to announce that I'm still regarding Mr. Kent as the most eligible husband material ever written in the history of literature. Honestly, how am I supposed to find a boyfriend after Mr. Kent? Unimaginable....
However, the whole book felt a little bit outstretched. Nonetheless, I love the series. Its quick, witty, humorous and also punches you in the guts.
However, the whole book felt a little bit outstretched. Nonetheless, I love the series. Its quick, witty, humorous and also punches you in the guts.
March 20, 2018
Well, I am quite glad that this book did NOT follow the pattern of the first two with its ending (although the writers had me convinced with the cliffhanger in chapter 23 that, yes, I was in for intense pain and suffering 3.0). In fact, I was pleased overall with how they wrapped everything up. The ending was satisfying without just tying up nice and neat little bows on everything.
Unfortunately, I did have to rate this final book a bit lower than the other two books in the series for two reasons primarily: 1) The plot sometimes became more absurd than magical, and I also wasn't crazy about how the authors handled the blending of the magical and non-magical worlds this time around; 2) There's a romantic subplot that's problematic: .
Unfortunately, I did have to rate this final book a bit lower than the other two books in the series for two reasons primarily: 1) The plot sometimes became more absurd than magical, and I also wasn't crazy about how the authors handled the blending of the magical and non-magical worlds this time around; 2) There's a romantic subplot that's problematic: .
March 3, 2020
The previous books in this series had always sated my love of history and fantasy, and when the final book, These Vengeful Souls, was announced, I knew I needed to order it, and (im)patiently waited next to the post box for my copy to arrive - just in time for my birthday. This time around, we are with Evelyn and co. just days after the events of These Ruthless Deeds, and they are struggling with their grief and anguish. After being used so horrifically by Captain Goode, Sebastian doesn't know what to do with himself, or with his powers, and as much as Evelyn is finding herself falling for him, she also can't reconcile herself with her need for revenge and retribution, no matter the cost.
I really liked this book, but found bits lacking or going in a direction I didn't care for. I love the characters, all of them, but some made decisions in this book that were a bit too out there, even for me. Evelyn is hell bent on revenge, and has become consumed by this need that she makes some very silly decisions, which I wouldn't have expected from her previously. Also, parts of the book dragged, while other bits were wrapped up a bit too quickly/easily, as if the pacing was off for it. I don't know if that was just me reading it with such high expectations, or what, but I found the ending a bit lacklustre, if I'm really honest. All in all, enjoyable, but a bit disappointing.
I really liked this book, but found bits lacking or going in a direction I didn't care for. I love the characters, all of them, but some made decisions in this book that were a bit too out there, even for me. Evelyn is hell bent on revenge, and has become consumed by this need that she makes some very silly decisions, which I wouldn't have expected from her previously. Also, parts of the book dragged, while other bits were wrapped up a bit too quickly/easily, as if the pacing was off for it. I don't know if that was just me reading it with such high expectations, or what, but I found the ending a bit lacklustre, if I'm really honest. All in all, enjoyable, but a bit disappointing.
April 23, 2018
I enjoyed this whole series, but for whatever reason this book didn’t seem to do it for me. Yes, it was enjoyable, but there were so many plot holes and unexplained things. When did she learn that hurting Sebastian weakens his powers? Why didn’t she just hurt him at the ball? Not to mention how shocked they all were that there was no one else out there with the same powers. Didn’t we learn that in book one? The ending felt incredibly rushed to me, and Captain Goode was dead in a matter of seconds. Also, that one lady’s power of seeing people’s deaths was 1000% inaccurate. If you can see the future, you see the future. Not what can be changed. It just didn’t make any sense. There were a lot of plot holes throughout this book but I tried to just shrug them off and keeping going. This book definitely didn’t hook me like the first two. I kept having to force myself to get through this book, just to make sure Sebastian made it okay.
I also wish there would’ve been more to Sebastian and Evelyn’s love story. Evelyn never actually told Sebastian she loved him. Was anyone else bothered by that??
I did enjoy this book to some degree, and the fighting scenes were fun. I don’t know if I’d end up recommending this series to anyone, simply because this last book had so many bothersome mistakes. Overall, it’s an enjoyable read if you don’t care too much about structure and whatnot.
I also wish there would’ve been more to Sebastian and Evelyn’s love story. Evelyn never actually told Sebastian she loved him. Was anyone else bothered by that??
I did enjoy this book to some degree, and the fighting scenes were fun. I don’t know if I’d end up recommending this series to anyone, simply because this last book had so many bothersome mistakes. Overall, it’s an enjoyable read if you don’t care too much about structure and whatnot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 6, 2018
Well, this was one boring final instalment. 😩
I was really looking forward to reading this. But nothing thrilling happened. There was constant action tho, but nothing exciting. Just boring and repetitive dialogue, uninteresting developments, and a weird ending.
It didn’t exactly disappoint me , mainly thanks to Mr. Kant’s humour and Evelyn’s and Sebastian’s few amusing arguments, but it strayed a lot from the main road of what I was expecting out of this book.
It features magic, but magic was what I really missed.
I was really looking forward to reading this. But nothing thrilling happened. There was constant action tho, but nothing exciting. Just boring and repetitive dialogue, uninteresting developments, and a weird ending.
It didn’t exactly disappoint me , mainly thanks to Mr. Kant’s humour and Evelyn’s and Sebastian’s few amusing arguments, but it strayed a lot from the main road of what I was expecting out of this book.
It features magic, but magic was what I really missed.
March 12, 2018
My only complaint about this book is that it's the last in the series and I have to say goodbye to these characters.
February 12, 2019
When I talk about this series, I inevitably end up talking about how it’s far and away the absolute best thing ever published by Swoon Reads. While absolutely true, this could also be misleading, so to be super duper clear: These Vicious Masks is great regardless of publisher. These books aren’t just amazing for Swoon Reads; they’re amazing in general. (Also, I know I sound harsh on Swoon Reads, but there are a lot of books and the great ones are the exceptions; I know because I’ve tried most of them.) I’ve now read These Vicious Masks thrice and These Ruthless Deeds twice because my poor memory means that I generally have to reread for each new book that comes out in a series; sometimes I resent that, but here it was a pleasure.
What I love most about this series as a whole is the humor. Though humor doesn’t tend to get massive cred in writing circles, it really should, because it takes so much more talent than melancholy. Throughout the series, Shanker and Zekas maintain many types of humor: sarcastic banter, witty rejoinders, recurring gags, and situational to name a few. Fantasy tends to the dark and edgy, and, aside from banter between characters, there’s not much that is truly hilarious, especially while also having a deliciously dark backbone. TBH, these books are so funny in all my favorite kinds of humor that I absolutely wish I were best friends with the authors because I feel like they get me. Which is mildly creepy but the best way I explain just how much I love the humor in this series and the fact that, even in the final book, it’s still just as funny as in book one.
In some ways, These Vengeful Souls turned out to be a bit lighter than I anticipated. Certainly, it doesn’t have the overwhelming intensity of These Ruthless Deeds, though I love that there’s a bit of a joke about that. The plot is, largely, less life or death than the prior books. In These Vengeful Souls, Evelyn’s crew is fighting, more than anything, public opinion. While less dramatic and cinematic in many ways, it’s a different kind of scary, and it is fascinating to watch them struggle against an enemy less easy to fight. Captain Goode isn’t the all-consumingly terrifying villain that the Doctor was or even the prior head of the society, but he does prove difficult to defeat nonetheless. (And I love that his name was absolutely a red herring in book two.)
The characters spend much of These Vengeful Souls reeling from the events of These Ruthless Deeds, unsurprising given how many of their friends and family members die. Shanker & Zekas manage to find both the humor and the tragedy in the way Sebastian, Evelyn, and Rose all believe themselves to be the ones guilty for those deaths. I also love the bit of satire in the moment where someone suggests that Evelyn might be able to bring people back to life, because, as a reader, you rather expect that based on other books, but Shanker & Zekas are way too badass for an easy out like that. I love that they didn’t back that out, even though I’m still in pain about some of the losses.
My biggest gripe is that I wanted a bit more Sebastian and Evelyn hotness. What we have is good, but I wanted some moments of pure, happy shipness, and I don’t feel like I got that. However, I will say that I ADORED the moment when Sebastian accused her of being the brooding, Byronic one; Evelyn’s offense was completely delightful. The background ship between Rose and Catherine is super precious too, and also I CALLED IT. Rose finally really becomes a character that I could sympathize with in this book. I’d always sort of expected her to be a villain and was a bit disappointed she wasn’t, because what she’s been is boring. But here we see her use her power and really come to understand how much her charm sucks for her and how hard she tries not to take advantage of others, because nothing is ever real for her.
I am so, so sad to see this series end, and I need more Shanker/Zekas books in my life ASAP. If you enjoy Deanna Raybourn, Gail Carriger, or Alison Goodman, you should absolutely be reading this series.
What I love most about this series as a whole is the humor. Though humor doesn’t tend to get massive cred in writing circles, it really should, because it takes so much more talent than melancholy. Throughout the series, Shanker and Zekas maintain many types of humor: sarcastic banter, witty rejoinders, recurring gags, and situational to name a few. Fantasy tends to the dark and edgy, and, aside from banter between characters, there’s not much that is truly hilarious, especially while also having a deliciously dark backbone. TBH, these books are so funny in all my favorite kinds of humor that I absolutely wish I were best friends with the authors because I feel like they get me. Which is mildly creepy but the best way I explain just how much I love the humor in this series and the fact that, even in the final book, it’s still just as funny as in book one.
In some ways, These Vengeful Souls turned out to be a bit lighter than I anticipated. Certainly, it doesn’t have the overwhelming intensity of These Ruthless Deeds, though I love that there’s a bit of a joke about that. The plot is, largely, less life or death than the prior books. In These Vengeful Souls, Evelyn’s crew is fighting, more than anything, public opinion. While less dramatic and cinematic in many ways, it’s a different kind of scary, and it is fascinating to watch them struggle against an enemy less easy to fight. Captain Goode isn’t the all-consumingly terrifying villain that the Doctor was or even the prior head of the society, but he does prove difficult to defeat nonetheless. (And I love that his name was absolutely a red herring in book two.)
The characters spend much of These Vengeful Souls reeling from the events of These Ruthless Deeds, unsurprising given how many of their friends and family members die. Shanker & Zekas manage to find both the humor and the tragedy in the way Sebastian, Evelyn, and Rose all believe themselves to be the ones guilty for those deaths. I also love the bit of satire in the moment where someone suggests that Evelyn might be able to bring people back to life, because, as a reader, you rather expect that based on other books, but Shanker & Zekas are way too badass for an easy out like that. I love that they didn’t back that out, even though I’m still in pain about some of the losses.
My biggest gripe is that I wanted a bit more Sebastian and Evelyn hotness. What we have is good, but I wanted some moments of pure, happy shipness, and I don’t feel like I got that. However, I will say that I ADORED the moment when Sebastian accused her of being the brooding, Byronic one; Evelyn’s offense was completely delightful. The background ship between Rose and Catherine is super precious too, and also I CALLED IT. Rose finally really becomes a character that I could sympathize with in this book. I’d always sort of expected her to be a villain and was a bit disappointed she wasn’t, because what she’s been is boring. But here we see her use her power and really come to understand how much her charm sucks for her and how hard she tries not to take advantage of others, because nothing is ever real for her.
I am so, so sad to see this series end, and I need more Shanker/Zekas books in my life ASAP. If you enjoy Deanna Raybourn, Gail Carriger, or Alison Goodman, you should absolutely be reading this series.
Read
February 22, 2018Well done! A somewhat over-the-top at times, spectacular conclusion to the trilogy. Loved the mix of proper English manners and sci-fi enhanced humans. Truly fun. Enjoy!
January 25, 2019
Leggermente meno noioso del secondo, ma comunque noiosissimo.
Lette le prime 40 pagine, poi saltato qua e là alla disperata ricerca di punti interessanti. Irreperibili. Difficile apprezzare una storia quando lo stile è così povero e la protagonista così lamentosamente, caparbiamente stupida.
E poi, se voglio gli X-men, leggo gli X-men. Di povere imitazioni non so che farmi 😒
Lette le prime 40 pagine, poi saltato qua e là alla disperata ricerca di punti interessanti. Irreperibili. Difficile apprezzare una storia quando lo stile è così povero e la protagonista così lamentosamente, caparbiamente stupida.
E poi, se voglio gli X-men, leggo gli X-men. Di povere imitazioni non so che farmi 😒
February 27, 2020
3.5 stars. (Also, why does the cover have a lock of hair? It doesn't seem to be a matter of import...)
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