Review: Born of Illusion by Teri Brown

Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Series: Born of Illusion #1
Pages: 373

Received: Received a copy from Harper Collins Canada in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: June 11, 2013
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Goodreads Synopsis:

ANNA VAN HOUSEN HAS A SECRET.

A gifted illusionist, Anna assists her mother, the renowned medium Marguerite Van Housen, in her stage shows and seances, easily navigating the underground world of magicians and mentalists in 1920s New York. For Anna, the illegitimate daughter of Harry Houdini - or so Marguerite claims - handcuffs and sleight-of-hand illusions have never been much of a challenge. The real trick is keeping her own gifts secret from her mother: because while Marguerite's power may be a sham, Anna possesses a true ability to sense people's feelings and foretell the future.

But as Anna's powers intensify, she experiences frightening visions of her mother in peril, which lead her to explore the abilities she's tried so long to hide. And when a mysterious young man named Cole moves into the flat downstairs, introducing Anna to a society that studies people with gifts like hers, she begins to wonder if there's more to life than keeping secrets.

As her visions become darker and her powers spin out of her control, Anna is forced to rethink all she's ever known. Is her mother truly in danger, or are Anna's visions merely illusions? And could the great Houdini really be her father, or is it just another of Marguerite's tricks?

From Teri Brown comes a world bursting with magic, with romance, with the temptations of Jazz Age New York --- and the story of a girl about to become the mistress of her own destiny.

My Review:

This cover is absolutely beautiful, I love how the black background really makes the model on the front stick out (she is a bit creepy because she looks so pale). And  I really love the font used for the title of the book, I think everything about this book makes me want to stick it face out on my bookshelf. Now on to talking about the book...

This story takes place in New York during the 1920's, which I think is such an awesome era, and it is definitely brought out well in the writing. Teri Brown describes what New York was like in that time, and goes into detail of the types of clothes the characters wear to be more respectable in the eyes of the public. The setting alone makes this book awesome, but the characters and the story make it that much better.

I really loved Anna's relationship with her mother, there is the mistrust between the two of them and yet you can really see that Anna cares for her mother. She does everything she can to protect her and her mother from harm even though most of their interactions are arguments about something or other. I loved the relationship and really getting to know that there is more than what you see in a relationship.

The magic aspect was so intriguing, and I loved the added bit of Harry Houdini and his shows of proving seances to be a sham. I love books that weave themselves around historical events, but this book has a great supernatural element to it as well. Anna has lived with her secret gift for her whole life and has never been able to trust anyone. This is one book that I want to share with everybody because it is just so much fun! So on that note I am giving away an ARC of Born of Illusion, this contest is for US/CAN only.

You can check out more information of Teri Brown and Born of Illusion on the Harper Collins Canada website.

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