Review: Born of Deception by Teri Brown

Summary

Budding illusionist Anna Van Housen is on top of the world: after scoring a spot on a prestigious European vaudeville tour, she has moved to London to chase her dream and to join an underground society for people like her with psychic abilities. Along with her handsome beau, Cole Archer, Anna is prepared to take the city by storm.

But when Anna arrives in London, she finds the group in turmoil. Sensitives are disappearing and, without a suspect, the group’s members are turning on one another. Could the kidnapper be someone within the society itself—or has the nefarious Dr. Boyle followed them to London?

As Cole and Anna begin to unravel the case and secrets about the society are revealed, they find themselves at odds, their plans for romance in London having vanished. Her life in danger and her relationship fizzling, can Anna find a way to track down the killer before he makes her his next victim—or will she have to pay the ultimate price for her powers?

My thoughts

This book made me sad, really really sad. Not because its story is sad but because I didn’t like it but wanted to so bad. I loved the first book Born of Illusion so much when I read it last year. Then I read the short story Born of Corruption shortly before I read this one and liked it a lot too. Naturally I expected the second book to be just as good but IMO it wasn’t.

When I started reading Born of Deception I was thrilled about the change of setting. The first book was set in New York and in this one Anna moves to LONDON! I love this city and experiencing a story set in Jazz-Age London made me excited. That excitement was gone pretty fast though because there was so much going on that Anna doesn’t have the time to really appreciate the city, to visit places and experience the charm of this city. I was a bit disappointed about not getting to read about anything that’s so much fun about the Jazz-Age .

What bothered me the most was the romance. In the first book we had two love interests and I was glad when Anna knew who she wanted to be with at the end of the book. I didn’t even mind the two love interests in the first book that much. What I didn’t like though is that in this one there was yet again a second guy. Not only this but there was a lot of back and forth between Anna and her boyfriend, lots of unnecessary arguments between them. It was getting annoying that she constantly repeats herself when thinking about their relationship and her insecurity. They could have made a really cute couple and have a great time together in London but they didn’t which was frustrating. I knew this was not going to be all about them and their romance, having fun but I would have liked if they battled their problems together instead of putting relationship problems on top.

On top of that is the whole business with a killer. I thought that would be exciting to read about but I already knew pretty early who was behind the murders. It was so damn obvious and it drove me nuts reading about Anna who didn’t have a clue.

Because of different circumstances, Anna is feeling uncomfortable and can’t enjoy London and just as uncomfortable felt I, reading this book. There was just too much drama for my taste and I wondered if Anna was this insecure in the first book too because back then I liked her a lot but didn’t anymore in this one. I loved the first book, I love the time period and I love London as a setting. Regardless, I didn’t enjoy the book. It makes me sad that I have to give this book such a low rating after I loved the first one in the series, but this one just wasn’t for me.