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3.86 AVERAGE


It's been a while since I've posted anything, and now I have and it's an ARC review after the release date. Better late than never, right? I'm sorry, but I was really in a book slump (life slump) these last couple of months. Hopefully things will get better, but they'll only get better if I get started on something, right?

Anywho, the sequel to These Vicious Masks. I remember really liking the first book and calling it a "X-Men meets Pride and Prejudice." If you want to read the full review for the first in this trilogy, follow the link riiiiight here, but as a quick review, the characters were great, the plot was engaging, the powers and how they worked were very nice. It was an overall great read. Here, I will warn that if you haven't read the first book, I may spoil things for you. I won't spoil anything for These Ruthless Deeds, but there is the potential of me talking about the twists and surprises from These Vicious Masks, especially one in particular.

These Ruthless Deeds shares some of the aspects of the first book, but not all. With the characters, I'm sad to say that I started to dislike Evelyn almost partway through, and I absolutely loved her before. She became a little annoying when trying to convince the others of her ideas, but without any real proof. She gets a bit repetitive and requires others to "save" her, which was the opposite of how she was in the first book. Mr. Braddock and Mr. Kent...Well, in my opinion we don't get a lot of development on Mr. Braddock in this book, so I don't have much to say about him. There was tons on Mr. Kent and I'm happy to say my love for him has grown tenfold. There is a lot of interactions between Mr. Kent and Evelyn, and Mr. Kent and other members of the society. He's still witty and how he uses his ability is spectacular. He is a favorite of mine.

With the sequel came a lot of new characters, and this is where things go a little downhill for me. I feel like there were too many characters and it became a tad hard to keep track at the beginning. As you continue reading, some of those characters are dropped off and the others are focused on so we have a good core group to work with, but These Ruthless Deeds does work with a lot more characters than its predecessor. Some of the new ones I liked, for example Oliver was a good character. I wished we learned more about him and Emily, but with some many pages you can't get to everyone.

And now for the plot: The beginning was hard. It seemed to drag and maybe it was because I was being bombarded with new characters with new powers so I was trying to remember everyone. Still, I had a really hard time and that's one of the reasons it took me so long to get through this book. I enjoyed the plot of the first one a lot more than the one in the sequel. Things were happening but at the same time it felt like nothing was happening, and I don't know how that...well, happened! The big climax of the story doesn't happen until you're 80ish% into the book and then everything explodes before you eyes.

That ending though. I saw a number of reviewers who were happy with how this ends, but I guess I'm in the minority. I felt like it was a fast and easy way to fix any plot holes they may have in the future. I also thought it was shocking how they could do something so drastic. I felt kind of disappointed because it essentially took away a lot of things I had been liking about the series. I'm almost disappointed enough to not read the last book when it releases, but maybe after some time away from These Ruthless Deeds, I'll understand the need for the ending more.

Giving a rating for this is tough. After going back and forth on this, and knowing how much I liked the first one, I'll say this:

2.5 STARS ~ More okay moments than struggle moments. However, I'd still recommend to those who really really like the first book.

Title These Ruthless Deeds (These Vicious Masks #1)

Author Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas

Description from Amazon

England, 1883. Recovering from a devastating loss, Evelyn has become determined to use her powers to save other gifted people from those who would study and oppress them. But when her rescue of a young telekinetic girl goes terribly wrong, Evelyn finds herself involved with a secret society devoted to recruiting and protecting people like Evelyn and her friends.

Like magic, Evelyn’s problems start to disappear. Her reputation is repaired, her friends are provided for, and her parents are thrilled at all her new suitors. She’s even been reunited with the dashing Mr. Kent and the reclusive Mr. Braddock (who is much less brooding now that the society is helping him to control his dangerous power). Yet, somehow Evelyn can’t help fearing that there is something sinister going on…

Initial Thoughts

I loved the setting in the first book and thought the overall story was very interesting. As soon as I finished the first book, I downloaded the next. The narrator for this series is fantastic and I couldn’t wait to continue the story.

Some Things I Liked

Once again, I loved the banter, the setting, and the writing style (just like the first book). Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas didn’t miss a beat in this second installment of this series.
The love triangle that really wasn’t a love triangle. While Mr. Kent obviously has strong feelings for Evelyn, I was really glad to see the way Evelyn handled it.
The new characters! I loved the new characters. Catherine and Miss Chen are perfect additions to the cast of characters. The new powers that were introduced also make the parallels to X-Men even stronger (which I totally appreciate).

One Thing I Wasn’t Crazy About

More Sebastian! I was so disappointed in the total lack of Sebastian Braddock in this book! Although I do love Mr. Kent’s amazing dialogue, I desperately missed Mr. Braddock’s perpetual brooding and his fights with Evelyn.

Series Value

I love this series. I love a good binge read (or listen in this case), and this series is perfect for that. I am glad I started it after all the books were released because the suspense between books would have killed me.

Bonus Fun Fact

I love the title of this book. As I mentioned in my post, Bookish News – Ruthless Gods Cover Reveal, I love the word ruthless. I love a book with ruthless in the title.

Final Thoughts

Another quick listen, I blew through this one. Started on Wednesday morning and finished on Thursday night. I am really enjoying this series. BUT, I just learned that the third book, These Vengeful Souls is not available as an audiobook. I won’t be able to finish this book until next week at the earliest which totally disappoints me. This series is super captivating and I am really going to miss the narration.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Recommendations for Further Reading

Love, Lies, and Spies by Cindy Anstey – if you liked the Jane Austen vibes and you like main characters who keep secrets from each other, give this book by Cindy Anstey a try.
A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn – again, if you like the setting, Jane Austen worthy banter, and mystery in this book, give the Veronica Speedwell series by Deanna Raybourn a try.
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco – again, if you like the setting, the banter, and strong willed female lead characters, do yourself a favor and check out this series by Kerri Maniscalco. You won’t be able to put it down.
emotional funny medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
dark mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I recently revisited Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas’s These Vicious Masks and ended up enjoying their historical fantasy debut so much more the second time around, so much so that I immediately dove into the second installment, These Ruthless Deeds. Upon discovering that she, along with others, are gifted with special abilities, Evelyn Wyndham soon discovered the lengths people will go to to control those with unusual powers. Still reeling from the loss her sister Rose and the disappearance of the enigmatic and alluring Sebastian Braddock, Evelyn throws herself into doing the only thing she is sure of: rescuing others like herself. Her mission leads her to the mysterious Society of Aberrations, a team of gifted individuals who recruit those like Evelyn and help them develop and control their abilities. With new and old friends at her side, Evelyn soon discovers that nobody, including this Society, is what it seems. I love how willful and stubborn Evelyn is. She can’t afford to be easily taken in because of what happened to her sister, but still holds out hope that those like herself can find a place in this world. Sebastian remains one of my favorites in the series. Tormented by his ability to absorb energy from others, causing illness and even death, Sebastian is always trying to outrun himself. The prospect of learning to control his abilities is almost too good to be true, but Sebastian is desperate. I loved every scene with Evelyn and Sebastian. Not only do their powers cancel the other’s out (Evelyn having the ability to heal), but their personalities compliment one another. Evelyn and Sebastian have an undeniable chemistry that had me on the edge of my seat, waiting for them to finally figure things out between the two of them. Another standout character for me is the charming Mr. Kent. I loved all the humor he brought to the story and though I do wish he would have realized sooner that Evelyn only wanted friendship from him, his presence brought much-needed lightheartedness to the novel. These Ruthless Deeds ends with quite a bang which had me scrambling to buy the third. Please note that a character does contemplate suicide in this installment.
adventurous medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: N/A
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

4.5 stars

“There is a system. There are rules. Do you abandon all of London society when you disagree with a single rule?”
“I have been known to do that.”


Thank you very much to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Swoon Reads, and Netgalley for providing a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

If These Vicious Masks was an impressive novel, These Ruthless Deeds is an exceptional one. I don’t think it is possible for me to fault the novel in anyway. The storyline is fast and intriguing, the characters lovable and entertaining, and the writing flawless. I think I spot a new favourite series on the horizon!

Evelyn Wyndham is still recovering from a devastating loss, but she is determined to use her newfound powers to help other gifted people. Accompanied by her former governess, the dashing Mr. Kent, and a loyal gifted teenager, Evelyn and her friends attempt to save a telekinetic girl, but find themselves indebted to the secret society that kidnapped her sister. The Society of Aberrations convinces Evelyn that they had nothing to do with what happened to her sister, and that they are want only to recruit and protect other gifted individuals. As Evelyn begins to work for the Society by healing the sick and embarking on dangerous missions, she finds that her problems have disappeared. Her tattered reputation is repaired, her parents suddenly become wealthy, and her friends are protected. But Evelyn is still suspicious, even more so when she begins questioning the Society and their rules, and they respond through violent means.

“You play at altruism, Miss Wyndham … What you don’t understand if that you don’t just ‘help people.’ Any choice to help someone, hurts someone else. You want to help Britain? Then hurt Egypt. You want to heal someone? Then you leave someone else in pain, waiting.”

These Ruthless Deeds ups the tension and drama by a tenfold. The plot was engaging and well-thought out, to the point that I was perched on the edge of my seat as I devoured the novel in one sitting. What stood out immediately was the growth of world-building. The Society of Aberrations described the long history of gifted individuals and how they secretly work for the British government and had been for centuries. I loved learning about the Society, their history, and the hierarchy within the organisation. Shanker and Zekas were so thorough in the development of their fantasy world; it was beyond impressive and left me wanting to know more.

We were introduced to a lot of new characters in These Ruthless Deeds, as well as encountering many beloved ones from These Vicious Masks. I will admit to something embarrassing: I squealed like a fan-girl when Mr. Kent came onto the page. I think it is safe to say I have dubbed him a book boyfriend – he has now joined the same league as Rhys from ACOTAR and Jace from the Mortal Instruments. Mr. Kent was a remarkable character: incredibly funny, charming, and so loyal to Evelyn. Even during the tense fighting scenes, he still managed to leave me in stitches.

“Before I met you, I went to brothels, gambling halls, scandalous music halls, all sorts of indecent places.”
“And let me guess, ever since you met me, you’ve changed?”
[Mr. Kent] shook his head. “No, I just want to do these indecent things with you.”


Mr. Braddock was a delight, albeit a big brooding one. The chemistry between him and Evelyn was so tangible, I almost blushed (and that is saying something when the book is set in Victorian London and the most a couple can do is hold hands). I felt so much for Sebastian, and I want him to get his deserved happy ending, but, like in These Vicious Masks, I was once again torn between the two alluring love interests. Who do I prefer, Sebastian or Nicholas? I don’t know.

I said, I DON’T KNOW. Please don’t make me choose!!

You can expect Evelyn to have one hell of a decision on her hands regarding her romantic life, which took a backseat to the issues surrounding the clandestine Society. Evelyn is fast becoming one of my favourite female YA characters, and an exceptional role model. For a woman trapped within the constraints of Victorian society, Evelyn frequently spoke her mind and was unabashedly independent. She was strong, touchingly kind, and highly spirited; she adored her family and, even when she disagreed with her marriage-minded mother, Evelyn still attempted to do right by them. Evelyn’s character developed steadily and admirably from a headstrong girl to a powerful, gifted woman. I am still in awe of her character.

“If you don’t wish me to think of you as some kind of tragic Gothic figure, you really must stop acting like one.”

As I read the novel, I, along with many other readers, thought I knew where the story was going, but I was so wrong and you will be, too. The last quarter of the book, specifically the last five or so chapters, featured some of the most shocking and incredible scenes I have ever read, especially in YA fiction. Can someone inform Swoon Reads that the ending of this book is not very … swoony? Do they know what they published? I mean, the book is glorious, but not at all like the few other Swoon Reads books I have read. I must be honest, I am glad that’s the case, because the book is so refreshing and unique compared to many other YA books being published at the moment.

These Ruthless Deeds is everything the title suggests: it is ruthless, but the synergy between Shanker and Zekas allows the novel to be so much more. It is a romance, a suspense, a comedy, a fantasy, an adventure … it is everything I love in YA books and more and I cannot wait for the third and final book in this amazing series.

hboyd494's review

4.0
adventurous emotional funny

Fun malaphor:
 “As the late earl said, ‘The early bird catches birds of a like feather,’” she said.
I nodded, not even trying to understand how that would work. At the very least, the combination of proverbs made it somewhat original.”

funny quotes:
<spoilers>
 “What are you—” I paused and it hit me. “Oh heavens, what did you do?”
He shrugged innocently. “Let’s just say … that I’ve been … in a sense … blackmailing key members of London society and editors of the scandal sheets into preserving your reputation.”
I gaped at him.
“And by ‘in a sense,’ I mean that’s exactly what happened.” He smiled broadly at the room.
“You—you’re serious?” I found myself half gasping the words but also not finding it terribly hard to believe. Mr. Kent never hid his worse qualities.
He wore them like badges.”

 “Yes, I know that. And you shall always have my friendship as well. But I do not wish to press anyone into loving me. The person who loves me will see me for who I am, good and bad, and say, Yes, that’s the handsome gentleman I have been hoping to meet all along, that handsome, charming, witty, disarming, genius, remarkable, dashing—”
“Mr. Kent.”
“See? That is not going to be you, Ev—Miss Wyndham. Which is why I will leave you to the most ridiculous man in London—who is made much less ridiculous by you. Indeed, I might even say he is tolerable.” 
</spoilers>

5 HUGE stars for one of the best books in the entire world.

I am in love with this world and characters. Especially Mr. Kent. I absolutely adore him. He made me laugh out loud even when I was reading it in public. I loved this entire book, every chapter, every page, every word. AND THAT ENDING!!! DO NOT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THAT ENDING!!! WHAT??? HOW??? WHY???

I can't wait to get my hands on the next one. I want to know how everything ends.

julieabe89's review

4.0
adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This was a fun historical fiction! I didn't see the twist coming, but it was welcome. I can't wait to finish the series!