1.5 Stars ( )

I saw this book at the secondhand department of my favorite bookstore. I remembered it was on my tbr and, because the cover is so gorgeous and the synopsis intriguing, plus the book itself was in amazing shape for secondhand, I took the risk and bought the book. Shortly after purchasing I started reading it and WOW this story exceeded my expectations! It's not that I had low expectations (I always read a book with none and an open mind), but I didn't expect to get so sucked into this book either. At first, it seems to be about romance and heartbreak and the struggles of complicated romances. But towards the end, it's slowly revealed there's so much more than that! I finished the book feeling extremely excited for the upcoming 2nd book. Anna Bright did a marvelous job, I love her writing style and world building. I can't WAIT for the next book, and I will definitely try to get my hands on it as soon as it's released! I feel so giddy to have discovered a book I can now claim as one of my very favorites! ( )

Letting this one go at about 35%, but maybe I'll be back later! Nothing against it, honestly the only thing that made me set it aside was that I felt the neutral opinion looming on the horizon and I have so many things to read...and no energy to do it.

Ok please tell me there will be a sequel?!? There are so many unanswered questions, this book has left me hanging in the most delicious way. As I was reading I couldn't help think, there isn't enough pages to get through all of the courts, AND I WAS RIGHT. I need more. This was honestly one of the most well written, intriguing stories I've ever read. With so many Easter eggs and a relatable main character who falls in love as easy as I do, and a practicing Catholic? Be still my beating heart. This book consumed me, it's all I could think about this week. I read whenever I could, on break from work, in the Starbucks drive thru line, in my bed till four in the morning. I have nothing but good things to say about this book! ( )

Near halfway through Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Darcy confesses to Elizabeth: "In vain I have struggled, it will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." All this, he says, in spite of his better judgment.

In a strange way, I think this captures how I feel about The Beholder. The more I think about the specific plot events, the motivations, the great cloud of obliviousness that hovers over Selah, the more I am baffled by why I want to read the sequel. Despite myself, I was charmed by Selah's unexpected moments of spirit and other small quirks in the story. Alas, despite a trans-Atlantic voyage, this was not a seafaring novel. But the alternate historical setting is intriguing - if initially confusing. Alternate history outside of fantasy and steampunk seems to be a rarity.

"Do you expect me to rejoice in the inferiority of your connections?"

Do I applaud the lightning fast, sequential romances? No. Was I, like dear Selah, fooled by the hidden motives of those around her? Not a bit. Could I do without the modern jargon? Probably.

But you know...I liked it. ( )