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Love, lust, murder, mayhem and high society converge in one thrilling debut
Cassandra Caravello has everything a girl could desire: elegant gowns, sparkling jewels, invitations to the best parties, and a handsome, wealthy fiancé—yet she longs for something more. Ever since her parents’ death, Cassandra has felt trapped, alone in a city of water, where the dark and labyrinthine canals whisper of escape.
When Cass stumbles upon the body of a murdered woman—with a bloody X carved across her heart—she’s drawn into a dangerous world of secret societies, courtesans, and killers. Soon, she finds herself falling for Falco, a poor artist with a mischievous grin . . . and a habit of getting into trouble. Will Cassandra find the murderer before he finds her? And will she stay true to her fiancé or succumb to her uncontrollable feelings for Falco?
Beauty, romance, and mystery weave together in a novel that’s as seductive and stunning as the city of Venice itself.
“Deftly balancing beauty and death, Venom renders the canals of Renaissance Venice frightening and irresistible in a sensual tale where no one can be trusted and passions kill.”
“Wonderfully sinister and thrillingly romantic, Venom has it all—secret trysts in graveyards, Venetian canals, murdered courtesans, and masquerades! Fiona Paul created a lush, compelling mystery I couldn’t put down.” —Jessica Spotswood, author of Born Wicked
EverAfterEsther
Posted March 19, 2013
Before getting to my review of the content of this book, I have to clarify that while I think the cover for Venom is pretty it isn't remarkable and didn't make me want to read the book at all - and frankly, I think to a large extent it actually does a disservice to the book itself.
The cover here gives you no idea how fast-paced, mysterious, and dark this story is. It lured me in from the very start and kept me hooked until the end - I honestly couldn't turn the pages fast enough.
Reasons to Read:
1. Follow the mystery along Venice's twisted underground...:
I was completely hooked on the plot in Venom; from the very beginning there are missing people, dead bodies turning up... and body parts. Um, yeah. I really don't want to say more because I DON'T WANT TO RUIN A THING FOR YOU, but just believe me when I tell you this is like historical CSI in YA form. I mean, I know that sounds weird but trust me because it's so, so good!
2. Well, hello, Falco:
Fiona Paul took me for such a ride when it came to Falco. Everything was so up and down, and emotions were turbulent and I had a hard time figuring out exactly how I felt about him (probably because Cass had the same struggles). But I love that I was kept guessing about his character and he had plenty of surprises up his sleeve. Oh, and there's totally some swoony romance in there that you won't want to miss.
3. Gorgeous historical setting:
I love author's that can bring the written world to life and Fiona was brilliant at accomplishing just that. The reader is fully immersed in the Venetian world (both aristocratic class and underground) which is exactly what good historical fiction does for you. Venom is a fantastic example of YA historical fiction, and one I'd recommend even for readers who are more hesitant about trying it out.
The only issue I had with Venom was that there seemed to be too many details included for the first book in a new series; I liked getting all sorts of little hints towards what might be going on, but it felt like too much for one book. And I wasn't much of a fan of the "big reveal" at the end - but I think that's because I like being held in suspense for longer and I'd rather hold out for a really great twist.
All in all, Venom is one of the books this year that I felt was an excellent start to a fresh series and one that I still have trouble getting out of my head!
ARC received from Penguin Canada for my honest review; no other compensation was received.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 2, 2012
Great book loved it from start to finish!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Alyssa75
Posted June 10, 2013
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Venom by Fiona Paul
Book One of the Secrets of the Eternal Rose Series
Publisher: Philomel
Publication Date: October 30, 2012
Rating: 3 stars
Source: ARC from a giveaway
Summary (from Goodreads):
Cassandra Caravello is one of Renaissance Venice’s lucky elite: with elegant gowns, sparkling jewels, her own lady’s maid, and a wealthy fiancé, she has everything a girl could desire. Yet ever since her parents’ death, Cassandra has felt trapped, alone in a city of water, where the dark and labyrinthine canals whisper of escape.
When Cass stumbles upon a murdered woman—practically in her own backyard—she’s drawn into a dangerous world of courtesans, killers, and secret societies. Soon, she finds herself falling for Falco, a mysterious artist with a mischievous grin... and a spectacular skill for trouble. Can Cassandra find the murderer, before he finds her? And will she stay true to her fiancé, or succumb to her uncontrollable feelings for Falco?
Beauty, love, romance, and mystery weave together in a stunning novel that’s as seductive and surprising as the city of Venice itself.
What I Liked:
I absolutely love historical fiction, so the setting of the Italian Renaissance something about which I was looking forward to reading. For the most part, I thought the setting was intriguing and enrapturing, and it definitely felt like I could place myself there. The Renaissance is one of my favorite historical time periods, and I am happy to say I was not too disappointed.
The plot was pretty straightforward. Girl finds dead body. Girl wants to know who, what, where, when, why, how. Girl gets help from hot but poor boy. Girl and boy think they fall in love. Boy helps girl, but keeps things from girl. Fast forward a lot. All is revealed at the end. Girl must make a choice. Again, straightforward. Predictable. Which is not bad (obviously, I liked it), because I could follow the plot very easily.
The romantic interests: Luca and Falco. That is not a secret, so I am not spoiling anything for anyone. I cannot believe I am saying this, but I am Team Luca. Usually, I would be on Team New Guy, the new, hot, rugged guy that does not seem perfect for the heroine. But I really, really like Luca. A LOT more than I like Falco. I was not completely taken it by Falco.
Cass is an okay heroine. She tries to be a strong person, but in my opinion, she is not. Which is how it is supposed to be in Renaissance Italy: women are not supposed to think for themselves like that, and gallavant all over town. The fact that she does bothered me a lot.
What I Did Not Like:
There is a lot for this category. I am going to try and condense it.
First, Falco. My goodness, I did not like that boy. I can see Ms. Paul attempting to make him seem "sexy" and "forbidden" because he is of a lower class than Cass, but I really did not buy it. He just seemed dark and mysterious, but not in the usual yummy way.
And Cass. Oh my gosh. Is she kidding me? She has spent all of like, a few weeks knowing Falco, and suddenly her heart is being ripped into two? WHAT? No. I do not buy Falco and Cass loving each other. I believe they love each other because each of them are forbidden to the other. They love the IDEA of each other. So, this romance sucked. I prefer Cass with Luca, but then, I am not a huge fan of Cass, so maybe Cass should end up with no one.
Oh yeah, love triangle. You know how I feel about those. EW. This one is especially ridiculous, since Cass is already engaged to Luca, a steady, stable, handsome, RICH man that she knew when she was younger.
I also wish we could have discovered more about the Secrets of the Eternal Rose (I believe it is a book? I am not sure). There is barely any mention of it, besides those random pages in between chapters. I did not pay attention to them as I was reading. They just distracted and confused me.
And here is my biggest sticking point: ANACHRONISMS.
This book is filled with anachronisms. Every time I saw one, I would cringe and get a little annoyed. For those of you that do not know, anachronisms are things that do not belong in the time period in which they are presented.
For example, hydrogen bombs in the American Civil War. Not happening.
Anyway, anachronisms are present in this book. The speech, for one. Sometimes Cass says things that really only apply to today's speech. One example I can think of is "Deal". "Deal" as in, "yeah, let's do that." People in Renaissance Italy did NOT say that, I am sure of it. There are others too, like "sure". NO. Just... no.
Cass's entire being is anachronistic. Girls of Renaissance Italy did not think or act as she did. The only non-anachronistic thing she did was at the end (not telling).
I am sure I am forgetting things, but I will stop here.
Would I Recommend It:
Probably. If you like historical fiction, go for it. Overall, this book did not impress me. I liked it, but I am not sure I will read it again. I will definitely continue the series though.
Rating:
2.5 stars (I am rounding up to 3 stars. But honestly, the 3-star rating is pretty generous).
Anonymous
Posted May 16, 2013
I was immediately in love with the exciting and gripping novel! I fell in love and cannot wait for Belladonna
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Posted April 21, 2013
The summary doesn't do this amazing book justice! I started reading it one day, not expecting much, but it turned out to be a page turner, it was romantic, suspenseful, mysterious, all the things a good teen novel should have. I'm all for Falco and Cassandra! The ending made me cry though, can't wait for the sequel!!!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Historical Fiction <3 with twists and characters who you don't know thoroughly until the end-which is a good thing because I had no Idea where this was going to end. I hate the stereotypical endings/love happiness live happily ever after crap- the main character showed some back bone and traversed great scenery throughout this book :) Who doesn't want to see Venice?
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Posted January 21, 2013
I love this book. The story taking place in Italy is amazing. My family is Italian so it is cool reading about the history of Italy.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.“Venom” by, Fiona Paul
Cassandra Caravello is part of the wealthy class living in Venice and she has everything a girl could want including a fiance. Even with all these things Cass finds that she is not happy and she longs for something different. When Falco, a lower class artist comes into the picture Cass finds that her life quickly changes direction. With bodies going missing and danger around every corner Cass is going to have to use all of her wits to find a murderer before he finds her.
Venom is a murder mystery set in historical Venice, but that isn’t all it is. In this book you will find romance, danger, a wonderful setting, and interesting characters.
When I first started reading Venom I worried that I wasn’t going to like Cass because she seemed a little bratty to me. As I continued reading I saw how she grew to realize what was important to her and she won me over. I think that Cass felt in this book like we all have at one point in our lives (trapped, lost, frustrated, etc.). Who hasn’t wanted to just run away from themselves and have an adventure, I know I have. When Cass runs away she realizes that without the people that love her, the world can be a very harsh place.
Next we have Falco, the bad boy who tempts Cass away from the safety of her structured life. I must admit that I’m usually a sucker for the bad boy but I really struggled to like Falco. He wasn’t a bad guy in the story but he did a few things that bothered me. I think I’ll have to wait and see what happens with him in the second book.
Then we have sweet, strong, mysterious Luca who I loved even though he wasn’t in much of the book. I’m not really sure what it is about him, but I felt drawn to his character. I hope that he has a much bigger part in the second installment of this series.
Overall I found Venom to be an interesting story and a series that I am happy to keep reading.
xd12345tierra47
Posted January 14, 2013
this book was great can not want untell the next one comes out!!!!
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Posted January 6, 2013
i can't wait for the next book to come out.....
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Posted December 16, 2012
Love this book cant wait 4 belladonna
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Posted December 29, 2012
No text was provided for this review.
Overview
Love, lust, murder, mayhem and high society converge in one thrilling debut
Cassandra Caravello has everything a girl could desire: elegant gowns, sparkling jewels, invitations to the best parties, and a handsome, wealthy fiancé—yet she longs for something more. Ever since her parents’ death, Cassandra has felt trapped, alone in a city of water, where the dark and labyrinthine canals whisper of escape.
When Cass stumbles upon the body of a ...