Release Date - January 13, 2015
Publisher Website - Penguin
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 336 pages
My Rating - 4.5/5
**received in exchange for an honest review**
Here is the Goodreads synopsis
A fast-paced international escapade, laced with adrenaline, glamour, and romance--perfect for fans of Ally CarterTeased as the YA version of The Da Vinci Code, The Conspiracy of Us is a thriller set on an international scale. Maggie Hall weaves together addictive writing, a compelling mystery, sizzling romance, and amazing characters to create a devour-in-one-sitting read that left me dying for the sequel.
Avery West's newfound family can shut down Prada when they want to shop in peace, and can just as easily order a bombing when they want to start a war. Part of a powerful and dangerous secret society called the Circle, they believe Avery is the key to an ancient prophecy. Some want to use her as a pawn. Some want her dead.
To unravel the mystery putting her life in danger, Avery must follow a trail of clues from the monuments of Paris to the back alleys of Istanbul with two boys who work for the Circle—beautiful, volatile Stellan and mysterious, magnetic Jack. But as the clues expose a stunning conspiracy that might plunge the world into World War 3, she discovers that both boys are hiding secrets of their own. Now she will have to choose not only between freedom and family--but between the boy who might help her save the world, and the one she's falling in love with..
My favourite part of this novel, hands down, is Avery. She's the type of female character I enjoy. She's flawed, and isn't perfect. She may not be used to the situation she finds herself in, but she proves herself adaptable, and most of all, capable. She isn't given inexplicable abilities, nor is she suddenly capable of doing things she'd never attempted before. She survives by using quick thinking, some luck, and help from others. I also liked that she was not a damsel in distress. She didn't passively sit back and let others do everything for her. One scene in particular highlights this for me. She mentions that her and another character got away because they worked together. It took them as a team to accomplish it. This aspect of her character, considering she's thrust into these new dangers, rings true without feeling false or convenient. She plays to her strengths, and recognizes her weaknesses.
The romance, and possible love triangle, really work for this type of novel. We have two boys who are both, technically, forbidden. Each has secrets and is hiding something from Avery. Each causes Avery's pulse to quicken, for very different reasons. Neither boy has swayed me to their 'team' because both boys are written incredibly well. Each of them has endearing qualities, and neither has treated Avery harshly. My favourite triangles are where both guys are on even footing in the triangle, and this novel offers that in spades. I also enjoy it when the parties involved have a purpose outside the triangle, and a storyline with each other that has nothing to do with the romance. Maggie Hall hits all these notes and makes it impossible to choose as a result.We're also treated to one of the sexiest scenes that features almost no touching between the parties involved. It's seriously swoon inducing and will leave you, perhaps, a little breathless yourself.
The twists, turns, and reveals are paced perfectly. The story unravels at the perfect speed to ensure the reader is fully captivated. The last few chapters of the novel set up the sequel in such a way that it will be torture waiting to find out what happens next. This dangerous, yet exciting, puzzle is only just beginning and I cannot wait to see where Maggie Hall takes us next.
The delectable setting, quick pacing,sexy romance, and engrossing mystery all add up to a must read novel. This is a solid debut and a captivating start to a new series. Fans of novels with clues, puzzles, sexy guys, and globe trotting will not want to miss this unputdownable read.
