Dance of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

You can read my review of Masque of the Red Death here

I cannot speak enough of how much I LOVE these books! They are very atmospheric, to the point that I got lost in the world and didn't want to come back. To recap, this is a world where people are dying from a very infectious disease, a disease that is mutating into an even deadlier disease. It's also a place where an evil Prince prepares for a massive party while the world outside dies, and an evil man plots against him in the sewers. It's dark and Gothic and completely gorgeous.

Spoilery spoilers of the first book follow! Elliott, my pretend boyfriend, is preparing to overthrow his uncle and take over the city. He needs Araby at his side for this. She supports overthrowing Prospero, but she isn't sure that she wants to be with Elliott. Despite his betrayal in the last book, Will is difficult for her to shake. Elliott is just as damaged as her, if not more. She still has to tell him how his father isn't really dead, but is actually the creepy sewer-dwelling Reverend Malcontent. I hate when you have to have the old "Your uncle was really bad at slitting throats and *surprise,* your dad is still alive and-he-tried-to-kill-you" talk. Hallmark just doesn't have a card for those moments. Will is, unsurprisingly, much less complicated.

Unfortunately, the other best character, April, is dying of the plague. She is still really funny and obsessed with makeup and the fun parts of life. April saved Araby's life when she was so close to killing herself. To repay her best friend, Araby hunts down her father, who is rumored to have a cure to the disease he created. The second option is to give herself to Malcontent, who will definitely kill her to punish her father.

Everything eventually comes down to the masquerade ball thrown by Prince Prospero, just like in Edgar Allen Poe's original story. Shit gets real. I am torn that this is the conclusion to the series. I dislike having to wait for sequels/conclusions, as I have said eleventy-bajillion times. Still, I am sad to leave the amazing world of these books. I am especially sad to leave Elliott, because he made being a warped, kinda evil dude hot.

I received my copy of Dance of the Red Death from Edelweiss, courtesy of HarperCollins and Greenwillow Books. It's available for purchase now.