Revenge is a dish best served cold.
In Ann Aguirre's Mortal Danger, Edie Kramer has a score to settle with the beautiful people at Blackbriar Academy. Their cruelty drove her to the brink of despair, and four months ago, she couldn't imagine being strong enough to face her senior year. But thanks to a Faustian compact with the enigmatic Kian, she has the power to make the bullies pay. She's not supposed to think about Kian once the deal is done, but devastating pain burns behind his unearthly beauty, and he's impossible to forget.
In one short summer, her entire life changes and she sweeps through Blackbriar, prepped to take the beautiful people down from the inside. A whisper here, a look there, and suddenly . . . bad things are happening. It's a head rush, seeing her tormentors get what they deserve, but things that seem too good to be true usually are, and soon, the pranks and payback turns from delicious to deadly. Edie is alone in a world teeming with secrets and fiends lurking in the shadows. In this murky morass of devil's bargains, she isn't sure who--or what--she can trust. Not even her own mind.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
36 of 36 people found the following review helpful.
Not perfect, but seriously cool idea with a lot of potential
By Rachel @ Paper Cuts blog
Mortal Danger's synopsis is misleading, I think. Edie is on the brink (literally, on the edge of the bridge) of killing herself when a mysterious handsome stranger, Kian, steps in with a bargain. He will give her three favors, anything she'd like, in order to make her happier, and in exchange, she will give the people he works for three favors later. Edie has been mercilessly tormented by the "Teflon crew" all throughout school because she was different and not pretty. She thinks revenge on them will make her happy, so she first wishes to be beautiful. But once Evie is indebted to this faceless corporation, bad things start happening, and she finds out the people she has made a deal with are far more formidable and dangerous than she could have imagined. She's now stuck in a battle for control between powers we thought were only the stuff of stories.This story is largely not about revenge. Edie is seeking revenge when she makes her first request and it's the seed as to why she accepts Kian's offer, but before long, Edie begins to realize revenge won't give her the happiness she wants. I do find it problematic that she's able to shirk a lifetime of problems rather too quickly, but I also don't think Mortal Danger endorses the idea that being beautiful makes you happier, even though it might feel like it at times. Edie thinks time and time again about how she dislikes how people treat her and how she misses who she was before. Kian expresses the same ideas. Looking good may have offered them temporary relief, but it can't change everything.So if we're not talking about revenge all the way through, what exactly is happening in Mortal Danger? Well, turns out Edie's future is pretty important, and how her life plays out either makes her future "optimum" or she loses her potential and is useless to those who she is now indebted to. The warring factions, in the guise of corporations, are tugging her in either direction, and she, while important, is still a pawn in the game between the two. This is a fight that's gone on longer than anyone could imagine, and the roots of those in charge are simply fascinating. It's easily what I loved most about the book. I'll say it has roots in mythology and all those scary stories like Bloody Mary, but there's more to it.And Mortal Danger is bloody--in the best way possible. Ann Aguirre is not pulling punches and is not afraid to pile up those bodies. There are eerie scenes, like something out of a nightmare or horror story, and deaths around every corner. At times, it reads like a horror, but you're still given really nice moments between Edie and her parents, Kian, and the friends she makes over the course of the book. It's never overwhelmingly scary or dark, but just enough to give you chills.While Mortal Danger isn't a perfect novel, and I know there are and will be people who don't like it, I still enjoyed reading it. It's dark and creepy and full of shadows, but Edie is ultimately on a journey of empowerment. The setup for this world is utterly fascinating, and it's bound to only get more interesting as the series goes on. I know I, for one, can't wait to read the second installment.I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful.A dark and sinister new world from Ann Aguirre
By Michelle@Book Briefs
The Description of Mortal Danger drew me in almost instantly. I was so excited to read it. And then I committed the cardinal sin of book reviewers...I glanced at some goodreads reviews. And I saw that people were polarized on this story, they either loved it or they DNF-ed it. And I got nervous. But I am happy to say that I really enjoyed Mortal Dangers and I can't wait to continue the series. Now, it should also be said that I understand why some people did not finish this book. The start of the book does make the main character seem pretty shallow. I felt bad for her but I could see where her single-minded plot for revenge on her classmates could seem off putting. But the book is so much better than that initial impression!The main character, Edie grows so much in this book. And actually, that first kind of shallow impression is a huge theme in the book. I think the author does a fantastic job of blowing all of those stereotypes out of the water. Watching Edie get to know the people beneath the meanness was a great way to handle the plot, in my opinion. Plus, the world that Ann Aguirre created was so dark and sinister and utterly riveting. I am dying to learn more about the "players" in the "game". The whole book had such a dark and mysterious vibe. I loved it.I felt so bad for Edie. This girl has had it really rough. I can't believe the lengths that some of these bullies went to, to get to her. It was hard to reconcile some of how they treated her in the past with some of the awful things that happened to them in the later parts of the book. I didn't know whether to be happy or sad about it. But I will say one thing, this book really made me think. What would I have done in Edie's situation? I really am not sure. Edie is such a strong character that questions everything. She takes nothing at face value and she is whip smart. I love that about her so much.Ann Aguirre does not hold any punches with anyone in the story. She is not afraid to make some bold moves and to kill anyone off. Mortal Danger is intense, creepy, and one heck of a ride. I am so excited to find out what is going to happen in the next book. There are characters that I hate, characters that I love, and the romance is so up in the air right now that I need to see what is going to happen. Mortal Danger is a fascinating new world that is so worth a read. I am glad that I stuck out this book and didn't listen to the DNF's because it was a book that just kept getting better and better all the way until the very last page.*Disclaimer- I got a copy of this book for free in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated for my thoughts.
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful.Review for Mortal Danger by Ann Aguirre
By Alyssa
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***Mortal Danger by Ann AguirreBook One of the Immortal Game seriesPublisher: Feiwel & FriendsPublication Date: August 5, 2014Rating: 4 starsSource: ARC sent by the publisherSummary (from Goodreads):Revenge is a dish best served cold.In Ann Aguirre's Mortal Danger, Edie Kramer has a score to settle with the beautiful people at Blackbriar Academy. Their cruelty drove her to the brink of despair, and four months ago, she couldn’t imagine being strong enough to face her senior year. But thanks to a Faustian compact with the enigmatic Kian, she has the power to make the bullies pay. She’s not supposed to think about Kian once the deal is done, but devastating pain burns behind his unearthly beauty, and he’s impossible to forget.In one short summer, her entire life changes and she sweeps through Blackbriar, prepped to take the beautiful people down from the inside. A whisper here, a look there, and suddenly . . . bad things are happening. It’s a head rush, seeing her tormentors get what they deserve, but things that seem too good to be true usually are, and soon, the pranks and payback turns from delicious to deadly. Edie is alone in a world teeming with secrets and fiends lurking in the shadows. In this murky morass of devil’s bargains, she isn't sure who—or what—she can trust. Not even her own mind.What I Liked:Um. In general? I don't think I was expecting this book to be what it turned out to be. At all. The summary isn't entirely indicative of the book, but in hindsight, this is a GOOD thing. I was a bit surprised when I reached some parts of the book, and discovered some things. Also, I didn't expect this book to be so... dark. Creepy. Not scary. But dark. Twisted.Edie is about to commit suicide when she is offered a bargain she can't refuse from a gorgeous boy who seems to know her pain better than she does: she'll grant her three favors, she can get her revenge, but once her favors are granted, she is tied to the company for which he works. Edie takes the deal. She asks to become beautiful, so that she can get revenge on the beautiful, self-absorbed peers at Blackbriar. But things start to occur at Blackbriar, to the people she despises... but it's not her. It's not Kian, the guy who offered her the deal. Something dark is at work, a world in which Edie must find her way.This book kind of has two parts: the first deals with Edie getting acquainted with Kian and her wishes and the whole bargain business. Also, it has to do with her going to Blackbriar, and feeling in control, for once in her life. The second part deals more with the dark occurrences at Blackbriar and surrounding Edie. Things she can't explain and doesn't understand start to unfold.To be honest, the first half of this book was boring. I totally understand that Aguirre needed to lay the groundwork for the rest of the book - she did an excellent job of introducing readers to Kian and his deal, his boss, his enslavement. We get to know all about Edie's difficult life at Blackbriar and at home. She had a really hard time at Blackbriar - the "Teflon" crew, as she calls them, are a horrible bunch.So I understand why the first half was slow, boring even, because the worldbuilding needed to be carefully constructed before the "real" stuff rolled around. And by "real", I mean DARK. The creepy, twisted stuff was more in the second half of the book, and that made things much more interesting. I was bored in the first half of the book, but I couldn't finish the second half/the book fast enough!I like Edie a lot. I'm not saying I'm terribly ugly (which apparently, Edie was, she was horrible to look at, before the first wish Kian granted her). But in terms of nerdiness... yeah, we're both so there. Talk about physics/science/math nerdiness at its finest. I'm totally like her, in that sense. So I definitely felt for her, in that aspect. My parents aren't physicists, but I definitely felt the slavedriver regime they had me on when I was in elementary, middle, and high school. Now that I'm at Johns Hopkins University studying engineering... well, I've proven myself to them. I think.Anyway. I liked Edie. I REALLY liked Kian. Kian comes off as perfect, but he isn't. He was also a kid on the verge of suicide, offered three wishes... and roped into the business. That explains his stunning good looks. It also explains why he isn't super arrogant or cocky, like many YA heroes. He's actually adorable and unsure of himself and cautious. I APPROVE.I already mentioned the plot... let me tell you about the dark side of this book. Without spoiling things, of course. I seriously thought this book was all about Edie getting revenge on her peers. WRONG. That's scratching the surface of it all. Edie's life and wishes don't necessarily matter, in the grand scheme of things. Greater "powers" are at work here, and it gets bloody. Fast. Literally bodies flying everywhere. That's all I'm saying.Despite my skepticism (after starting the book), I ended up really enjoying this book (as I seem to be doing with Aguirre's books in general). I definitely can't wait to read the next book! I feel like things are just getting started... like Aguirre is going to start blowing up things (figuratively and possibly literally as well).What I Did Not Like:I already mentioned this before, but the slow start to this book was a little painful, at times. But I understand why it was necessary. So maybe take this "dislike" in a positive light - if you're stuck in the first "half", in which it's all about Edie's makeover and her revenge, keep going. It gets better, more interesting, and creepier. Talk about dark. I don't want to say anything specific because the synopsis mentions nothing about the subject matter to which I'm referring, so I'll keep the "surprises" alive.Would I Recommend It:Definitely, if you're a fan of Aguirre's books. It seems like Aguirre is a natural storyteller, and this book is no exception to her talent. It's so great that she all but churns out so many books, and they're all really good (in my opinion)! I'll definitely be catching the sequel to this book, as soon as possible. In the meantime, I guess I'll have to be content with reading her other upcoming novels. What a hardship that is, LOL.Rating:4 stars. An excellent start to a new series! This book doesn't just have an awesome cover, but also, an amazing story!
