Phantom (Dark Musicals, #1)

Jan 12, 2013 Lisa Markson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Lisa's review of
Phantom
By Laura DeLuca

I received a copy of Phantom by Laura DeLuca in exchange for an honest review. First off I have to say that I have fallen in love with Laura's books. I started my journey with her with Destiny and Destiny Unveiled they were absolutely fabulous. Her flow through her books are seamless and effortless it is so hard to put them down she captures your attention on page 1. Her covers on the books are spectacular and engaging. She builds each of her characters in a...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Maria marked it as to-read

The 411 by Maria:

First, don't be thrown off by the cover. The 3 characters are very Sims like and there is more to this book than this cover depicts. It is much deeper and you will find yourself completely engrossed in this modern day version of Phantom!

This is my third Laura DeLuca book and what I can tell you about Laura is that you can tell that she really loves creating her characters. Each character in Phantom is important to the story and all very well rounded. I wonder if she has a back...more

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Oct 09, 2012 Julie Gerber rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book. I'm in my late thirties and daydreaming about a high school boy. If you've read "Phantom", you won't find that odd. If you haven't, you should read it before you label me as anything other than normal. When I started reading this book, I instantly connected with Rebecca. She is your typical girl next door. She imagines herself with the most popular boy in school and thinks he'll never notice her. She lands the lead role in the school play and that changes. She develops a relat...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Meg - A Bookish Affair rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fiction, ya-children

I was very excited to read this book based on the fact that it is based off of one of my favorite musicals, Phantom of the Opera. In a way, this book is sort of a retelling of both the book and the musical in a high school setting. What makes it different from a straight retelling is that the characters in the book are actually putting on a high school version of the musical so there are really two retellings going on at the same time, which I loved.

Fear not if you are not familiar with the stor...more I was very excited to read this book based on the fact that it is based off of one of my favorite musicals, Phantom of the Opera. In a way, this book is sort of a retelling of both the book and the musical in a high school setting. What makes it different from a straight retelling is that the characters in the book are actually putting on a high school version of the musical so there are really two retellings going on at the same time, which I loved.

Fear not if you are not familiar with the story of Phantom (but you should be; both the book and musical are amazing). You will be able to pick up on the story rather quickly by reading this book. I love retellings of stories that I'm familiar with. It makes old stories new again. DeLuca does a fantastic job of weaving detail from the musical and the book into both the love triangle story of Becca, Justyn, and Tom as well as the real life Phantom who seems to be haunting the school.

I have a couple criticisms. First off, there are a lot of "quotes" from the musical that are not quotes at all. As the Phantom only came out as a musical in the 1980s, I am assuming that all of the rights to the lyrics still belong to Mr. Andrew Lloyd Webber and therefore could not be used in the book. I get that but being someone that has a huge chunk of the lyrics from Phantom memorized, it did bother me a little bit. I almost wish that they had been left out. However, this is something that you are never going to notice unless you really, really like the musical like I do. Second, the big twist got a little strange and violent for me. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux is a pretty violent book in some places (so is the musical for that matter). Some of the ending may not be for those that are easily turned off by violence or for younger YA readers.

There is a huge twist in this book, which I totally did not see coming (you can't get it out of me; my lips are sealed). I love when a book can surprise me and this twist shocked me. Make sure you cut out a good chunk of time to read about the last third of the book in one fell swoop. You are going to need it as you will not be able to put the book down until you finish the entire book.

Bottom line: A good retelling of a beloved love story! (less)

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Sep 22, 2012 Zuleeza rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: thriller

This review is also available on my blog, Qwerty

Reading this after Transcend is not a good idea.

When I decided to pick this up, I didn't know that this is a straight thriller/slasher book. I was hoping for some paranormal elements (view spoiler) Hence, I'm aware that my rating/revi...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Jen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks-i-own, young-adult, 4-lll-reviews, x-read-in-2012

WOW! There were so many different ways this book could have ended - because there were so many different people that could have done this -

WOW!
Loved this book! I had seen the Phantom of the Opera way back when I was a little kid - I didn't know much of what was going on at the time, but after reading this book, I think I may want to read the actual book!

Becca is an ordinary girl trying to blend in, but when the drama club announces that they're doing a production of her all time ever favorite...more

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Mar 25, 2013 Shelly Hammond rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is in a word fantastic. I was hooked from the very first chapter. I laughed. I cried. I laughed some more and, you guessed it, cried a little more as well. The author managed to tell a brilliant story perfectly. As you read this story, you cared about each and every character equally, followed their every move, and by the end you really had no idea where how it would all end but when it did you it did it perfectly. I have never read a story that wrapped up so well!

The author brought th...more

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Jan 15, 2013 Nikki rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is amazing! Being a huge fan of Phantom of the Opera, I was quickly drawn into the world of this modern day version (as well as listening to the soundtrack the entire time I read it). The characters are well developed and are exact replicas of the ghosts of the original, only with some twists. All the use of the quotes from the play and the book were brilliant and very well thought out. All in all I loved it and could hardly put it down.

Becca/Christine was the shy love sick girl that...more

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Dec 18, 2012 Kevin Hammond rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a very daring subject for any writer to touch. the one thing you might notice is that it is so very well researched and laid out. the detail and the knowledge of the story looks like a life long obsession full of love of and understanding of the subject and it has been turned into a new, more contemporary story. it leads me to believe we are reading a subject that is very close to the heart of the author. Who could blame her for that, we are talking about the Phantom of the Opera.
the lan...more

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Nov 14, 2012 Liberty Ann (SnifferWalkBooks) Ireland rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: YA not easily frightened, Adults, and Phantom lovers everwhere

Shelves: contemporary, fictional, review, romance, young-adult-fiction

At first glance, you may think this is just another retelling of The Phantom of the Opera but it is oh, so much more. Held at a High School and revolving around strange happenings involving members of the cast, this 21st Century version has a flavor all it's own.

The Good: Drama, Villans, a school musical, Love, Suspense, Treachery, Death...this Phantom is all of that and more. From the shy but Phantom of the Opera-loving heroine Rebecca to the new, Goth, maybe too-real-to-be-true male lead Justy...more At first glance, you may think this is just another retelling of The Phantom of the Opera but it is oh, so much more. Held at a High School and revolving around strange happenings involving members of the cast, this 21st Century version has a flavor all it's own.

The Good: Drama, Villans, a school musical, Love, Suspense, Treachery, Death...this Phantom is all of that and more. From the shy but Phantom of the Opera-loving heroine Rebecca to the new, Goth, maybe too-real-to-be-true male lead Justyn (or Lord Justyn as he calls himself during the play) to the High School Hottie and other angle of the love triangle Tom, I was enthralled with the entire story. Laura handles the tempo and characters with a grace not often seen. The characters are so complex and believable that it is truly difficult to see who the villan is. It snuck right up on me and I was genuinely surprised.

The Bad: The only real negatives for me was the violence near the end of the story and the inclusion of Wicca. Of course, the original story by Gaston Leroux was quite gruesome and violent so it is within the genre. Being basically targeted at YA's however, this violence may be a bit much. As for the Wicca business, I have nothing against practicing Wiccans. (I know a few and they are quite nice people) It is just that it really didn't have to be a part of the storyline. It was not enough to give Justyn the true grotesqueness of the other Phantom so it really served no obvious purpose. I would have been happier without it.

The Snuggly: Those familiar with the original Phantom's storyline recall that the crux of the matter, as far as love is concerned is, for the Phantom, it is unrequited and that ignites his fury and wrath against everyone, eventually including Christine. So, in true Phantom fashion, Snuggly plays a very minor role in the story and that is just fine with me. It would have seemed misplaced otherwise.

Final Wrap Up: The characters, the building romance, the slight constant chill of terror... all these things add up to one powerfully written book. Be prepared because once you pick it up, you are not going to want to set it down, not until you have answered the proverbial question, "What happens next?" And that, my friends will come as something of a shocking surprise, just enough to satisfy! I recommend this book to YA who are not easily frightened, all adults and Phantom lovers everywhere.

This review is based on a complimentary copy which was provided for an honest review. (less)

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Oct 16, 2012 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

I've only ever seen 'The Phantom of the Opera' once on DVD but I did enjoy it and I like the idea of the storyline, and the music is beautiful. I have had the soundtrack on my ipod for years and know a lot of the songs. My best friend has seen it in theaters all round the world and it's her all time favourite so I thought I would give this a go and see if it was worth recommending to her.

The story starts with Becca - she's shy and tends to be invisible to everyone but her two best friends Carmen...more I've only ever seen 'The Phantom of the Opera' once on DVD but I did enjoy it and I like the idea of the storyline, and the music is beautiful. I have had the soundtrack on my ipod for years and know a lot of the songs. My best friend has seen it in theaters all round the world and it's her all time favourite so I thought I would give this a go and see if it was worth recommending to her.

The story starts with Becca - she's shy and tends to be invisible to everyone but her two best friends Carmen and Deb, but then the school announces that their end of year play will be Phantom and she decides to audition. She has been a fan for years and already knows it word for word, and when her teacher discovers that she has the voice of an angel she is thrown into the lead role, but then strange events start to happen, events that mirror the script and end up with people being killed. Things start to get out of hand and Becca must find out who is behind it, all whilst figuring out whether she likes dreamy guy Tom, or new mysterious guy Justyn.

I liked all the characters, they all seemed very realistic and I could picture people I was at school with acting the same way. Tom sounded like a good guy and actually quite considerate to others, which isn't always usual for the popular guy. Justyn was strange, I did like him but I also wanted him to just come out and say things occasionally instead of being so mysterious, but it all added to the atmosphere so I was happy overall.

This book surprisingly had me hooked. I sat down with the intent of reading just a few pages, but then found that I was totally engrossed and would end up reading multiple chapters. In fact I read this book in two halves, and between reading I found myself thinking about reading it.

This book is basically a High School Murder mystery which I never thought I would like (being a total wimp and all) but it is done in a really clever way - none of the deaths are overly described - there are no gory details but the suspense is at a good level that will keep your heart thumping.

Some things were a little bit predictable and I think if you knew the original Phantom story better it might be very predictable but for me it was just right.

I did find that the characters recovered quite quickly from the deaths that happened - they move on very easily, almost like it's not a big deal. Which I found slightly odd, the other thing that puzzled me is the fact that Becca never reports any of the threats or messages, she gets some voicemails telling her that some has or will be murdered yet she doesn't say anything to her parents or the police - not even in passing. I would sure hope that if teenagers were getting worrying messages they would tell someone, especially if after the first one comes true - she must surely realise the others could too.

So there were a few eye raising questions but overall I really enjoyed the book and I did not suspect the guilty person. Totally shocked me, looking back on it, I should have realised but at the time, I had no idea.

So overall an enjoyable read.(less)

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Oct 08, 2012 aobibliophile™ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Who was that shape in the shadows? Whose is the face in the mask? - The Phantom of the Opera, the Musical (1986)

the line between art and life blurs and evolves into something threatening and violent for a group of teenagers involved in Phantom, a high school play. something or someone is lurking in the shadows and Rebecca Hope's life is put in terrible danger as she performs the role of Christine Daae.
weaving together suspense and teen romance, author Laura DeLuca's novel is a worthy addition to...more

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Sep 24, 2012 Gloria Defeo rated it 5 of 5 stars

When I first saw this advertised as a modern day Phantom, I thought it was going to be another tired rendition of Erik and Christine, with the same kind of ending they all have. I was wrong. This story is fresh and exciting. The characters aren't modern day versions of Erik and Christine. They are just playing those roles in their school play and their own life starts to mirror some of the events. Its ties in both the Phantom of the Opera musical and the classic novel, but its completely its own...more

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Aug 20, 2012 Marissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Oh my... wow! I don't know where to start, but first I have to write that I Seriously loved this story! It really is set in high school, and a lot of seniors play some major parts in the upcoming school production of Phantom, including the ever reserved, Rebecca Hope. She has a stunning voice though, and two different, and I mean different types of guys see that. Now they want her attention, as she is the star; she gets to play Christine! The two other guys include Goth dude: 'Lord' Justyn and R...more Oh my... wow! I don't know where to start, but first I have to write that I Seriously loved this story! It really is set in high school, and a lot of seniors play some major parts in the upcoming school production of Phantom, including the ever reserved, Rebecca Hope. She has a stunning voice though, and two different, and I mean different types of guys see that. Now they want her attention, as she is the star; she gets to play Christine! The two other guys include Goth dude: 'Lord' Justyn and Rebecca's surfer crush for like four years, Tom. This turns out to be one interesting love triangle, for reals! :) But of course there are thrilling and mysterious events throughout the story that are chilling and even threatening because innocent people die, and the finger is immediately pointed to an obvious choice, a choice, that Rebecca cannot even consider, even though it is made obvious it might be the guy she is truly falling for. I just have to say that the ending is so not to be missed!! It was just so...unexpected!! And I think you will perhaps be shocked as I was when the truth is revealed....the rest, well, all of it, you just have to read for yourself, and I think you will love this story as there was definitely romance, a whole lot of mystery/chilling moments, and lyrics/singing of course!

The characters were really believable, realistic, and descriptive. In the beginning when the Play auditions occur, how everything was described, including Becca's uneasiness with performing, even in front of some other classmates, was relatable and reminded me a few years ago when I auditioned for a high school play. The feelings of nervousness and all those unsettling fears; what Rebecca feels was very relatable. The writing was phenomenal; there was a good pace, nice flow, everything from light romantic scenes to suspenseful ones, it's very absorbing! At times the writing could be so intense, the scene so intense, and it makes you read just a little faster, turning the page, after page to see what the result is. I indeed felt myself do this a few times, especially towards the end. My heart was beating just a tad fast and the suspense was written perfectly well...just Perfect! DeLuca is a wonderful writer!

I found this story to be unpredictable at times, which I love, because I do ultimately like to be surprised; I like how a story can take fast unpredictable turns, it's great! This story will keep you on the edge of your seat at times. This is a story that played in my head, like a film, and this would be such a cool one to actually see on the big screen, just saying! Also, the different musical lyrics were well picked and just beautiful and just imagining whom is signing it, is even better :) (less)

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Jul 13, 2012 Darlene rated it 5 of 5 stars

Of all the fictional novels I have ever read-this was by far the best one! I wish there were stories like this when I was a teenager.

I could relate to so many of the different characters in this story and saw so many personality traits of myself in many of them. Even the ending sent chills down my spine as I went through a difficult situation and could relate so much to what was revealed when the murderer was discovered.

The book ties into the original "Phantom of the Opera" but it is it's own or...more

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Jun 13, 2012 Nikki McCarver rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Phantom of the Opera is hands down not only one of my absolute favorite books but also movie (Especially since Gerard Butler plays Phantom) and plays. But I admit that reading the book or watching the movie fills me with a sadness and hollows out a place in my heart. Why must the phantom forever be shunned by Christine? Why can't in one reproduction or version can't Christine run away with the Phantom? It is a longing that has often plagued me as I wipe away the tears after she once again sp...more The Phantom of the Opera is hands down not only one of my absolute favorite books but also movie (Especially since Gerard Butler plays Phantom) and plays. But I admit that reading the book or watching the movie fills me with a sadness and hollows out a place in my heart. Why must the phantom forever be shunned by Christine? Why can't in one reproduction or version can't Christine run away with the Phantom? It is a longing that has often plagued me as I wipe away the tears after she once again spurs him for Raoul. I would like just once to see my long tormented phantom have a happy ending. Rebecca shares my passion in this. She has been in love with this production for as long as she can remember. Rebecca has spent her highscool years doing her best to disappear amongst the other teens. But when she discovers that the senior play is going to be Phantom, she knows she must find the courage to try out. She has every song and every line from the book and the play memorized and can hit all the high notes perfectly. But can she tap down her fear of the spotlight long enough to blow the competition out of the water?

Tom is the All-American basketball/surfer star in the highschool and the one guy Rebecca has always had a crush on. He always excels at everything and has always been active in the drama-club, which usually results in him as the lead role. But that all changes his senior year. A new kid has moved into town that posses the haunting voice that is needed to play the Phantom and knocks Tom ambitions out in left field.

Justyn is an eccentric, artistic teen that has recently moved to their small town. He prefers to dress all in black and has perfected the Gothic vampire look minus the teeth. Upon discovering the senior play was going to be Phantom, he comes out of the shadows to audition and shocks everyone with the beauty of his voice. But after strange thing begin to happen off and on the set, will Justyn take the blame because he is the obvious choice?

I admit, I like a great mystery. I was about half way through the book mentally checking off the list of suspects when I settled on the one I thought was doing it. lol...I was really off because that character died exactly two pages later. The ending was quite surprising. I really had no clue and was way off!! But I was delighted by that fact! I hate predictable books!! This was a great read. I'm sure all fans of Phantom will love it!!
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Nov 04, 2012 Danielle Villano rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

A portion of my review for my blog, The Reader's Commute. Find the whole thing here: http://thereaderscommute.blogspot.com...

Rebecca, with the singing voice of an angel, lands the role of Christine in her high school's production of The Phantom of the Opera. She falls into her own personal love triangle between Tom, the dashing athlete who plays Raoul, and Justyn, the mysterious Goth who plays the Phantom. I was never that lucky! However, the story that follows is not just a typical romance; the...more A portion of my review for my blog, The Reader's Commute. Find the whole thing here: http://thereaderscommute.blogspot.com...

Rebecca, with the singing voice of an angel, lands the role of Christine in her high school's production of The Phantom of the Opera. She falls into her own personal love triangle between Tom, the dashing athlete who plays Raoul, and Justyn, the mysterious Goth who plays the Phantom. I was never that lucky! However, the story that follows is not just a typical romance; there are darker things at work, too. As the actors rehearse for the show, tragedies happen onstage and off. Rebecca receives threatening notes and phone calls that tie in with the disasters that happen in The Phantom of the Opera story. As the story progresses these tragedies escalate.

As a reader, I had to suspend my disbelief when I read about each "accident" that occurred. The serious nature of these happenings, told with a level of detail that made them much more chilling, had me asking myself, "Really? Would the show really go on after this?" I at least wondered why a guidance counselor or a police officer didn't speak to the cast. DeLuca knows what she's doing, though, because this disbelief did not keep me from reading. Another thing that took me out of the story were the rewritten Phantom lyrics scattered throughout the book. I'm sure the actual Andrew Lloyd Webber lyrics couldn't be used for copyright reasons, but I felt as if some of them were a little forced and silly. I did, however, get the actual lyrics stuck in my head as a result! Really, I must drive my friends and family crazy.

The characters in Phantom are expertly-crafted. As I hungrily sped through the 262 pages, I really felt like I knew Rebecca, Tom, and Justyn (who prefers to be called Lord Justyn, which really tickled my funny bone...). I also felt just as confused as Becca as I tried to unravel the mystery of the culprit's identity. Who was the one causing all of the accidents? One chapter had me suspecting a certain character, while another chapter had me changing my mind completely. I was flip-flopping up until the end - and when the identity of the one responsible was revealed, I was taken by surprise! While Phantom may have been (pleasantly) predictable as far as the love story goes, DeLuca did a wonderful job of keeping me on my toes as far as the mystery aspect was concerned.
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Aug 22, 2012 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, book-tour, can-t-stop-thinking-about-it

I love The Phantom of the Opera, but not as much as the heroine of our story, Rebecca, does. Rebecca has seen the play a ton of times, read the book countless more times, and seen every single movie version ever made. When her school’s drama department decides to do Phantom of the Opera, Rebecca knows that she has to be part of it – and spurred on by the encouragement of her besties Carmen and Deb she tries out. To her surprise she wins the lead role of Christine. This immediately makes her the...more
I love The Phantom of the Opera, but not as much as the heroine of our story, Rebecca, does. Rebecca has seen the play a ton of times, read the book countless more times, and seen every single movie version ever made. When her school’s drama department decides to do Phantom of the Opera, Rebecca knows that she has to be part of it – and spurred on by the encouragement of her besties Carmen and Deb she tries out. To her surprise she wins the lead role of Christine. This immediately makes her the enemy of Wendy, the school’s normal starlet. It also catches the attention of all-American boy Tom and gothic and mysterious Lord Justyn.
Over the span of the book, Rebecca receives threats in the form of letters quoting lines from Phantom of the Opera. She then goes on to receive more direct threats. There are “accidents” and several people die. Who is killing people in this school theater? Could it be Justyn, the new student – who is not only gothic, but Wiccan? Rebecca’s friends keep putting the suspicion on him. Could Wendy be taking her vendetta against Rebecca to the extreme? How many people will die at the hands of the school’s Phantom killer, and will Wendy escape with her life? You must read Phantom to find out.
I think Laura DeLuca did something cool and unique by writing a book interwoven with The Phantom of the Opera. I always loved the play, and found myself so sad for Erick (the Phantom) and the fact that he could never really have Christine. I, like Rebecca, often wished I could rewrite that ending.
I loved the way this story was done. The characters are all really well done. I don’t want to tell you who the culprit is, but it came as a complete surprise – not only the person, but the motivations behind the atrocities committed. I liked the supporting cast. It’s hard to make up my mind about Tom. He seems sweet at times, but your average high school popular guy at other times. Justyn was more my type. I like dark and brooding. I won’t tell you who Rebecca ends up with – you should read Phantoms and find out. I can hear some of you sighing, because there is a love triangle – and usually I would be right there with you. In this case, it works. For one thing the original Phantom of the Opera is based on a love triangle between Christine, Raoul, and Erick (the phantom). Rebecca is playing leading lady Christine and Tom and Justyn have the roles of Raoul and Erick respectively, so it’s only fitting there would be a love triangle. It’s done well.
Overall, the book is really well done. The writing is excellent. Lauren DeLuca paints a creepy word picture. I was literally on edge in certain parts of the book. Ms. DeLuca is excellent with build-up and making the reader emotionally invested. I felt like I was there among the cast. Almost everything about the book is so well done I give it 5 stars.
I have two issues I feel are worth mentioning. My first issue is the cover. Many people judge a book by its cover, whether that’s right or wrong. Most people I talk to are drawn first to pretty, well done covers. I would have read this book regardless, because of the subject, but I think that having a better cover would make this book more appealing to others.
My second issue has to do with all of the threats, warnings, “accidents” and deaths. Rebecca doesn’t tell the police. Even when she gets a phone call warning her someone has been murdered she never tells her parents or the police. Rebecca notices things around “accidents” that alert her to the fact that someone did them on purpose and/or tampered with things. She never tells the police. Ms. DeLuca isn’t the only author lately who’s teen character doesn’t report to her parents or police incidents that I feel any normal teen would speak up about. I don’t understand this trend. I just wish Rebecca had been a little more responsible in this area.
Other than that – the book is an excellent read and I highly recommend it for adults and young adults.
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Jun 12, 2012 Crystal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook-kindle, for-review, 2012, read-june-2012

I will be quick to admit I am only familiar with Phantom of the Opera through the musical and the movies not through the book so I can't attest to this book according to the actual book. But I must say I am impressed. Ms. DeLuca has managed to weave a story that parallels a story without becoming too something that would make the story over-the-top or just too much like the original. Ms. DeLuca makes the story work with the current day and time and fit in the young adult genre quite well.

I love...more I will be quick to admit I am only familiar with Phantom of the Opera through the musical and the movies not through the book so I can't attest to this book according to the actual book. But I must say I am impressed. Ms. DeLuca has managed to weave a story that parallels a story without becoming too something that would make the story over-the-top or just too much like the original. Ms. DeLuca makes the story work with the current day and time and fit in the young adult genre quite well.

I loved the characters, especially Justyn and how he played the Phantom role and how he was the goth boy/outsider as well in the book. I like Rebecca as the surprise voice that had never stood out before, the girl who had never been noticed as a perfect Christine. And Tom as the perfect boy-next-door popular guy as Raoul. Each played their part in the book which parallels their part in the play. I have to admit Justyn was my favorite, there was just something about his character that called to me. But I liked Rebecca and could relate to her. She was torn, some might see her as indecisive, but who hasn't been there as a teenager. I just saw her as a caring girl who wanted to follow her heart but cared about others as well.

The plot was fascinating. It could have been the typical teenage adaptation, but the twists and turns were amazing. I started this and was halfway done in a matter of hours. I could not put it down. I found the novel and story line well written. Great suspense and interesting character development move this book along very well. It's fresh and exciting and hard to put down.

When I accepted this book for review I was expecting a story I would enjoy, I ended up with so much more with this book. It was deeper and so much more enjoyable than I ever thought. I think it will be one of my most recommended books of the year, at least so far. It was fast-paced, refreshing and very interesting with wonderful characters that I think will appeal to all ages whether you have read, listened to or watch Phantom before or not. (less)

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Aug 22, 2012 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour, kindle, review-on-blog

Right before I sat down to read this book, I watched Phantom of the Opera for the first time ever! I liked the movie but I was kind of bummed she didn't end up with the Phantom. I have to say that I liked the book by Laura DeLuca even more than the movie! It was super creepy. I would not want to go to their high school, that's for sure. But fans of the movie phantom of the opera are sure to love this book!

This book is a total mystery. I could not figure out who the true opera ghost was until the...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Michelle Cornwell-Jordan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Phantom is the tale of high school wall flower Rebecca, who throughout her entire highschool history, had been determined to stay on the side lines, not wishing to bring any attention to herself. Now, in her senior year, she appears to have actually succeeded in this goal, until the school drama department decides to put on The Phantom of the Opera.

This is one of Rebecca’s all time favorite productions, she is absolutely obsessed with it, having all the fan gear, books and anything else she can...more Phantom is the tale of high school wall flower Rebecca, who throughout her entire highschool history, had been determined to stay on the side lines, not wishing to bring any attention to herself. Now, in her senior year, she appears to have actually succeeded in this goal, until the school drama department decides to put on The Phantom of the Opera.

This is one of Rebecca’s all time favorite productions, she is absolutely obsessed with it, having all the fan gear, books and anything else she can set her hands on regarding the subject. What many at Rebecca’s school, except her closest friends…Carmen and Debra…do not know is that Rebecca can sing extremely well. So on the spur of the moment, Rebecca decides to try out, and after singing the song of the play’s main character Christine, which no one else was able to do; Rebecca was actually given the lead role. Now Rebecca is not only thrust into the lime light, she is now the center of a boy feud between the leading man, Justyn; and the hero of the play, Tom, who Rebecca had been crushing on since her Freshman year. Life intimates art, as the two boys begin to vie for her attention. Also, things begin to heat up, as accidents begin to plague the production, showing Rebecca, that someone doesn’t want her to have the part, the boy or even possibly her life…

Review

Phantom was exciting from the very first page, I was intrigued actually at the very beginning due to this fresh, unique take on a YA novel…I found it extremely thrilling:) I was familiar with the Phantom Of The Opera, but this story brought it alive to me and peaked my interest enough that I wanted to know more about the original. I found that this story would be a wonderful way for today’s YA readers to be introduced to the classic, and that really impressed me!

Although, the subject intrigued me, and drew me into the story; Ms. Deluca’s storytelling kept me reading. She is truly a gifted writer; the story had equal amounts of romance without getting too sappy, and adventure without being worn out:) plus, the mystery she threaded through the story was superbly done; Clues were given, I loved how she used the dialogue from the Phantom Opera, as the messages to the young heroine in the book.

Again, I saw that as a great way for young people to be introduced to this classic story. I never saw the twist at the end, and I am usually pretty good at figuring out mysteries at times, but I was floored to be honest, with whom the modern day phantom truly was! Ms. Deluca carried the mystery, leading the reader where she wanted them to go and keeping them entertained the entire time.

I really enjoyed this book, and I am a big fan of Ms. Deluca’s and look forward to more works from this author!

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Apr 16, 2012 Magaly Guerrero rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: witchy-books-2012

There are many elements of Laura DeLuca’s Phantom that I absolutely love: the way Justyn and Rebecca adore The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux; the relationship between Justyn and his mother, for it shows a great example of how real a witchy family interacts; and more than anything, I’m still entranced by Justyn. I did a lot of nodding when he was discussing stereotypes and conventionality with Rebecca, especially when he said,

“I’m used to being the outcast. It comes with the territory.”

“...more There are many elements of Laura DeLuca’s Phantom that I absolutely love: the way Justyn and Rebecca adore The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux; the relationship between Justyn and his mother, for it shows a great example of how real a witchy family interacts; and more than anything, I’m still entranced by Justyn. I did a lot of nodding when he was discussing stereotypes and conventionality with Rebecca, especially when he said,

“I’m used to being the outcast. It comes with the territory.”

“Then why don’t you try to . . . I don’t know . . . make yourself a little less conspicuous.”

“I like who I am, Becca. Why should I change for people who don’t take the time to look past outward appearances and preconceptions?”

So very true, isn’t it? Some people are so busy trying to portraying the image the world wants to see that they forget to show who they actually are, and the latter is usually the more pleasing sight.

Once or twice I found myself wishing the novel was told from the point of view of Justyn, and then I realized that it wouldn’t be half as powerful if that had been the case. It was much more interesting and effective to see the world through Rebecca’s conformity-hazed glasses.

And I know Becca is the heroine, but my gods, I wanted to strangle her more than thrice. At one point she said that “The Gothic that everyone ridiculed and feared was gone. Lord Justyn was gone. And he was simply a boy, a boy falling in love with a girl.” I wanted to scream, “No! you blind (insert unsavory adjective here) he is still there, you are just finally seeing him as he is. And the “Lord Justyn” is not a mask; it is just part of him.

I stopped being so mad at her when she realized that “She was so stupid, so disloyal, so easily influenced by other people’s opinions.” That is not the end of Becca’s strange, and infuriating ways, but her behavior reflects certain realities so accurately that I couldn’t stay mad at her for long—Laura did an amazing job at characterizing a girl who, at the beginning of Phantom, didn’t understand a thing about the world and people around her.

The end of the book was… startling. I’m not sure how I feel about it, yet. No, that’s not true, I am surprised. I wasn’t expecting the outcome that greeted me in the last few chapters. The characters changed in ways that, well… The ending was twisted and shocking. I’m still blinking a little.
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Apr 06, 2013 Masquerade Crew rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, paranormal, romance

LINDA'S REVIEW

5 STARS

Let me begin by saying that I am a huge Phantom of the Opera fan, that being said it's not a stretch that I would choose to read a story that revolves around the main characters putting on a performance of Phantom as their senior play. BTW I think this was a great notion, even if the average high school would probably never have enough talent to pull something like that off.

What I loved ...Laura Deluca made it seem believable. The cast was filled with characters who were we...more

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Mar 22, 2013 A.R. Von rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: r2r-march-challenge

A very entertaining, shocking, thrilling and exciting YA read that brings us a different sort of take on the Phantom of the Opera (a long time favorite musical of mine by the way). Any fans out there that enjoyed the story of the Phantom, or just enjoy the genre itself will enjoy their time spent with this read :)

Rebecca is a senior in high school. She’s always quiet, barely noticed and she’s fine with it. But all of that changes once she tries out for a part in a school musical. Some things tak...more

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Sep 05, 2012 Lisseth (Read-a-holicZ) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-ll-die-for, i-own, up-for-review

**Originally on Read-A-holicZ, HERE!**

I can not express how MUCH I LOVED this BOOK! It was creepy, romantic, and with an reveal to DIE FOR! The cover looks ominous & beautifully portrays the book in it. And am extremely glad that i was asked to review this book! ^_^

I have not read the book Phantom of the Opera BUT i have seen the play, sorta. BUT I just loved how the play quotes where in their and how the story itself was based on it. You might think, "oh that just gave the whole book away"...more

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Jan 29, 2013 Heather andrews rated it 5 of 5 stars

Me loving "Phantom of the Opera" as much as Becca I knew I would love her right off, but it wasn't her that kept me interested in the book it was Tom and Lord Justyn who did with their banter back and forth and whose ego is bigger. "I'm sorry, Tom. I forgot a moment that you have a limited vocabulary. I'll make an effort to use only one-syllable words when you're around. What I was trying to saw was - maybe Becca's not interested in you." Well maybe it was more Lord Justyn who kept me entertaine...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Soma "Insomnia Of Books" rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have never read The Phantom Of The Opera, many of my friends said it was good, but I never gave it the chance. After reading this book, I am definitely going to read The Phantom of The Opera. I cannot begin to describe this book, it's a mix between horribly beautiful and magically creative.
Rebecca's obsession was always the musical "Phantom of The Opera", when her high school chooses the Phantom as their annual production, she jumps at the chance. With her exotic voice, she gets to play the...more
I have never read The Phantom Of The Opera, many of my friends said it was good, but I never gave it the chance. After reading this book, I am definitely going to read The Phantom of The Opera. I cannot begin to describe this book, it's a mix between horribly beautiful and magically creative.
Rebecca's obsession was always the musical "Phantom of The Opera", when her high school chooses the Phantom as their annual production, she jumps at the chance. With her exotic voice, she gets to play the role of the heroine, Christine, who is caught between the darkly seductive Phantom and the rich lord who are both in love with her.
What Rebecca didn't know is that her life was about to mirror the famous play. She is caught between the two boys, the mysterious, seductive, Gothic Justyn and the All-American jock,Tom. What's more? Someone is turning the scenes from Phantom into reality, and is using verses from the musical to threaten Rebecca. It could have been a joke but people are ending up dead in Phantom style.
Can Rebecca stop the series of deaths? Can she find out who is threatening her? And who willl che choose: Tom or Justyn? Find out much more when you read this terrifying, ground-breaking read, Phantom...
I liked this book very much! Laura Deluca took the original idea of the play. She twisted and turned the idea like an elastic band to produce this electrifying version of The Phantom. I have to say that the characters are all very typical, some of them are even one-dimensional. Like, I don't know anything about Rebecca's life outside the school. She doesn't speak about her parents, her house nor anything else outside of the play and the rehearsals and her two love interests.
The story is unique and the writing style of the author is organized, I liked it! This book is really terrifying and horrible, in a good way. The end is really scary and the phantom will end up being someone you haven't expected AT ALL! Although this book won't make it to my top favorite books, it is still a wonderful addition to my reading list, you better try this or you're missing out!
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Feb 20, 2013 Erica Alyson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was hooked on this book from the start. I love books that can fit into two genres. Love and Mystery. I love waiting on things to unfold. I also really enjoyed the love triangle with Rebecca, Justyn, and Tom. Justyn and Tom could not be anymore different. Tom the all american surfer boy that Rebecca has always liked and Justyn the goth.

They are all cast in the school play The Phantom based on The Phantom of the Opera and soon they find themselves in a real live Phantom scenario with people get...more

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May 27, 2012 Larissa brunken rated it 5 of 5 stars

I remember briefly studying Phantom of the Opera in highschool. The magic behind the music and story was enticing. Phantom is a novel that shares the same undying love and magic.

The highschool drama club has decided to take on a huge task and perform the magical Phantom of the Opera. Rebecca has known this play since she was young so she finds herself trying out for the part of Christine. Her long time crush is trying out for a leading role as well. When along comes mysterious Justyn, who steals...more
I remember briefly studying Phantom of the Opera in highschool. The magic behind the music and story was enticing. Phantom is a novel that shares the same undying love and magic.

The highschool drama club has decided to take on a huge task and perform the magical Phantom of the Opera. Rebecca has known this play since she was young so she finds herself trying out for the part of Christine. Her long time crush is trying out for a leading role as well. When along comes mysterious Justyn, who steals the heart of Rebecca as soon as he begins to sing. Rebecca is drawn to the mystic ways of Lord Justyn and how he is just like the Phantom. After roles are casted the excitement begins. Rebecca finds herself drawn between two men. The Phantom of the Opera is starting to take on a life of its own. People start getting hurt, then dead. Rebecca starts believing that Justyn is as dangerous as the original Phantom. She doesn't know how to believe it but Justyn is a killer in her friends eyes. Becca starts to question everything she thought she knew.

Rebecca is your average teenage highschool girl. She struggles with peer pressure, friendships, and relationships. She decides one day to break out of her mold and try something different, try out for the highschool play. Never did she expect to get a landing role. Rebecca soon finds herself living the scary life of Christine, the person she portrays. Rebecca is in a love triangle between the good and the bad, or so she thinks.

Tom is a handsome athletic highschooler. He leads the typical jock life, hanging out with friends, being popular and being cute. His personality revolves around his friends and he tends to sometimes give in quickly. But is loved by most.

Justyn is an outcast. He wears dark clothing, makeup, and jewerly. Deacribed by other students as a vampire. He pratices the Pagan culture and is a dark mystrious male.

The end of the book is shocking and very terrifying. You find yourself wrapped up into the emotions of the characters. You learn about true love and how someone can turn from it. The "phantom" is revealed and it catches you offguard. I loved the twist in the story.

You won't be dissapointed in this page turner. From start to finish you want more. Just when you think you got it figured out you don't. My only complaint is I disliked the cover of the book. I felt it did not properly identify with the lead characters in the book.

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Nov 23, 2012 Ashleigh Paige rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-screamed-at-it, main-character-needs-to-shut-up, makes-feminist-me-very-unhappy, rage-rage-rage, skipping-through-the-book, stupid-love-triangles, the-shameful-shelf-of-get-rid-of-it, what-kind-of-mess-is-this, whoops-threw-it-across-the-room, why-do-i-do-this-to-myself, worst-books-i-ve-ever-read, wow-what-a-douchecanoe, zip-your-lip-like-a-padlock

See more of my reviews sooner on The YA Kitten!

Don't get me started on The Phantom of the Opera. Just don't. I love the musical and movie to bits, though I have different feelings on it than others might (like how I actually like Christine and Raoul together). Novels where people are performing drama productions, especially musicals? Me want. One where they're performing The Phantom of the Opera? OUT OF MY WAY BEFORE I CUT YOU.

This is not worth getting excited over. It's worth running from like...more See more of my reviews sooner on The YA Kitten!

Don't get me started on The Phantom of the Opera. Just don't. I love the musical and movie to bits, though I have different feelings on it than others might (like how I actually like Christine and Raoul together). Novels where people are performing drama productions, especially musicals? Me want. One where they're performing The Phantom of the Opera? OUT OF MY WAY BEFORE I CUT YOU.

This is not worth getting excited over. It's worth running from like it's got a knife in hand and it wants to stab you in the neck. Phantom is an insult to YA literature and to The Phantom of the Opera, among many other things. This book shouldn't even be allowed to exist, it's such an insult to The Phantom of the Opera. I could rant forever on this one, but I'll try to keep it trim and short.

So we have Rebecca, our oh-so-perfect heroine who naturally has a professionally trained singing voice that lets her hit all the notes she needs to for her role. Then there's Tom, the annoying first love interest, and Lord Justyn, the second annoying love interest who has the title Lord for absolutely no reason. I checked. There really isn't a reason. Justyn talks like he's from centuries ago. When he says he won't kiss her until he knows he has her completely, body and soul, it's creepy instead of romantic. Any teenage boys says that to me, they get tased in the nuts. Then there's our mean girl Wendy, who is flatter than a piece of paper and who earns way more of my sympathy than Rebecca. The love triangle is flat, the relationships are not well-developed, etc. etc.

The writing is nothing but tell, tell, tell and there are multiple errors throughout. We're told how shy Rebecca is, how Gothic Justyn (sorry, Lord Justyn) is, how irritating Tom's best friend Jay is, how horrible Wendy is for no reason, and more. There's not one thing about the writing that is enjoyable or actually shown. Andrea Bocelli's name is misspelled as Andre Bocelli, heroine is used where heroin should be used in another place, modus operandi is misspelled motis operandi, and there are many basic grammar errors

Then we've also got some casual ableism; just because students don't like the janitor Mr. Russ, he's a schizophrenic nut job. For whatever reason, Rebecca continues to date her boyfriend even after he starts to regularly assault the guy she really likes, and she also continues to do so when she suspects either guy could be the one killing people and making threats. Hell, she even decides to date Tom after he calls one of her best friends a fat cow! Brains: she has none.

Phantom is especially on my shitlist because of its complete disregard for how school newspapers work. I did journalism three years in high school and was senior editor for one of them. A non-staff member submitting a story that falsely calls a student a suspect in a murder case and implies the student was having an affair with the fifty-something murder victim? Like hell that's getting printed, especially without a fact check! That should be laughed at and promptly put through the shredder. Yet this somehow gets printed in their school newspaper. Are you kidding me?

And this is apparently the first of a trilogy--the Dark Musicals trilogy. Count me out. Ugh, this book makes me want to go bathe myself until I've scrubbed away my skin. Other Phans should hide from this book like they're trying to avoid getting eaten during the zombie apocalypse.(less)

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Phantom (Dark Musicals #1)

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