What do you think?
Rate this book
Glitter #1
Glitter
Outside the palace of Versailles, it’s modern day. Inside, the people dress, eat, and act like it’s the eighteenth century—with the added bonus of technology to make court life lavish, privileged, and frivolous. The palace has every indulgence, but for one pretty young thing, it’s about to become a very beautiful prison.
When Danica witnesses an act of murder by the young king, her mother makes a cruel power play . . . blackmailing the king into making Dani his queen. When she turns eighteen, Dani will marry the most ruthless and dangerous man of the court. She has six months to escape her terrifying destiny. Six months to raise enough money to disappear into the real world beyond the palace gates.
Her ticket out? Glitter. A drug so powerful that a tiny pinch mixed into a pot of rouge or lip gloss can make the wearer hopelessly addicted. Addicted to a drug Dani can sell for more money than she ever dreamed.
But in Versailles, secrets are impossible to keep. And the most dangerous secret—falling for a drug dealer outside the palace walls—is one risk she has to take.
When Danica witnesses an act of murder by the young king, her mother makes a cruel power play . . . blackmailing the king into making Dani his queen. When she turns eighteen, Dani will marry the most ruthless and dangerous man of the court. She has six months to escape her terrifying destiny. Six months to raise enough money to disappear into the real world beyond the palace gates.
Her ticket out? Glitter. A drug so powerful that a tiny pinch mixed into a pot of rouge or lip gloss can make the wearer hopelessly addicted. Addicted to a drug Dani can sell for more money than she ever dreamed.
But in Versailles, secrets are impossible to keep. And the most dangerous secret—falling for a drug dealer outside the palace walls—is one risk she has to take.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 25, 2016
About the author
Aprilynne Pike
56 books5,005 followersAprilynne Pike has been spinning faerie stories since she was a child with a hyper-active imagination. At the age of twenty she received her BA in Creative Writing from Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. When not writing, Aprilynne can usually be found at the gym; she also enjoys singing, acting, reading, and working with pregnant moms as a childbirth educator and doula. Aprilynne currently lives with her husband and three kids in Utah, and dreams of warmer climates.
Aprilynne Pike's #1 New York Times best-selling debut, WINGS, is the first of four books about a seemingly ordinary girl with a not-so-ordinary destiny. In this tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever...
Aprilynne's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/aprilynnepike
Aprilynne Pike's #1 New York Times best-selling debut, WINGS, is the first of four books about a seemingly ordinary girl with a not-so-ordinary destiny. In this tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever...
Aprilynne's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/aprilynnepike
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 734 reviews
June 25, 2018
all i could think while reading this was ‘go insane, go insane, throw some glitter, make it rain.’ lol.
besides the random kesha song reference, this was actually better than i thought it would be. i was well prepared to dislike this based on friends reviews, but i didnt! dont get me wrong - this is far from being the best book i have ever read, but it had some entertaining elements. once i got past the apparent genre identity crisis (this book is confused as to whether its historical fiction, fantasy, sci-fi, or dystopian), the story itself was pretty okay. the characters werent memorable, but they held my attention until the end. i also think the plot was set up nicely for the second book. i would recommend this for anyone who has some spare time to kill and looking for something relatively easy/superficial to read.
3 stars
besides the random kesha song reference, this was actually better than i thought it would be. i was well prepared to dislike this based on friends reviews, but i didnt! dont get me wrong - this is far from being the best book i have ever read, but it had some entertaining elements. once i got past the apparent genre identity crisis (this book is confused as to whether its historical fiction, fantasy, sci-fi, or dystopian), the story itself was pretty okay. the characters werent memorable, but they held my attention until the end. i also think the plot was set up nicely for the second book. i would recommend this for anyone who has some spare time to kill and looking for something relatively easy/superficial to read.
3 stars
May 10, 2022
Trigger Warnings: rape and sexual abuse, drug usage, physical abuse, murder.
This book is...interesting.
I honestly don’t know what I want to say about this book. I enjoyed it, but I also didn’t? I’m so confused?
The conceptand the cover had me sold: Marie-Antoinette era world-building - but make it futuristic. I loved that idea. And “Glitter” did not disappoint. There was so much silk and feathers and lace and makeup and the whole atmosphere was just scandalous.
The world-building just made it so addictive. Basically, in the year two thousand eighty-something, the company Sonoma managed to somehow buy the Palace of Versailles and the land around it, and turned it into its own kingdom - complete with Marie-Antoinette era gowns, culture, food and hierarchy, etc. Plus a few technological upgrades, like holograms, robot servants, and...you know, basic fucking bank accounts.
Oh, the palace is also run by a programmed computer system that commands basically everything save the humans and their stuff.
The problem with Sonoman-Versailles is that their currency is credits, which are technological and have no real value anywhere outside of court. Also the fact that it shares the name of the city it resides in.
The setting of this book gave me hope for my impractical fantasy of running down a castle hallway with my beautiful skirts trailing along the stone floor behind me. Excluding the fact that I would absolutely trip over said beautiful skirts and end up with a tiara-sized concussion.
The plot, however, had me questioning why the hell I like this book. Danica Grayson, our main character, is stuck in an arranged marriage to the King of Sonoman-Versailles. She doesn’t want to be queen, but her scheming mother has blackmailed both her and King Wyndham into an engagement. Pretty cliché so far.
But Danica refuses to be married to the King (rightfully so, since she witnessed him r@ping someone while choking her to death) and searches for a way out. She finds a crime lord willing to smuggle her out of the palace, but the price he is asking is too much money. So what does she do?
She starts peddling drugs. Glitter, to be exact. Glitter, true to its name, is a dermatologically applied drug (translation: you put it on your skin to get high) that looks like a sparkly substance. Not only is it extremely addictive, it costs a shit ton. And if Danica sells enough before the wedding, she’ll be free.
Oh. But of course there’s a romance with the crime lord’s sexy apprentice.
*sigh*
To be honest, I didn’t really like the plot. The whole escape-the-arranged-marriage trope mixed in with the forbidden-sexy-affair trope just didn’t work for me. This book sounds like a scandalous high-stakes espionage type of thing and it's really not. I liked some of it, sure. I was interested in what would happen, but I wasn’t feeling invested.
The characters were recognizable, but not super amazing. None of them really connected with me and I just didn’t care too much about them. They had good personalities and everything. I just don’t think they were enough. They were one-sided and there wasn’t a ton of development.
Danica was...eh. I didn’t really like her. She annoyed me. She just didn’t have anything about her that made me root for her, other than the fact that I didn’t want her to marry the King. Her main personality traits were lying to save her reputation (this happens a lot with the whole court intrigue thing), her “trained poise”, and her attraction to Saber. I liked that she wasn’t a perfect main character and that she had to undergo a lot to become part of the court, but I didn’t care about anything else. She was just so useless sometimes. Cool, you understand how to waltz ~better than other girls~ and choose hot-fashion gowns but do you know what the fuck the words “run away” mean?
Saber was the forbidden love interest. He was pretty sucky. He was constantly condescending and rude, but that didn’t matter because of his “bottle-green eyes” and his sexy abs. Duh. His personality consisted of yelling at Danica rudely, yelling at Danica overprotectively, and glaring. But of course his ~traumatic backstory~ and ~soft side~ overrule how much of an asshole he was.
Lord Aaron was probably my favorite character. This man was a gay icon and a hacker and probably saved Danica’s life a few times without her even realizing it.
Lady Mei was annoying and vain but she still had more personality than Danica.Of course she was the only Asian character in this book and of course she was Chinese, but Lord Aaron was both black and gay so I don’t think it was really a diversity thing.
Molli didn’t really matter to me. She was blonde and pretty and poorer than Danica, and also a bit of an airhead. I didn’t care about her.
King Justin Wyndham was probably the most fleshed-out character in this book, and that’s concerning considering that he was a murderous conniving powerful rapist. But the fact that I could actually come up with words to describe him without staring at the computer screen for five minutes tells you that he actually had a personality and almost had some depth.
Honestly, the only thing I really liked about this book was the world-building and the atmosphere, because I had an obsession with Marie-Antoinette(mostly her gowns and hair) when I was younger and this book just had such a rich setting. The plot and characters were kinda trashy and it wasn’t really my style, but I’ve reread it a few times and enjoyed it.
I think that if I didn’t like the world-building so much, this review would have been a rant, but if I had cared more about the plot and characters, it would have been a rave. It’s that kind of book.
Overall, this book would have been much shorter and sweeter if Danica had a few fucking brain cells, but it was enjoyable and I liked it. It’s just not quality content, more like a soap-drama-and-aesthetic read.
This book is...interesting.
I honestly don’t know what I want to say about this book. I enjoyed it, but I also didn’t? I’m so confused?
The concept
The world-building just made it so addictive. Basically, in the year two thousand eighty-something, the company Sonoma managed to somehow buy the Palace of Versailles and the land around it, and turned it into its own kingdom - complete with Marie-Antoinette era gowns, culture, food and hierarchy, etc. Plus a few technological upgrades, like holograms, robot servants, and...you know, basic fucking bank accounts.
Oh, the palace is also run by a programmed computer system that commands basically everything save the humans and their stuff.
The problem with Sonoman-Versailles is that their currency is credits, which are technological and have no real value anywhere outside of court. Also the fact that it shares the name of the city it resides in.
The setting of this book gave me hope for my impractical fantasy of running down a castle hallway with my beautiful skirts trailing along the stone floor behind me. Excluding the fact that I would absolutely trip over said beautiful skirts and end up with a tiara-sized concussion.
The plot, however, had me questioning why the hell I like this book. Danica Grayson, our main character, is stuck in an arranged marriage to the King of Sonoman-Versailles. She doesn’t want to be queen, but her scheming mother has blackmailed both her and King Wyndham into an engagement. Pretty cliché so far.
But Danica refuses to be married to the King (rightfully so, since she witnessed him r@ping someone while choking her to death) and searches for a way out. She finds a crime lord willing to smuggle her out of the palace, but the price he is asking is too much money. So what does she do?
She starts peddling drugs. Glitter, to be exact. Glitter, true to its name, is a dermatologically applied drug (translation: you put it on your skin to get high) that looks like a sparkly substance. Not only is it extremely addictive, it costs a shit ton. And if Danica sells enough before the wedding, she’ll be free.
Oh. But of course there’s a romance with the crime lord’s sexy apprentice.
*sigh*
To be honest, I didn’t really like the plot. The whole escape-the-arranged-marriage trope mixed in with the forbidden-sexy-affair trope just didn’t work for me. This book sounds like a scandalous high-stakes espionage type of thing and it's really not. I liked some of it, sure. I was interested in what would happen, but I wasn’t feeling invested.
The characters were recognizable, but not super amazing. None of them really connected with me and I just didn’t care too much about them. They had good personalities and everything. I just don’t think they were enough. They were one-sided and there wasn’t a ton of development.
Danica was...eh. I didn’t really like her. She annoyed me. She just didn’t have anything about her that made me root for her, other than the fact that I didn’t want her to marry the King. Her main personality traits were lying to save her reputation (this happens a lot with the whole court intrigue thing), her “trained poise”, and her attraction to Saber. I liked that she wasn’t a perfect main character and that she had to undergo a lot to become part of the court, but I didn’t care about anything else. She was just so useless sometimes. Cool, you understand how to waltz ~better than other girls~ and choose hot-fashion gowns but do you know what the fuck the words “run away” mean?
Saber was the forbidden love interest. He was pretty sucky. He was constantly condescending and rude, but that didn’t matter because of his “bottle-green eyes” and his sexy abs. Duh. His personality consisted of yelling at Danica rudely, yelling at Danica overprotectively, and glaring. But of course his ~traumatic backstory~ and ~soft side~ overrule how much of an asshole he was.
Lord Aaron was probably my favorite character. This man was a gay icon and a hacker and probably saved Danica’s life a few times without her even realizing it.
Lady Mei was annoying and vain but she still had more personality than Danica.
Molli didn’t really matter to me. She was blonde and pretty and poorer than Danica, and also a bit of an airhead. I didn’t care about her.
King Justin Wyndham was probably the most fleshed-out character in this book, and that’s concerning considering that he was a murderous conniving powerful rapist. But the fact that I could actually come up with words to describe him without staring at the computer screen for five minutes tells you that he actually had a personality and almost had some depth.
Honestly, the only thing I really liked about this book was the world-building and the atmosphere, because I had an obsession with Marie-Antoinette
I think that if I didn’t like the world-building so much, this review would have been a rant, but if I had cared more about the plot and characters, it would have been a rave. It’s that kind of book.
Overall, this book would have been much shorter and sweeter if Danica had a few fucking brain cells, but it was enjoyable and I liked it. It’s just not quality content, more like a soap-drama-and-aesthetic read.
December 11, 2016
Instagram || Twitter || Facebook || Amazon || Pinterest
That cliffhanger ending - ugh. I see now that it's a duology. It's been a while since I visited this book's Goodreads page clearly, because I was NOT expecting GLITER to end like that.
/cliffhangery rage
To be honest, I wasn't expecting to get this engaged with GLITTER at all. It was one of those ARCs I applied for on Netgalley on a whim. I liked the cover, the premise sounded vaguely interesting, and I recognized the author. Sometimes, that's all it takes to make me click that button. Foolishly so, because I've said - many times - that I'm tired of spoiled little rich girl fantasies and costume dystopian fiction.
GLITTER is both of these things, but somehow - bear with me - it pulls it off.
The concept is laughable, eye-roll-worthy, even. In the future, rich tech executives from California have purchased Versailles from France and turned it into their very own city-state. Despite having advanced technology, they continue to wear clothing from 18th century France, speaking the language, and even carrying on some of the traditions (like the lever, or the process of watching the Queen get up and prepare her morning routine - for a costly admission, of course).
Danica was born a commoner, but thanks to her mother's scheming, a bit of blackmail, and some expensive plastic surgery, she's all set to be the next Queen of Versailles. The only problem with that is that she doesn't want to be Queen. The King is kind of a psychopath. She's seen him do horrible things and is afraid that he'll do those things to her - or worse - if they're married. So she finds a criminal underlord of considerable power and strikes him a deal: if she is able to raise five million euros before her wedding, he'll help her escape.
How does she decide to raise the money? Highly addictive drugs.
Danica is an interesting character. Yes, there's a lot of descriptions of dresses and makeup (and the lever), and yes, there's a bit of insta-love. But Dani is no Bella Swan. She's cunning and quick-witted. All she wants to do is survive. She's a bit destructive, as well. At first, the constant descriptions of her slender waist really annoyed me, but then, as the story went on, and we see how she's constantly tightening her corset to the point of bruising pain and lightheadedness, it starts to feel less like superficial bullsh*t and more like someone who is resorting to self-harm because they don't like themselves, or their situation in life, and are exacting revenge on the one thing they can control:
their own body
GLITTER, despite its title and cover, is a pretty dark read. People die. People do drugs. People make bad choices. There are consequences. Consequences is a concept that some YA novels forget about, because consequences are not always tidy and can create a snarl in a plot that an author may want streamlined (and at the cost of characterization). But GLITTER has consequences. It has them in spades. I'm very impressed with this work, and I'm already itching to get my hands on the sequel.
4 to 4.5 stars.
October 8, 2016
I was sold at the tagline of "Breaking Bad meets Marie Antoinette", but then I saw the cover and was even more interested. I love the idea of a modern society choosing to live like French society.
I liked Danica well enough. She's not the best person in the world and knows what's she's doing is wrong, but chooses to continue to do it. Yet, I can't find total fault with that. I'm sure I would do the same. She's loyal to her friends, even though it doesn't look like it. Molli and Lord Aaron were delightful characters and I wish we would have gotten more with them.
The plot had me captivated right from the beginning. There were a few things I definitely didn't see coming and an ending seriously made me crazy.
Overall, it was an entertaining and fun read. I sincerely hope there's another book.
**Huge thanks to Random House for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
I liked Danica well enough. She's not the best person in the world and knows what's she's doing is wrong, but chooses to continue to do it. Yet, I can't find total fault with that. I'm sure I would do the same. She's loyal to her friends, even though it doesn't look like it. Molli and Lord Aaron were delightful characters and I wish we would have gotten more with them.
The plot had me captivated right from the beginning. There were a few things I definitely didn't see coming and an ending seriously made me crazy.
Overall, it was an entertaining and fun read. I sincerely hope there's another book.
**Huge thanks to Random House for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
August 9, 2016
“Decent hostess,” Saber says with a deep, low laugh. “What you're essentially doing is tricking these women- these people- into a serious addiction. I don't think the word decent has any place in this conversation.”
“The guilt washes over me again as I hand one of those to Lord Aaron's love, but I remind myself that perhaps with a bit of loosening up, Sir Spencer would be willing to...dally with Aaron a bit more.”
DNF @ 52%
The main character in this novel is so despicable that I cannot stand to read another page of this evil woman's “adventures”. Basically she is engaged to an asshole and needs money to run away, so she decides to put drugs in a new makeup line and sell it to her friends and neighbors.
She laces the makeup with drugs to make sure people keep buying more...without them having any knowledge that she is getting them addicted to a serious drug. And god forbid some little girl decides to play with her mother's makeup...I decided to stop reading before it came to that point.
Incoherent Plot Hole Ramblings
I don't get it, and at this point I don't even care. Initially I was interested in the plot but the characters just ruined everything.
Buy, Borrow or Bin Verdict: Bin 2/5 for strong start
Check out more of my reviews here
Note: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
“The guilt washes over me again as I hand one of those to Lord Aaron's love, but I remind myself that perhaps with a bit of loosening up, Sir Spencer would be willing to...dally with Aaron a bit more.”
DNF @ 52%
The main character in this novel is so despicable that I cannot stand to read another page of this evil woman's “adventures”. Basically she is engaged to an asshole and needs money to run away, so she decides to put drugs in a new makeup line and sell it to her friends and neighbors.
She laces the makeup with drugs to make sure people keep buying more...without them having any knowledge that she is getting them addicted to a serious drug. And god forbid some little girl decides to play with her mother's makeup...I decided to stop reading before it came to that point.
Incoherent Plot Hole Ramblings
I don't get it, and at this point I don't even care. Initially I was interested in the plot but the characters just ruined everything.
Buy, Borrow or Bin Verdict: Bin 2/5 for strong start
Check out more of my reviews here
Note: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
October 17, 2016
Mini review:
DNF
I received this E-ARC via the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was so looking forward to reading this! It sounded wonderful! But unfortunately I found it utterly boring.
I cannot bring myself to recommend it.
DNF
I received this E-ARC via the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was so looking forward to reading this! It sounded wonderful! But unfortunately I found it utterly boring.
I cannot bring myself to recommend it.
Shelved as 'nevermind'
September 4, 2016Got an arc of this in the mail today! Yay!
November 15, 2016
5 Words: Grandeur, betrayal, friendship, drugs, escape.
Starting this, I was thrown a little by the writing style, it's not what I'm used to, and it did mean that it did take a little while to get settled into the story.
I didn't like the main character. I just couldn't like Danica after all that she did, after every foolish decision. She does some pretty despicable things.
That said, the ending thoroughly surprised me and I do want to read on.
This is one of those books you read because you're looking for something fun, when you want to suspend disbelief. If you are looking for the epitome of good fiction then you won't find it here, but it is a quite fun, if morally-questionable, read.
Starting this, I was thrown a little by the writing style, it's not what I'm used to, and it did mean that it did take a little while to get settled into the story.
I didn't like the main character. I just couldn't like Danica after all that she did, after every foolish decision. She does some pretty despicable things.
That said, the ending thoroughly surprised me and I do want to read on.
This is one of those books you read because you're looking for something fun, when you want to suspend disbelief. If you are looking for the epitome of good fiction then you won't find it here, but it is a quite fun, if morally-questionable, read.
November 28, 2017
Picture it my darlings: The palace of Versailles, gold trimmed everything, corsets and coattails, jewels upon diamonds, frivolous spending, a cutthroat society and cakes that would make THE Marie Antoinette weep with longing! *Sigh* cinched waists, social climbing and overly-priced deaths?! What more could we ask for!
Now if that doesn’t make you twiddle your fingers with delight, then maybe this will! This little gem is set in modern times, but the inhabitants of the palace of Versailles keep tradition. Their fashions, politics, and dialect haven’t changed a bit…except they make have toned the French down a bit in exchange for English. This, my dear readers, is something like you have NEVER read before.
Danica Grayson is trying to buy her way out of Versailles, in the hopes that she won’t be forced to become Queen. Though becoming Queen is a dream for most of the Lady’s residing in Versailles, for Danica, it’s her biggest nightmare. After Danica accidentally witnesses the King murder a young women, her mother blackmails the King into making Danica his betrothed. Now with only months to escape the palace, Danica must find a way to raise 5 million Euros to buy her way out forever. But how? After discovering that her father has a nasty addiction to a street drug that comes in the form of patches, Danica comes up with a brilliant idea and gets herself in touch with his supplier. The drug is called Glitter, and Danica plans to sell it to everyone in the palace of Versailles, in a new cosmetics line. With this highly addictive drug made into shimmering face creams and lip balms, the extravagant women of Versailles begin to spend everything they have in order to be in trend with the fashions and get their fix. But the King is smarter than he looks, and Danica is about to realize that the game she is playing make cost a life or two. She must decide if it really is worth it, to leave the palace of Versailles forever.
“With both of us in our finery and my arm on his, we appear to be a blissful couple headed off to a night of feverish revels—not a jailer escorting his prisoner to her cell in the first blush of sunrise.“
THIS BOOK. IS. AMAZING.
Though this is placed in the palace of Versailles, and has some SERIOUS Marie Antionette-ness all over it, this story is truly something new and exciting. I found myself becoming truly enraptured with the world that Aprilynne Pike submerges the reader in, a world that holds both past and present times. Danica lives in Sonoman-Versailles, where the fashions and lingo mirror that of 18th-century France. But outside of Sonoman-Versailles, the world is very much like the one we live in. People where jeans and hoodies, they have cell phones, and they certainly do NOT have Kings and Queens. The meshing of these two worlds is truly something else, but I enjoyed that most of this story takes place in the palace. The fashions and politics displayed in Versailles are done beautifully by the author, and she even ensures to give the characters a very proper and distinct way of speaking to differentiate them from the rest of the world. I fell in love with the world that Danica was living in, even the horrors of it.
“Not something a gentlemen of breeding would ever do. Strangle a woman half his size during their amorous tryst? Yes. Crush her dress in public? Never.”
Danica was VERY interesting for me, because I still feel as if I don’t quite know her. At first her character seemed much smarter than all the riffraff that inhabits the palace, but at other times she seems just as ignorant. One moment I find her having a very mature and educated outlook on the world, and the next moment she is just as materialistic as the rest of women sauntering around the palace. That aside, I can’t help but adore her ferocity. This girl can be downright cold and calculated, and I…absolutely LOVE her for it. She can make cutthroat decisions and live with them, even if they tear her up a little inside. Though when it comes to a certain death, I am baffled at how tame her reaction is. I was expecting her character to have more human feeling than just crying a bit and moving on! She’s supposed to be the good one!
This story is ripping at the seams with manipulation and calculated moves. There are so many ruthless and deviant players that are working against Danica, even herself. The women of the palace are just as you would expect them to be, crawling over each other for the smallest crumb of extra acknowledgement or a chance at a higher social standing. But the biggest player of them all in this tale, is the king. The reader finds out early on that Justin (the king) is an atrocious and vile young man. He is arrogant, selfish, and is not above murder and scandal. His character DOES have a few moments of being…less horrible, which I find myself FASCINATED with! I have a hunch that he might turn a new leaf, maybe become somewhat less of an ass? Maybe not. But the fact that Danica is noticing these small moments as well makes you wonder…
“When one is dining with the devil himself,” I mutter, “a vast amount of preparation is in order.”
Glitter is one of those stories that entices you with a gorgeous cover and begs to be read. It snatches your attention and refuses to let it go, leaving you craving more and more…just like Danica’s cosmetics. I HIGHLY recommend that you guys purchase this book TODAY! Not only did it pull me out of my reading slump, it left me with a bit of a book hangover (which I am okay with). Gowns, games and glitter! You don’t need much else!
Now if that doesn’t make you twiddle your fingers with delight, then maybe this will! This little gem is set in modern times, but the inhabitants of the palace of Versailles keep tradition. Their fashions, politics, and dialect haven’t changed a bit…except they make have toned the French down a bit in exchange for English. This, my dear readers, is something like you have NEVER read before.
Danica Grayson is trying to buy her way out of Versailles, in the hopes that she won’t be forced to become Queen. Though becoming Queen is a dream for most of the Lady’s residing in Versailles, for Danica, it’s her biggest nightmare. After Danica accidentally witnesses the King murder a young women, her mother blackmails the King into making Danica his betrothed. Now with only months to escape the palace, Danica must find a way to raise 5 million Euros to buy her way out forever. But how? After discovering that her father has a nasty addiction to a street drug that comes in the form of patches, Danica comes up with a brilliant idea and gets herself in touch with his supplier. The drug is called Glitter, and Danica plans to sell it to everyone in the palace of Versailles, in a new cosmetics line. With this highly addictive drug made into shimmering face creams and lip balms, the extravagant women of Versailles begin to spend everything they have in order to be in trend with the fashions and get their fix. But the King is smarter than he looks, and Danica is about to realize that the game she is playing make cost a life or two. She must decide if it really is worth it, to leave the palace of Versailles forever.
“With both of us in our finery and my arm on his, we appear to be a blissful couple headed off to a night of feverish revels—not a jailer escorting his prisoner to her cell in the first blush of sunrise.“
THIS BOOK. IS. AMAZING.
Though this is placed in the palace of Versailles, and has some SERIOUS Marie Antionette-ness all over it, this story is truly something new and exciting. I found myself becoming truly enraptured with the world that Aprilynne Pike submerges the reader in, a world that holds both past and present times. Danica lives in Sonoman-Versailles, where the fashions and lingo mirror that of 18th-century France. But outside of Sonoman-Versailles, the world is very much like the one we live in. People where jeans and hoodies, they have cell phones, and they certainly do NOT have Kings and Queens. The meshing of these two worlds is truly something else, but I enjoyed that most of this story takes place in the palace. The fashions and politics displayed in Versailles are done beautifully by the author, and she even ensures to give the characters a very proper and distinct way of speaking to differentiate them from the rest of the world. I fell in love with the world that Danica was living in, even the horrors of it.
“Not something a gentlemen of breeding would ever do. Strangle a woman half his size during their amorous tryst? Yes. Crush her dress in public? Never.”
Danica was VERY interesting for me, because I still feel as if I don’t quite know her. At first her character seemed much smarter than all the riffraff that inhabits the palace, but at other times she seems just as ignorant. One moment I find her having a very mature and educated outlook on the world, and the next moment she is just as materialistic as the rest of women sauntering around the palace. That aside, I can’t help but adore her ferocity. This girl can be downright cold and calculated, and I…absolutely LOVE her for it. She can make cutthroat decisions and live with them, even if they tear her up a little inside. Though when it comes to a certain death, I am baffled at how tame her reaction is. I was expecting her character to have more human feeling than just crying a bit and moving on! She’s supposed to be the good one!
This story is ripping at the seams with manipulation and calculated moves. There are so many ruthless and deviant players that are working against Danica, even herself. The women of the palace are just as you would expect them to be, crawling over each other for the smallest crumb of extra acknowledgement or a chance at a higher social standing. But the biggest player of them all in this tale, is the king. The reader finds out early on that Justin (the king) is an atrocious and vile young man. He is arrogant, selfish, and is not above murder and scandal. His character DOES have a few moments of being…less horrible, which I find myself FASCINATED with! I have a hunch that he might turn a new leaf, maybe become somewhat less of an ass? Maybe not. But the fact that Danica is noticing these small moments as well makes you wonder…
“When one is dining with the devil himself,” I mutter, “a vast amount of preparation is in order.”
Glitter is one of those stories that entices you with a gorgeous cover and begs to be read. It snatches your attention and refuses to let it go, leaving you craving more and more…just like Danica’s cosmetics. I HIGHLY recommend that you guys purchase this book TODAY! Not only did it pull me out of my reading slump, it left me with a bit of a book hangover (which I am okay with). Gowns, games and glitter! You don’t need much else!
October 23, 2016
3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2016/10/23/...
On the face of it, the premise behind this book resembles something which might have resulted from an ill-considered bet, quite possibly after a wild night of tequila shots. “Duuuuuude, what if you made Breaking Bad take place during the French late Baroque period? Except everything’s, like, totally in the future? You could have Marie Antoinette peddling pep pills out of her panniers! Bet you couldn’t write a story about that.”
“Just watch me!” says my imaginary Aprilynne Pike. And so, we have Glitter, a novel featuring a weird cocktail of historical and futuristic elements, where you will frequently find things like tablets or servitor bots mentioned in the same sentence as corsets and petticoats. All of this is set to the backdrop of the Versailles, where the interiors have been transformed back to their 18th century royal court-and-pomp glory. While modern day life outside the palace goes on as normal, inside its marbled walls the people live much differently, dressing, acting, talking and even eating like it’s still the 1700s.
The reason for this bizarre scenario is soon given, and seriously, you have to read it to believe it. Sometime in this world’s past, a global famine swept the planet, and the only way people survived was thanks to a new kind of crop seed developed and sold by Sonoma Inc. The company then became so stinking rich that, when France fell into massive debt and started offering up its landmarks for sale out of sheer desperation, Sonoma jumped at the chance to purchase the Versailles under the guise of a historical society. After screwing France out of one its most beloved heritage sites, they decided to rename it Sonoma-Versailles and the palace became sort of its own little corporation-kingdom. And since the CEO of Sonoma back then was a huge Louis XIV enthusiast, he made himself and everyone that worked for him live like the decadent royals and courtiers did back when his favorite monarch sat the throne (only with all the luxuries of modern technology too, of course). The tradition continued after him, so that now, three generations later, it has become the culture within Sonoma-Versailles.
Understandably, it’s a bit hard to categorize this novel. I’m not even sure how to describe it (is there such a thing as historical sci-fi?) but whatever it is, it’s crazy and weird but also strangely appealing. If you can get past the sheer absurdity and logical gaps (for one thing, how does a company like Sonoma Inc. manage to stay so rich, when all of their top execs are literally doing nothing but LARPing the Court of the Sun King?) then you’ll find this story is actually quite an entertaining read.
Still, perhaps it is because so much convoluted background information was required to explain its ridiculous premise, the actual hook of the story doesn’t even come about until well into the novel. Our protagonist, Danica Grayson, was just a daughter of a low-ranking Sonoma employee until her father unexpectedly inherited an influential position at the palace. Her power-hungry mother Angela immediately uses this an opportunity to groom Dani to catch the eye of King Justin, Sonoma’s current young CEO. The problem is, Justin turns out to be a murdering megalomaniacal psychopath—not that it seems to bother Dani’s mom one bit. In fact, Angela only uses the King’s dirty secrets to blackmail him into agreeing to marry Dani, so that her daughter can become queen.
Desperate to escape her betrothal, Dani seeks out a crime boss in Paris to help smuggle her out of Sonoma-Versailles. Problem is, his fee is enormous, and she can’t come anywhere close to meeting it on her own. So Dani decides to make a bargain with the crime boss: she’ll mix and deal a highly addictive kind of new drug called Glitter for him, under the pretense of selling it as cosmetics to her unsuspecting peers at court. The plan is that they will all get hopelessly addicted to Dani’s new makeup products and keep throwing money at her to buy more of it without ever knowing why, and she will make her fee and be out of there before her wedding to the King.
Okay. So I had one major issue with this book, and after laying out Dani’s situation, you can probably guess what it is.
The blurb for this book compares it to Breaking Bad and I can see why one would draw that parallel. After all, the show’s main character Walter White also had to resort to cooking and selling drugs because he needed the money, even though it is a heinous thing to do. However, Walter still came off as sympathetic character not only because he was in a bad situation, but also because he was initially doing it to secure his family’s future and well-being. Dani, on the other hand, never managed to earn that kind of sympathy from me. Yes, she was in a bad situation too, but foisting a highly dangerous and addictive new drug on her unwitting fellow courtiers without their knowledge or consent, with the express goal to get them hooked so she can get rich fast?
That is APPALLING.
At first, I didn’t like it, but still had to admire Dani for her cajones. She didn’t want to have to marry her psycho King, I get that. But somehow, being in a bad place made her feel justified to put hundreds of others in a bad place too, even after the horrors of watching her own father deal with Glitter addiction. In the end, it was Dani’s complete disregard for innocent human life that really put a damper on my feelings for this book. To her credit, I think the author knew that her protagonist would be a tough sell, and tried to soften the blow by trying to convince us that Dani had no choice, or that she was frequently wracked with guilt. Thing is, I just didn’t buy it. Dani had plenty of opportunities to back out, but she made the conscious decision not to at every single turn.
I also didn’t like the romance too much. It was like a light switched on and Dani and Saber went from hating each other one day to professing their undying love the next. Their relationship was an awkward match right from the start, when Dani was halfway to throwing herself at Saber the moment she laid eyes on him—even though they’d barely spoken two words to each other. If only she had showed even a fraction of that regard for the clueless folks she’s secretly doping up in Sonoma-Versailles.
Glitter was a very interesting book though, I have to give it that. I was intrigued the moment I read its synopsis, not to mention a little skeptical, but Aprilynne Pike pulled it all off with unashamed poise and gusto. The world-building is a bit iffy in places, but I really didn’t mind that too much. My main complaints had to do with the protagonist, and had she been a tad less despicable I probably would have enjoyed this book even more. If the next book promises growth for Dani, I just might be convinced to continue the series.
On the face of it, the premise behind this book resembles something which might have resulted from an ill-considered bet, quite possibly after a wild night of tequila shots. “Duuuuuude, what if you made Breaking Bad take place during the French late Baroque period? Except everything’s, like, totally in the future? You could have Marie Antoinette peddling pep pills out of her panniers! Bet you couldn’t write a story about that.”
“Just watch me!” says my imaginary Aprilynne Pike. And so, we have Glitter, a novel featuring a weird cocktail of historical and futuristic elements, where you will frequently find things like tablets or servitor bots mentioned in the same sentence as corsets and petticoats. All of this is set to the backdrop of the Versailles, where the interiors have been transformed back to their 18th century royal court-and-pomp glory. While modern day life outside the palace goes on as normal, inside its marbled walls the people live much differently, dressing, acting, talking and even eating like it’s still the 1700s.
The reason for this bizarre scenario is soon given, and seriously, you have to read it to believe it. Sometime in this world’s past, a global famine swept the planet, and the only way people survived was thanks to a new kind of crop seed developed and sold by Sonoma Inc. The company then became so stinking rich that, when France fell into massive debt and started offering up its landmarks for sale out of sheer desperation, Sonoma jumped at the chance to purchase the Versailles under the guise of a historical society. After screwing France out of one its most beloved heritage sites, they decided to rename it Sonoma-Versailles and the palace became sort of its own little corporation-kingdom. And since the CEO of Sonoma back then was a huge Louis XIV enthusiast, he made himself and everyone that worked for him live like the decadent royals and courtiers did back when his favorite monarch sat the throne (only with all the luxuries of modern technology too, of course). The tradition continued after him, so that now, three generations later, it has become the culture within Sonoma-Versailles.
Understandably, it’s a bit hard to categorize this novel. I’m not even sure how to describe it (is there such a thing as historical sci-fi?) but whatever it is, it’s crazy and weird but also strangely appealing. If you can get past the sheer absurdity and logical gaps (for one thing, how does a company like Sonoma Inc. manage to stay so rich, when all of their top execs are literally doing nothing but LARPing the Court of the Sun King?) then you’ll find this story is actually quite an entertaining read.
Still, perhaps it is because so much convoluted background information was required to explain its ridiculous premise, the actual hook of the story doesn’t even come about until well into the novel. Our protagonist, Danica Grayson, was just a daughter of a low-ranking Sonoma employee until her father unexpectedly inherited an influential position at the palace. Her power-hungry mother Angela immediately uses this an opportunity to groom Dani to catch the eye of King Justin, Sonoma’s current young CEO. The problem is, Justin turns out to be a murdering megalomaniacal psychopath—not that it seems to bother Dani’s mom one bit. In fact, Angela only uses the King’s dirty secrets to blackmail him into agreeing to marry Dani, so that her daughter can become queen.
Desperate to escape her betrothal, Dani seeks out a crime boss in Paris to help smuggle her out of Sonoma-Versailles. Problem is, his fee is enormous, and she can’t come anywhere close to meeting it on her own. So Dani decides to make a bargain with the crime boss: she’ll mix and deal a highly addictive kind of new drug called Glitter for him, under the pretense of selling it as cosmetics to her unsuspecting peers at court. The plan is that they will all get hopelessly addicted to Dani’s new makeup products and keep throwing money at her to buy more of it without ever knowing why, and she will make her fee and be out of there before her wedding to the King.
Okay. So I had one major issue with this book, and after laying out Dani’s situation, you can probably guess what it is.
The blurb for this book compares it to Breaking Bad and I can see why one would draw that parallel. After all, the show’s main character Walter White also had to resort to cooking and selling drugs because he needed the money, even though it is a heinous thing to do. However, Walter still came off as sympathetic character not only because he was in a bad situation, but also because he was initially doing it to secure his family’s future and well-being. Dani, on the other hand, never managed to earn that kind of sympathy from me. Yes, she was in a bad situation too, but foisting a highly dangerous and addictive new drug on her unwitting fellow courtiers without their knowledge or consent, with the express goal to get them hooked so she can get rich fast?
That is APPALLING.
At first, I didn’t like it, but still had to admire Dani for her cajones. She didn’t want to have to marry her psycho King, I get that. But somehow, being in a bad place made her feel justified to put hundreds of others in a bad place too, even after the horrors of watching her own father deal with Glitter addiction. In the end, it was Dani’s complete disregard for innocent human life that really put a damper on my feelings for this book. To her credit, I think the author knew that her protagonist would be a tough sell, and tried to soften the blow by trying to convince us that Dani had no choice, or that she was frequently wracked with guilt. Thing is, I just didn’t buy it. Dani had plenty of opportunities to back out, but she made the conscious decision not to at every single turn.
I also didn’t like the romance too much. It was like a light switched on and Dani and Saber went from hating each other one day to professing their undying love the next. Their relationship was an awkward match right from the start, when Dani was halfway to throwing herself at Saber the moment she laid eyes on him—even though they’d barely spoken two words to each other. If only she had showed even a fraction of that regard for the clueless folks she’s secretly doping up in Sonoma-Versailles.
Glitter was a very interesting book though, I have to give it that. I was intrigued the moment I read its synopsis, not to mention a little skeptical, but Aprilynne Pike pulled it all off with unashamed poise and gusto. The world-building is a bit iffy in places, but I really didn’t mind that too much. My main complaints had to do with the protagonist, and had she been a tad less despicable I probably would have enjoyed this book even more. If the next book promises growth for Dani, I just might be convinced to continue the series.
October 8, 2016
This was fun! Full review to come...
April 18, 2017
"Some knights appear on white steeds; mine rides bejeweled heels with satin laces."
I tried to get my hands on this thing of beauty many times in the last months and finally, few weeks ago, Netgalley granted my wish. I must say that the only thing I knew about Glitter (a part from the fact that it’s got a stunning cover) was that it somehow dealt with drugs. I always try not to spoil too much of the plot before diving into a book. So, now that I finally read it, what is Glitter truly about? Well, the synopsis here on Goodreads says it all. Our setting is Sonoman-Versailles, a pocket sovereignty (gosh, what a difficult word to spell that is!) set in the palace of Versailles but that’s totally independent from France. Because of one of his formal King's quirks once entered the Palace one might as well think that they've travelled back in time since people in it live, dress and behave just like French people used to in the France of the XVIII century with the additional glamorous touch of everything being computerized. The Palace is kept under constant control by M.A.R.I.E. , a mainframe that records anything and everything that happens within Versailles’ walls. Or almost. Now, because M.A.R.I.E. is not completely omniscient things happen underneath its computerized nose and this kind of things are the reason why we cannot have nice things. Our main character is Danica and one day her mother finds out that the King has done a horrible thing and, through the mean of blackmail, she forces him to get engaged to her daughter. Danica though is having none of that, and rightly so. The King is an A-Hole (Danica’s words, not mine). In order to escape the King and her mother’s clutches Danica is desperate and she finds herself becoming a cuter version of Walter White, complete with a bodice and panniers. She begins working for a drug lord that’ll be able to grant her a safe escape at a quite high prize and so she starts cooking and smuggling this new substance called Glitter within the walls of the Palace not fully knowing, though, the consequences of her actions.
"You think you can just go do things and mess with people's lives without consulting them. That's your problem, that's the problem with all of this!"
I quite liked the fact that from the start the reader cannot really sympathize with Danica’s reasoning and we can see the flaws in her decisions right away. She’s young and naïve, has always lived a life in which it was her mother the one who took charge of things and now she finds herself alone dealing with stuff she doesn’t fully comprehend. Sure she’s smart but when dealing with an almost tyrant King who is trying to limit every ounce of freedom you have left for his own personal benefits while trying to handle an ever-growing drug-dealing business things are bound to get complicated. Plus Danica has her own morality to question: we’re talking about a girl who’s willing to sacrifice her clientele’s health for her own advantage (let’s not forget that she’s consciously getting people addicted to this substance against their will because she oh! forgot to mention that she's selling drugs and not merely glittery stuff)
The ending was complete wtfuckery. I loved it!
For a young adult novel I really appreciated how the romance was dealt with. In the beginning I was worried Danica was going to throw everything she had achieved to the wind for a pair of pretty green eyes but luckily enough that wasn’t the case.
Criticisms? The writing style was a bit messy but that might have been the main characters’ fancy speech and me not being a native made things more complicated. Also, I didn't quite get the dystopian setting. Sure thing it was original and clever and once I started reading about its quirks I didn't really question it but it still felt like the author had had a great idea and needed to write a story around it. Might have been far more insteresing if she had taken the time to explore this new world a little more.
I really liked this book nonetheless! Recommended for something original, heavily political and never read before! (Plus I owe it, it manage to help me during the awful reading slump that's been devouring me for the past two months!)
I kindly received this book from its publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I tried to get my hands on this thing of beauty many times in the last months and finally, few weeks ago, Netgalley granted my wish. I must say that the only thing I knew about Glitter (a part from the fact that it’s got a stunning cover) was that it somehow dealt with drugs. I always try not to spoil too much of the plot before diving into a book. So, now that I finally read it, what is Glitter truly about? Well, the synopsis here on Goodreads says it all. Our setting is Sonoman-Versailles, a pocket sovereignty (gosh, what a difficult word to spell that is!) set in the palace of Versailles but that’s totally independent from France. Because of one of his formal King's quirks once entered the Palace one might as well think that they've travelled back in time since people in it live, dress and behave just like French people used to in the France of the XVIII century with the additional glamorous touch of everything being computerized. The Palace is kept under constant control by M.A.R.I.E. , a mainframe that records anything and everything that happens within Versailles’ walls. Or almost. Now, because M.A.R.I.E. is not completely omniscient things happen underneath its computerized nose and this kind of things are the reason why we cannot have nice things. Our main character is Danica and one day her mother finds out that the King has done a horrible thing and, through the mean of blackmail, she forces him to get engaged to her daughter. Danica though is having none of that, and rightly so. The King is an A-Hole (Danica’s words, not mine). In order to escape the King and her mother’s clutches Danica is desperate and she finds herself becoming a cuter version of Walter White, complete with a bodice and panniers. She begins working for a drug lord that’ll be able to grant her a safe escape at a quite high prize and so she starts cooking and smuggling this new substance called Glitter within the walls of the Palace not fully knowing, though, the consequences of her actions.
"You think you can just go do things and mess with people's lives without consulting them. That's your problem, that's the problem with all of this!"
I quite liked the fact that from the start the reader cannot really sympathize with Danica’s reasoning and we can see the flaws in her decisions right away. She’s young and naïve, has always lived a life in which it was her mother the one who took charge of things and now she finds herself alone dealing with stuff she doesn’t fully comprehend. Sure she’s smart but when dealing with an almost tyrant King who is trying to limit every ounce of freedom you have left for his own personal benefits while trying to handle an ever-growing drug-dealing business things are bound to get complicated. Plus Danica has her own morality to question: we’re talking about a girl who’s willing to sacrifice her clientele’s health for her own advantage (let’s not forget that she’s consciously getting people addicted to this substance against their will because she oh! forgot to mention that she's selling drugs and not merely glittery stuff)
The ending was complete wtfuckery. I loved it!
For a young adult novel I really appreciated how the romance was dealt with. In the beginning I was worried Danica was going to throw everything she had achieved to the wind for a pair of pretty green eyes but luckily enough that wasn’t the case.
Criticisms? The writing style was a bit messy but that might have been the main characters’ fancy speech and me not being a native made things more complicated. Also, I didn't quite get the dystopian setting. Sure thing it was original and clever and once I started reading about its quirks I didn't really question it but it still felt like the author had had a great idea and needed to write a story around it. Might have been far more insteresing if she had taken the time to explore this new world a little more.
I really liked this book nonetheless! Recommended for something original, heavily political and never read before! (Plus I owe it, it manage to help me during the awful reading slump that's been devouring me for the past two months!)
I kindly received this book from its publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 29, 2016
In a futuristic version of Versailles in which people have modern technology and comforts they still live as if it's the eighteenth century as far as dress and society is concerned. Seventeen year old Danica stumbles upon the young King in a rather compromising position that ends in the death of a servant girl.
Using the situation Danica's mother bribes the King to marry her daughter to further their family without consideration for Danica. Danica now has six months until her eighteenth birthday to try to find her way out of a terrible situation.
Glitter really is one of those reads that is going to be extremely controversial among readers. The idea that the main character is being forced to marry someone she doesn't want to isn't exactly a new one in books but the author has certainly made this situation completely unique starting with the world she built and then the actions of the character to get out of the marriage.
The world in this story was certainly a unique one that I loved. While reading you know right away that the society is a bit more advanced that what we have today in the technology that is being added all along the read. But the book also has a historical feel to the setting with the wardrobes and social statuses of the characters. I will say I thought that the story did drag a bit with the constant mentioning of the clothing of the era after the first few times, some of that could have been cut out after establishing the setting.
In the story Glitter is a new drug and Danica comes up with a way to make the money she needs from selling it. The controversial part is that those buying is they have no idea that is what is happening. I found this very interesting reading if you put aside any moral concerns to what is going on. To me it's a work of fiction so I can let any concerns slide and dive right into finding out how this is going to all work out in the end of this unique story. The relationship in the story could have used a bit more attention too, perhaps focusing a bit more on it instead of Danica's wardrobe.
Overall, 3.5 stars. Certainly a unique story line although the drug involvement won't be for all readers. Absolutely loved the ending to this, a bit of a jaw dropper after all that led to it but also a bit of a chuckle but that is all I will say so as not to spoil this one.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
Using the situation Danica's mother bribes the King to marry her daughter to further their family without consideration for Danica. Danica now has six months until her eighteenth birthday to try to find her way out of a terrible situation.
Glitter really is one of those reads that is going to be extremely controversial among readers. The idea that the main character is being forced to marry someone she doesn't want to isn't exactly a new one in books but the author has certainly made this situation completely unique starting with the world she built and then the actions of the character to get out of the marriage.
The world in this story was certainly a unique one that I loved. While reading you know right away that the society is a bit more advanced that what we have today in the technology that is being added all along the read. But the book also has a historical feel to the setting with the wardrobes and social statuses of the characters. I will say I thought that the story did drag a bit with the constant mentioning of the clothing of the era after the first few times, some of that could have been cut out after establishing the setting.
In the story Glitter is a new drug and Danica comes up with a way to make the money she needs from selling it. The controversial part is that those buying is they have no idea that is what is happening. I found this very interesting reading if you put aside any moral concerns to what is going on. To me it's a work of fiction so I can let any concerns slide and dive right into finding out how this is going to all work out in the end of this unique story. The relationship in the story could have used a bit more attention too, perhaps focusing a bit more on it instead of Danica's wardrobe.
Overall, 3.5 stars. Certainly a unique story line although the drug involvement won't be for all readers. Absolutely loved the ending to this, a bit of a jaw dropper after all that led to it but also a bit of a chuckle but that is all I will say so as not to spoil this one.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
October 9, 2016
Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Before I get started, there is a trigger warning for this book. Be warned that there is physical and sexual abuse within its pages.
Glitter is told from the perspective of Danica (or Dani for short…yay!), 17-year-old soon-to-be Queen of Sonoman-Versailles. Except she really doesn’t want to be. After Dani witnesses the King committing a serious crime, her scheming mother makes a deal with the young monarch/CEO: marry title-less Dani in exchange for silence. In fear for her life wed to the King, Dani tries –and fails– to escape, but her desperation and dumb luck present her with an opportunity to get out, at a price.
I don’t think Glitter and I got off on the right foot. I found the concept really interesting, but I felt like I was always trying to catch up with what was going on. The world I was thrust in was confusing, with not enough background detail for me to understand what was happening at any given point until two pages later. However, once Dani’s plan started to unfold, I managed to get my footing and actually enjoy the journey.
Now the reason I was confused was the world. I will admit the world is extremely interesting, and I think a bit more frontloading of the world-building would have made a big difference for me. Glitter takes place in the future, so it’s technically science fiction, with advanced technology such as computerised contact lenses and artificial intelligence-controlled robots. However, Pike has managed to mesh past and future, with Dani living in the Palace of Versailles, with all the customs and clothing of 18th century France. Think Marie Antoinette. How was this accomplished? The King’s great-grandfather, CEO of Sonoman, arranged way back when to purchase the palace and surrounding area from France and turn it into a historical site, with employees of the company taking to the old ways with the aid of modern technology.
I’ve probably just confused you more, but it is a baffling idea at first.
While the world was really cool but confounding, I must admit I had a thing for Dani and Saber. Dani was desperate and naive and selfish, but she was not helpless and pathetic. She was extremely clever, with a knack for computers and business. I’m not saying what she did was right, tricking people into addiction, but I still had an odd respect for her strength. I also thought her way of taking control psychologically through tightening her corset was an interesting touch. And then Saber came in, and while I wasn’t completely convinced at first, he managed to give me the butterflies towards the end. When I found out why he was in the position he was in, I was devastated, and yet he kept going strong.
I do feel the need to say something about the King. He was a horrible person and did a horrible thing. BUT. What he was doing before the crime was committed cannot be held against him if it was between two consenting adults. If both parties were enjoying it, then fine. Not my cup of tea, but there are a lot of things that aren’t my cup of tea, but neither are they my business.
The ending was thrilling, and while I was suspicious of how it could possibly end well, I was not expecting the final few pages. I’m still rather shocked and worried about what comes next for Dani, and so I'm hoping there's a book 2!
Overall, if you can quickly pick up the context of Glitter, I do think it was an interesting, unique and exciting book!
Rating: 3.5 stars
Before I get started, there is a trigger warning for this book. Be warned that there is physical and sexual abuse within its pages.
Glitter is told from the perspective of Danica (or Dani for short…yay!), 17-year-old soon-to-be Queen of Sonoman-Versailles. Except she really doesn’t want to be. After Dani witnesses the King committing a serious crime, her scheming mother makes a deal with the young monarch/CEO: marry title-less Dani in exchange for silence. In fear for her life wed to the King, Dani tries –and fails– to escape, but her desperation and dumb luck present her with an opportunity to get out, at a price.
I don’t think Glitter and I got off on the right foot. I found the concept really interesting, but I felt like I was always trying to catch up with what was going on. The world I was thrust in was confusing, with not enough background detail for me to understand what was happening at any given point until two pages later. However, once Dani’s plan started to unfold, I managed to get my footing and actually enjoy the journey.
Now the reason I was confused was the world. I will admit the world is extremely interesting, and I think a bit more frontloading of the world-building would have made a big difference for me. Glitter takes place in the future, so it’s technically science fiction, with advanced technology such as computerised contact lenses and artificial intelligence-controlled robots. However, Pike has managed to mesh past and future, with Dani living in the Palace of Versailles, with all the customs and clothing of 18th century France. Think Marie Antoinette. How was this accomplished? The King’s great-grandfather, CEO of Sonoman, arranged way back when to purchase the palace and surrounding area from France and turn it into a historical site, with employees of the company taking to the old ways with the aid of modern technology.
I’ve probably just confused you more, but it is a baffling idea at first.
While the world was really cool but confounding, I must admit I had a thing for Dani and Saber. Dani was desperate and naive and selfish, but she was not helpless and pathetic. She was extremely clever, with a knack for computers and business. I’m not saying what she did was right, tricking people into addiction, but I still had an odd respect for her strength. I also thought her way of taking control psychologically through tightening her corset was an interesting touch. And then Saber came in, and while I wasn’t completely convinced at first, he managed to give me the butterflies towards the end. When I found out why he was in the position he was in, I was devastated, and yet he kept going strong.
I do feel the need to say something about the King. He was a horrible person and did a horrible thing. BUT. What he was doing before the crime was committed cannot be held against him if it was between two consenting adults. If both parties were enjoying it, then fine. Not my cup of tea, but there are a lot of things that aren’t my cup of tea, but neither are they my business.
The ending was thrilling, and while I was suspicious of how it could possibly end well, I was not expecting the final few pages. I’m still rather shocked and worried about what comes next for Dani, and so I'm hoping there's a book 2!
Overall, if you can quickly pick up the context of Glitter, I do think it was an interesting, unique and exciting book!
See this review in its natural environment, Dani Reviews Things.
March 31, 2021
I really enjoyed this book, but I didn’t know what to expect based on the cover. The Baroque society is really fascinating, so I can see the allure of living like that.
In this modern day world, high society live like it’s the eighteenth century. The current King’s great-grandfather arranged the purchase of the palace of Versailles and surrounding area from France, and turn it into a historical site. Residents and employees of the company take to the old ways with the aid of modern technology. They have corsets, style their hair in pompadours and coiffures, and live in that era of society. I admit that I didn’t know much about the palace of Versailles. This palace is where Marie Antoinette lived and her influence is still felt there. In this world, Sonoman-Versailles is independent of France, although the culture is undeniable French. This palace is really a world of it’s own within modern society.
I was confused at first because there technology and it is a bit science fiction, but I think the author did a great job of combining the styles to make eighteenth century living a bit more tolerable. Outside people live normally. Their fascination of the “royals” has no end. To the point where for a price, every Wednesday members of the public came come in and view the king and queen as they get ready for the day.
Dani is caught in a bad situation. Dani and her scheming mother witness the king murder a woman. Her mother decides the only way for the king to get away with this is to marry Dani, and make her queen. The king agrees but he isn’t happy. He all too prepared to make Dani’s life as queen hell. Dani wants out of that life and will do anything to get out of it. Including sell drugs to the high court to make enough money to pay for her surgeries into a new identity.
The technology in this place was really cool. The author has invented something called M.A.R.I.E- Mainframe for Autonomous Robotic Intelligence Enhancement, it is the mainframe for the palace of Versailles. Bots do all the hard work throughout the palace. Once Dani starts trying to pass off the highly addictive, Glitter, as face makeup, she has to be extra careful. M.A.R.I.E. sees everything and records it.
Dani wasn’t an easy character to relate to. She is a bit selfish, but I could understand her desperation. Dani is young and naïve, and what she does to try to get out of her future as queen is so questionable. I can’t wait to find out what happens next. This story also features a slow burn kind of romance that I really enjoyed. I sympathized with Saber and I liked Dani and him together.
This review is kinda long because I feel the need to justify my rating of this book. I think it will appeal to a certain type of reader who enjoys unique YA science fiction, with a little of the old world thrown in. It worked for me and I will definitely be reading the sequel!
January 7, 2018
Glitter had me totally hooked (pardon the pun) right from the start. I had just planned to take a look inside of this book, and I couldn’t stop reading. As usual, I didn’t read the book description, so I was just overwhelmed (in a positive sense) with the turn of events.
I loved the world building. It's fresh, new... fun to read. The mix of dystopia and historical fiction offers an interesting twist.
The characters have depth and diversity, and, although I didn't always (or hardly ever) agreed with her decisions, Danica is a fun and interesting character to follow.
Though I didn't like Danica's character at all, I really enjoyed the book! There are a few slow parts in the middle, but I found the premise fresh and original. There were enough surprises to keep me interested and intrigued.
I was especially happy to see that Justin and Saber's characters were given some depth. This pulled me back in when I was getting a bit annoyed, frustrated, ticked, angered at Danica and her actions.
This Breaking Bad meets Dystopia, meets rebellion, meets great escape, meets historical fiction, meets sci-fi futuristic fiction is captivating, riveting, and intriguing. I can highly recommend Glitter!
I received a copy of this book from Random House Children's Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
BUDDY READ: Dystopian/Sci-Fi > Glitter by Aprilynne Pike -- Starting August 2016
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
I loved the world building. It's fresh, new... fun to read. The mix of dystopia and historical fiction offers an interesting twist.
The characters have depth and diversity, and, although I didn't always (or hardly ever) agreed with her decisions, Danica is a fun and interesting character to follow.
Though I didn't like Danica's character at all, I really enjoyed the book! There are a few slow parts in the middle, but I found the premise fresh and original. There were enough surprises to keep me interested and intrigued.
I was especially happy to see that Justin and Saber's characters were given some depth. This pulled me back in when I was getting a bit annoyed, frustrated, ticked, angered at Danica and her actions.
This Breaking Bad meets Dystopia, meets rebellion, meets great escape, meets historical fiction, meets sci-fi futuristic fiction is captivating, riveting, and intriguing. I can highly recommend Glitter!
I received a copy of this book from Random House Children's Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
BUDDY READ: Dystopian/Sci-Fi > Glitter by Aprilynne Pike -- Starting August 2016
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Want to read
May 30, 2017Browsing Netgalley and the cover drew me in, but then I read the description:
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Aprilynne Pike comes a truly original new novel—Breaking Bad meets Marie Antoinette in a near-future world where the residents of Versailles live like it's the eighteenth century and an almost-queen turns to drug dealing to save her own life.
So, yeah. That got my attention, lol. Hopefully I get approved!
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Aprilynne Pike comes a truly original new novel—Breaking Bad meets Marie Antoinette in a near-future world where the residents of Versailles live like it's the eighteenth century and an almost-queen turns to drug dealing to save her own life.
So, yeah. That got my attention, lol. Hopefully I get approved!
October 13, 2019
"I looked the way my mother expected, carried myself with grace and poise, but though my mother threw me in the King's path at every opportunity, I never endeavored to win him. And he hardly noticed me.
Until that night when he had no choice."
3.5 out of 5 stars
What would happen if Joffrey got transported to a futuristic Paris and is now the ruler of the Palace of Versailles, but this Palace of Versailles is its own nation and functions as if it’s still the 18th century?
And what if Sansa, in an effort to avoid a marriage to this tyrannical man-child, decides that her only method of escape is to sell a drug that’s disguised as glittery makeup to the rich elite of Versailles?
Does it sound totally bonkers? Yes.
Did it work? Partially.
This book is why I am happy just to be reader and not a writer. Never in my wildest dreams could I think of a plot so convoluted and crazy. What’s more, I would never be able to pull it off.
And what’s more, the book actually manages to have a gorgeous cover and be pretty good at the same time. IT’S A MIRACLE, I TELL YOU.
The Sansa of our story is actually Dani, a commoner who just happens to witness the Boy King of Versailles murder someone. Her mother also witnesses this, and in a quest to elevate Dani’s social status, blackmails the king into marrying her daughter. Needless to say, Dani does not like the idea of being married to a murderer, but she can’t just up and leave.
She needs a plan, and that plan involves Glitter, a highly addictive street drug that she disguises in makeup. People become hooked and the money starts rolling in, which she will then use to fund her escape. She doesn’t expect to fall for a fellow drug dealer, and she doesn’t realize how deep a hole she’s fallen into.
I will admit this book was wildly entertaining. There are a lot of twists and turns, and the idea of recreating the opulence of 18th century France while there’s still a modern, outside world is pretty genius. It almost mirrors our society now, since we’re such a materialistic generation.
I also appreciate how gritty this book is. This novel goes to some pretty dark places, and there are a lot of morally gray characters who make questionable decisions. I can’t even point out a character who was 100% good or 100% bad, and that especially applies to the main character.
Dani was probably not meant to be likable. Granted, readers will sympathize with her because of the fact that she has to marry such a dickwad. However, the way she goes about her escape is extremely risky and questionable. She’s messing with people’s lives. She’s essentially making them addicted to a drug for life. She plans on running away and having other people deal with the aftermath of her actions.
And yet you might be able to understand why.
That’s a question that is brought up frequently in this book, and I do think the author addresses it very well. She doesn’t try to justify Dani’s actions or have the reader make up their mind definitively, but she does leave the question open.
I did think that the governmental system and the background on how the city-state of Versailles could have been handled a little bit better. I also would have liked a little bit more political talks and dealings. We’re told how Versailles became what it is, but we’re never really shown how the outside world really reacts to them. We’re told, but never shown.
Further, I also would have liked some of the side characters to have had a bit more substance to them. They seemed to be mothing more than characters designed just to fulfill a single purpose in the plot and nothing more. I couldn’t connect with them because of their one-dimensional nature; so when something happened to them, I really couldn’t bring myself to care.
The cover is gorgeous, and it actually manages to be pretty good. The plot is entertaining, and the way the author created this world is pretty genius. I would have liked a better understanding of the world and a little more from the side characters, but if you’re looking for a wild ride of a read that goes to unexpectedly dark places, I would pick this up.
Until that night when he had no choice."
3.5 out of 5 stars
What would happen if Joffrey got transported to a futuristic Paris and is now the ruler of the Palace of Versailles, but this Palace of Versailles is its own nation and functions as if it’s still the 18th century?
And what if Sansa, in an effort to avoid a marriage to this tyrannical man-child, decides that her only method of escape is to sell a drug that’s disguised as glittery makeup to the rich elite of Versailles?
Does it sound totally bonkers? Yes.
Did it work? Partially.
This book is why I am happy just to be reader and not a writer. Never in my wildest dreams could I think of a plot so convoluted and crazy. What’s more, I would never be able to pull it off.
And what’s more, the book actually manages to have a gorgeous cover and be pretty good at the same time. IT’S A MIRACLE, I TELL YOU.
The Sansa of our story is actually Dani, a commoner who just happens to witness the Boy King of Versailles murder someone. Her mother also witnesses this, and in a quest to elevate Dani’s social status, blackmails the king into marrying her daughter. Needless to say, Dani does not like the idea of being married to a murderer, but she can’t just up and leave.
She needs a plan, and that plan involves Glitter, a highly addictive street drug that she disguises in makeup. People become hooked and the money starts rolling in, which she will then use to fund her escape. She doesn’t expect to fall for a fellow drug dealer, and she doesn’t realize how deep a hole she’s fallen into.
I will admit this book was wildly entertaining. There are a lot of twists and turns, and the idea of recreating the opulence of 18th century France while there’s still a modern, outside world is pretty genius. It almost mirrors our society now, since we’re such a materialistic generation.
I also appreciate how gritty this book is. This novel goes to some pretty dark places, and there are a lot of morally gray characters who make questionable decisions. I can’t even point out a character who was 100% good or 100% bad, and that especially applies to the main character.
Dani was probably not meant to be likable. Granted, readers will sympathize with her because of the fact that she has to marry such a dickwad. However, the way she goes about her escape is extremely risky and questionable. She’s messing with people’s lives. She’s essentially making them addicted to a drug for life. She plans on running away and having other people deal with the aftermath of her actions.
And yet you might be able to understand why.
That’s a question that is brought up frequently in this book, and I do think the author addresses it very well. She doesn’t try to justify Dani’s actions or have the reader make up their mind definitively, but she does leave the question open.
I did think that the governmental system and the background on how the city-state of Versailles could have been handled a little bit better. I also would have liked a little bit more political talks and dealings. We’re told how Versailles became what it is, but we’re never really shown how the outside world really reacts to them. We’re told, but never shown.
Further, I also would have liked some of the side characters to have had a bit more substance to them. They seemed to be mothing more than characters designed just to fulfill a single purpose in the plot and nothing more. I couldn’t connect with them because of their one-dimensional nature; so when something happened to them, I really couldn’t bring myself to care.
The cover is gorgeous, and it actually manages to be pretty good. The plot is entertaining, and the way the author created this world is pretty genius. I would have liked a better understanding of the world and a little more from the side characters, but if you’re looking for a wild ride of a read that goes to unexpectedly dark places, I would pick this up.
July 15, 2016
A+ for a truly unique premise. Danica is just your typical teenage girl growing up in THE PALACE OF VERSAILLES.
In the future.
Living in what now is Sonoma-Versailles, a hybrid company/ living history museum, Danica finds herself torn from typical court life when she and her mother witness King Justin murder a girl. Her mother - ever the opportunist - blackmails the King into making Danica his new queen. Refusing to become the King's next plaything, or worse - murder victim - Danica begins selling the newest drug on the market in the hopes of raising enough money for her escape. Soon, however, she gets caught in her own treacherous web.
This book had so many good moments, I just couldn't put it down. I read it in under 4 hours. I loved that the heroine was so selfish. I'm so tired of these goody-two-shoes heroines that always do the right thing and can't stand to get their petticoats a little dirty.
Danica is far from perfect. She's spoiled and entitled and often hurts people to get her way. But she's also vulnerable and desperate and cornered - I mean what would you do? Marry a murderer? Or become a drug dealer? Choices, choices.
The only qualm I had was that the world building got a little sloppy at times. They were supposedly being watched all the time inside the palace...but sometimes this just didn't apply, or they used their magic hacking skills that they just conveniently had sometimes...
Despite these eye-roll-inducing contrived moments it was still a fun ride and I look forward to seeing what happens to Danica and Saber next.
In the future.
Living in what now is Sonoma-Versailles, a hybrid company/ living history museum, Danica finds herself torn from typical court life when she and her mother witness King Justin murder a girl. Her mother - ever the opportunist - blackmails the King into making Danica his new queen. Refusing to become the King's next plaything, or worse - murder victim - Danica begins selling the newest drug on the market in the hopes of raising enough money for her escape. Soon, however, she gets caught in her own treacherous web.
This book had so many good moments, I just couldn't put it down. I read it in under 4 hours. I loved that the heroine was so selfish. I'm so tired of these goody-two-shoes heroines that always do the right thing and can't stand to get their petticoats a little dirty.
Danica is far from perfect. She's spoiled and entitled and often hurts people to get her way. But she's also vulnerable and desperate and cornered - I mean what would you do? Marry a murderer? Or become a drug dealer? Choices, choices.
The only qualm I had was that the world building got a little sloppy at times. They were supposedly being watched all the time inside the palace...but sometimes this just didn't apply, or they used their magic hacking skills that they just conveniently had sometimes...
Despite these eye-roll-inducing contrived moments it was still a fun ride and I look forward to seeing what happens to Danica and Saber next.
March 30, 2020
It was okay. Better than expected. I listened my way through this on my way to work.
The characters were a little bland, and forgettable, but the plot was enjoyable.
Not sure what I think of the love interest since they are too one dimensional as it is.
I am also not sure if I'll continue this. Didn't hate it, didn't love it
The characters were a little bland, and forgettable, but the plot was enjoyable.
Not sure what I think of the love interest since they are too one dimensional as it is.
I am also not sure if I'll continue this. Didn't hate it, didn't love it
July 27, 2016
At first glance, Glitter looks like a book about a girl who's got it good. Danica Grayson was born into a society that pretends they're in 18th century England. She lives in a palace and is engaged to the king. From the start, Danica is trying to run away from her arranged marriage. I rolled my eyes and thought,
oh my god, this is just like every other book whose heroine whines about marrying a perfect guy. Who cares.
Pages after I made this presumption, Glitter reminded me that just because a book seems like The Selection, doesn't mean it is actually like The Selection.
This book isn't fluff. The characters in it all struggle with their own problems. For Danica's father, that's Glitter, a highly addictive illegal drug. For Danica, it's tightening her corset so much that she can hardly breathe. So much so that she faints when she undoes her stays.
The country of Sonoman-Versailles was created when Sonoma Inc. deceived France into selling them the palace of Versailles. They created their own society outside of the modern world. Only kilometers away is Paris, where people dress in jeans and t-shirts instead of elbow length gloves and ballgowns.
Danica's mother blackmailed the king to force him into a marriage with Danica. Not only did she have proof that he murdered a lover, but the Grayson's also have votes to keep him from being overthrown as King and CEO of Sonoman-Versailles.
Danica is terrified of the king. She witnessed the murder and it makes her fear for her own life. She tries to escape, but when her would-be smuggler recognizes her, he demands 5 million euros. Her marriage to the king is in mere months, so she starts dealing Glitter in the form of cosmetics. Unlike her father, though, who was aware of what he was taking, her costumers have no idea they're taking drugs and becoming addicted.
Danica does terrible things to people she cares about, but I can't say that I wouldn't do the same in her situation. The king is a monster, and I would want to get away from him too. One thing I admired her for was that she stuck to her plan. She didn't make addicts of her friends to just turn back because she felt bad. She followed through. That made her a lot different from most young adult heroines.
The biggest flaw in this book is the romance. It was weird and too sudden. I didn't connect with the love interest because he really had no personality. The only emotions he seemed to feel were anger and disappointment.
Although this book is somewhat fantasy, it also deals with real issues. Not just addiction, but also body image and homosexuality. Danica's friend, Lord Aaron, struggles with a relationship with a man married to a woman. Danica sleeps in her corset and has bruises on her torso, just to feel some measurement of control. I think that a lot of people can relate to these characters.
Glitter focuses on morals. How far is too far? How do you know when to stop? What kind of person are you if you do bad things for good reasons? Is lying okay if you're trying to protect your friends and family?
I can see why some reviewers haven't liked this book, but I really did. I like characters that are rough around the edges and have to make difficult choices. Danica feels real. She is not perfect; she is flawed. I highly recommend it.
I received this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book isn't fluff. The characters in it all struggle with their own problems. For Danica's father, that's Glitter, a highly addictive illegal drug. For Danica, it's tightening her corset so much that she can hardly breathe. So much so that she faints when she undoes her stays.
The country of Sonoman-Versailles was created when Sonoma Inc. deceived France into selling them the palace of Versailles. They created their own society outside of the modern world. Only kilometers away is Paris, where people dress in jeans and t-shirts instead of elbow length gloves and ballgowns.
Danica's mother blackmailed the king to force him into a marriage with Danica. Not only did she have proof that he murdered a lover, but the Grayson's also have votes to keep him from being overthrown as King and CEO of Sonoman-Versailles.
Danica is terrified of the king. She witnessed the murder and it makes her fear for her own life. She tries to escape, but when her would-be smuggler recognizes her, he demands 5 million euros. Her marriage to the king is in mere months, so she starts dealing Glitter in the form of cosmetics. Unlike her father, though, who was aware of what he was taking, her costumers have no idea they're taking drugs and becoming addicted.
Danica does terrible things to people she cares about, but I can't say that I wouldn't do the same in her situation. The king is a monster, and I would want to get away from him too. One thing I admired her for was that she stuck to her plan. She didn't make addicts of her friends to just turn back because she felt bad. She followed through. That made her a lot different from most young adult heroines.
The biggest flaw in this book is the romance. It was weird and too sudden. I didn't connect with the love interest because he really had no personality. The only emotions he seemed to feel were anger and disappointment.
Although this book is somewhat fantasy, it also deals with real issues. Not just addiction, but also body image and homosexuality. Danica's friend, Lord Aaron, struggles with a relationship with a man married to a woman. Danica sleeps in her corset and has bruises on her torso, just to feel some measurement of control. I think that a lot of people can relate to these characters.
Glitter focuses on morals. How far is too far? How do you know when to stop? What kind of person are you if you do bad things for good reasons? Is lying okay if you're trying to protect your friends and family?
I can see why some reviewers haven't liked this book, but I really did. I like characters that are rough around the edges and have to make difficult choices. Danica feels real. She is not perfect; she is flawed. I highly recommend it.
I received this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 30, 2016
That's seriously where it ends?
I loved the description on Glitter and as soon as I jumped into the story I was interested to see where Pike was going to go with it. There are definitely a lot of questionable characters in this book - as a matter of fact, I'm not sure I liked any of them. Pike creates this world that revolves around 18th century France but with all the modern pieces we have in our world today. Danica is in a situation where she can't win no matter what and in the end, she finds out just how much things can go wrong for her. Cliffhangers are so frustrating and I wish things had ended in a different place.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.
I loved the description on Glitter and as soon as I jumped into the story I was interested to see where Pike was going to go with it. There are definitely a lot of questionable characters in this book - as a matter of fact, I'm not sure I liked any of them. Pike creates this world that revolves around 18th century France but with all the modern pieces we have in our world today. Danica is in a situation where she can't win no matter what and in the end, she finds out just how much things can go wrong for her. Cliffhangers are so frustrating and I wish things had ended in a different place.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.
Read
May 15, 2016*OFFICIAL BLURB* Aprilynne Pike’s gift is that each book she writes is utterly inventive. GLITTER is no exception. As always her characters are interesting, vivid, and dynamic and they play out their nail-biting scenes against a richly-imagined, lush backdrop. Her books are skillfully woven and a royal delight!
December 8, 2017
I enjoyed glitter it was a great change of pace for a historical spin on a modern world. I suggest you take a spin in this world.
August 13, 2016
*I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.*
Actual rating : 4.5 glittering stars
Glitter has one of the most unique story lines that I have read all year. The story is completely engrossing and from the first page of the prologue I was hooked.
Glitter follows a not so average teenager named Danica living in the not so distant future where the Palace of Versailles has become its own country, and those who reside within its walls live as though it is still the 18th century. At 17 years old, Danica is betrothed to the king of Versailles, and he is a real piece of work. Danica is desperate to flee before her marriage and start her life anew, even if it means selling a new and powerfully addicting drug called Glitter to all of the courtiers in the palace.
The world that Pike has brought to life is dark and seductive and very dangerous. I did feel as though some characters fell flat and were just there as plot devices, but the plot of this book made up for that easily. Danica was pretty ruthless in her desire to escape her sadistic husband to be, and she did end up making quite a few (major) mistakes along the way. I wasn't on board with the romance at first but about halfway through I was rooting for the two lovers. This book was exciting and intriguing, and has one of the most beautiful covers I have ever seen. This was blurbed as "Breaking Bad meets Marie Antoinette" and I feel that is 100% accurate. I thoroughly enjoyed my reading experience of Glitter and I cannot wait until the sequel comes out! I HIGHLY recommend grabbing a copy of this beautiful book for your shelves.
Actual rating : 4.5 glittering stars
Glitter has one of the most unique story lines that I have read all year. The story is completely engrossing and from the first page of the prologue I was hooked.
Glitter follows a not so average teenager named Danica living in the not so distant future where the Palace of Versailles has become its own country, and those who reside within its walls live as though it is still the 18th century. At 17 years old, Danica is betrothed to the king of Versailles, and he is a real piece of work. Danica is desperate to flee before her marriage and start her life anew, even if it means selling a new and powerfully addicting drug called Glitter to all of the courtiers in the palace.
The world that Pike has brought to life is dark and seductive and very dangerous. I did feel as though some characters fell flat and were just there as plot devices, but the plot of this book made up for that easily. Danica was pretty ruthless in her desire to escape her sadistic husband to be, and she did end up making quite a few (major) mistakes along the way. I wasn't on board with the romance at first but about halfway through I was rooting for the two lovers. This book was exciting and intriguing, and has one of the most beautiful covers I have ever seen. This was blurbed as "Breaking Bad meets Marie Antoinette" and I feel that is 100% accurate. I thoroughly enjoyed my reading experience of Glitter and I cannot wait until the sequel comes out! I HIGHLY recommend grabbing a copy of this beautiful book for your shelves.
August 25, 2016
I liked that!
France and Breaking Bad are two of my favorite things, and it was interesting to see how Aprilynne Pike wove together the old and the new to create a unique setting and an entertaining story.
Danica, much like Walter White, is an anti-hero. I didn't always agree with the choices she made, but I could certainly understand her reasons for making them. Like Walter, she too finds herself stuck between a rock and a hard place with devastating consequences. *clutches heart*
Every time a character said, "On Wednesdays..." I mentally added, "We wear pink." I don't know if that was an intentional nod to Mean Girls, but either way, it added an extra dose of fun to the story.
The romance had me fanning my face and the ending left me anxious for the sequel!
P.S. I've seen a few reviews, all of whom DNFd at or before the 50% mark, that complain about the Breaking Bad comparison being inaccurate. Not true. You have to read the whole book to see how the story and similarities of the show play out.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
France and Breaking Bad are two of my favorite things, and it was interesting to see how Aprilynne Pike wove together the old and the new to create a unique setting and an entertaining story.
Danica, much like Walter White, is an anti-hero. I didn't always agree with the choices she made, but I could certainly understand her reasons for making them. Like Walter, she too finds herself stuck between a rock and a hard place with devastating consequences. *clutches heart*
Every time a character said, "On Wednesdays..." I mentally added, "We wear pink." I don't know if that was an intentional nod to Mean Girls, but either way, it added an extra dose of fun to the story.
The romance had me fanning my face and the ending left me anxious for the sequel!
P.S. I've seen a few reviews, all of whom DNFd at or before the 50% mark, that complain about the Breaking Bad comparison being inaccurate. Not true. You have to read the whole book to see how the story and similarities of the show play out.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 13, 2016
3.75 stars.
I'm surprised by how quickly I devoured GLITTER. One minute, I was reading the first few chapters and getting a feel for Danica and her story; the next, I was tearing through the pages wondering what would happen next up until I hit the end. I really enjoyed the setting, particularly how Pike weaves modern technology and historical accuracies together. I also found myself drawn into this story, and morbidly fascinated by Dani even though I didn't necessarily always agree with her life choices.
My only reservations lie in the development of the romantic subplot (though I could get on board that ship, mind you) and in the lack of any sort of emotional connection with the characters (though that's a more personal aspect than anything else). Still, I thought this one was rather diverting, and I certainly would read the sequel.
I'm surprised by how quickly I devoured GLITTER. One minute, I was reading the first few chapters and getting a feel for Danica and her story; the next, I was tearing through the pages wondering what would happen next up until I hit the end. I really enjoyed the setting, particularly how Pike weaves modern technology and historical accuracies together. I also found myself drawn into this story, and morbidly fascinated by Dani even though I didn't necessarily always agree with her life choices.
My only reservations lie in the development of the romantic subplot (though I could get on board that ship, mind you) and in the lack of any sort of emotional connection with the characters (though that's a more personal aspect than anything else). Still, I thought this one was rather diverting, and I certainly would read the sequel.
November 8, 2015
Dark, fascinating and twisted! Combines a fast plot with a pseudo pre-Revolutionary France and Breaking Bad, some of my favorite things all woven together. I haven't read anything quite like it before!
January 26, 2021
Loved it! It's really unique and very entertaining. I loved the setting and the twists and turns. I can't wait for the next book.
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
April 3, 2017Love the cover, like the idea, but this was SO boring.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 734 reviews