I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading These Vicious Masks last year, and found the combination of teenagers with extraordinary powers (like the X-Men) placed in Victorian England to be highly original.

These Ruthless Deeds is a young adult novel written by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas. It begins not too long after the events in These Vicious Masks, and protagonist Evelyn is still processing what happened at the end of the first book in the series. However, she is preoccupied by her family’s move to London for the “Little Season” and everything that entails. She learns more about a shadowy organization that oversees “Aberrants”: what is her place is supposed to be within the group and what are the group’s true intentions? The love triangle from the first book returns in a sequel; what good is a YA novel if there are not at least two gentlemen vying for the attention of the plucky protagonist?

These Ruthless Deeds is a nice follow-up to its predecessor. The authors continue to build upon the world they established in the first book, with the addition of interesting new characters with extraordinary abilities. There is an element of mystery as Evelyn and her friends try to figure out who is in charge of the shady society handling “Aberrants”.

I would definitely recommend These Ruthless Deeds. You definitely have to read These Vicious Masks first. Shanker and Zekas are talented writers who work well together. This is a well-rounded book with highly developed elements of fantasy and clever dialogue. There’s another cliffhanger at the end of this book, which makes me wonder if there are more books ahead. I’m looking forward to more from Shanker and Zekas- either a third book in the series or a new collaboration between the two authors.