Review: Envy - Elizabeth Miles

Envy by Elizabeth Miles, published by Simon and Schuster on 30th August 2012

Goodreads synopsis:
Spring is here, and the ice is slowly melting in Ascension…revealing the secrets buried beneath.

The Furies are back, and Emily Winters is about to discover that their roots in Ascension are deeper than she ever imagined. With the help of her new friend Drea, she vows to take them down. But it's hard to focus when she's desperate to make up with JD, and to figure out why Crow, a mysterious Ascension High dropout, seems to be shadowing her.

Meanwhile, new girl Skylar McVoy is determined to leave her own dark past behind. So she's thrilled when not only does popular Gabby takes her under her wing, but the stunning and sophisticated Meg offers to give her a major makeover. But everyone knows what happens to the vainest girl of all…

It's tempting to be naughty. But beware: the Furies are always watching, and their power grows stronger by the day.

Review:
Dangerous and seductive, 'Envy' was the perfect sequel to Elizabeth Miles's bestseller 'Fury'.  With a cover which is equally entrancing, I adored this book and read it from cover to cover in one day.

Returning to the small town of Ascension, Em is struggling to cope after the events of the previous book.  Still trying to find out more about The Furies and what they want, she also finds herself distanced from JD, the boy she loves.

Em's point of view is interspersed with that of a new girl, Skylar McVoy, who desperately wants to become popular and liked at Ascension High.  There's a secret in Skylar's past which is hinted at throughout but not revealed until near the end of the story.  I feared for her from the word go as she unwittingly becomes involved with The Furies and starts to act out of character.  Although she initially comes across as a little bit one-dimensional with her desire to become Queen Bee at the school, glimpses into her past reveal more about her motives and I found her an interesting character.  

There's a sinister undertone through the whole story which drew me in and kept me gripped.  You know that something terrible is going to happen but you're not quite sure what.  Everyone's lives are at threat from The Furies and their terrible need for vengeance and their desire to punish those who have committed wrongdoings.  Everytime they appeared they were really creepy, pretending to be kind and helpful when underneath they are pure evil, causing unbelievable pain and upset to those they come into contact with.    

'Envy' had a stunning ending which really threw me for a loop.  Looking back on the book I guess there are a lot of hints to what's going to happen but I still found it incredibly surprising and a brilliant change of direction for the series.    

This series is one of my favourites and I can't wait for the next instalment which is set to be called 'Eternity' and will be published in 2013.