ARC Review--Glitter by Aprilynne Pike

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.

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.

I received this ARC from the publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.


Glitter was the second book I've read by Aprilynne Pike and it's reminded me why I need to read the rest of her books that sit in my TBR Mountain! It was quite an intriguing and suspenseful read! And there wasn't any paranormal or fantasy elements in it! It's a far cry different from my usual reads and yet, I still really liked it!

The world is set into the future, in a place outside of Paris where its residences live like it's several centuries ago. The Marie Antoinette time, because seriously, history wasn't one of my best subjects. I enjoy it, but can never remember the years right. Numbers are my enemy apparently! LOL! But anyway, Danica has quite the predicament on her hands, after witnessing the crowned king, Justin, murder a girl her age, it's her mother that blackmails the king into marrying Danica for her silence. And the king, a boy of nineteen really, is not a nice man. At all.

Danica is willing to do anything to get out of the marriage and out of the country as well. But to do that she must make a deal with the devil. Or one very much like him. Reginald is a drug dealer and in order to raise the 5 million euros she needs to start a new life, she has to sell an addictive drug known as Glitter.

Since she is to be queen, she decides to start a new trend of wearing cosmetics speckled with glitter. Though the people of the palace, the ones she sells it to, don't know it's a drug really. Just the latest fashion trend that they get a nice high off of, and she doesn't wear the drug herself, but actual glitter. Why they never suspect anything about the makeup kind of nagged at me. I mean you go from being okey dokey one day, then slap on some makeup and feel incredibly happy? Yeah, there's nothing suspicious about that at all! Perhaps it's not really about being overlooked, it's just that the people don't care. They just know they're happy-go-lucky! Then things start to go terribly, terribly wrong.

With business booming, Danica can't keep up with her sales so Reginald sends her help and that help is Saber. Saber is yet another man of mystery. He's kind of moody and Danica can tell he doesn't like her. So naturally...romance is formed! I was glad though that it wasn't an insta-romance, but at the same time I felt like the hate, on Saber's side, turned to love rather quickly. Sure, there's reasoning behind it, but it wasn't as full-fleshed as I would've liked for my explanations.

Justin, the king, is a real you-know-what too! He's quite nefarious and because he's king, he can pretty much get away with anything. As we can rightly see! And I truly hope that he gets his in the end...whenever that may be! For this one ends in a way that's cliffhangery, without being cliffhangery! Lol! Basically we have a cliffhanger, but one that doesn't leave you screaming in agony over the year long wait until the next book. I thank you very much for that Aprilynne!

Glitter was a fun and kind of intense read! I say kind of, because there were definitely some moments that I wished were more intense and at times the pacing was a little slowed down as well. A few minor things really that kept me from gibing this one a full five star review, but in no way makes this a bad read or a regretted one. And with the way things ended, so much left unsaid in so many ways and the uncertain future that lies ahead, definitely has me hooked into this series! Truly hoping to see many things happen over the course of the series, namely seeing some of these not-so-nice characters get theirs. I get a vengeful side once I start reading something apparently! LOL!

Glitter is a most remarkable and unique read for me being far outside my usual genres. It's one that kept me tapping the electronic pages as fast as I could because a great deal happens in this one and just when you think you know how it will all end...you'll be proven wrong! Cannot wait for more!


Overall Rating 4/5 stars


Glitter releases October 25, 2016