**REVIEW** Envy by Elizabeth Miles

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.

Release Date: September 4, 2012

Published By: Simon & Schuster UK

Review Copy:  Hardcover, 320 pages

*Purchased UK cover from Book Depo

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Review

  I liked Fury but Envy was a step up from like and I ended up seriously enjoying it.  This is a book that exceeded the expectations I had built from the previous novel.  There are still faults but I think in the faults I think that Elizabeth leaves room for growth in the next novel.  I must say that the Fury's and their anger and dark ways is how I picture them.  Sometimes I feel that they are not quite just about who the pick and why but they are the Fury's so who am I to judge?

 Em (Emily) made some big growth leaps in this one.  I mean in the last one she only seemed to think of herself and how it would all work out for her.  Now she looks beyond herself and is trying to help others around her.  There is a lot of her worrying about how she is attached to the Fury's but that is because it is effecting her overall life.  J.D. wont even talk to her and I was not surprised that outside forces were the cause of that but I also had hopes that she would fight a little more for him.  My real emotions came out for her when she seemed to be loosing everyone around her because of the Fury's.  Her life was spiraling out of her control  as  she tried to get them banished and I'm not even sure  she realized exactly what she was loosing.

  Personally I feel that sweet Gabby (the girl that everyone seems set on screwing over) may be the key to everything.  This girl does not have a mean or back stabbing bone in her body and yet everyone overlooks her.  The new girl and target of the Fury Meg (well all of them but she is the one that pegs her out) Skylar is no exception to the "walk over Gabby" club.  This girl infuriated me with her cold heart and inability to think beyond herself.  She wanted to be the top of the High School food chain and better than her sister Lucy and her Mom thought she was.  However despite her past she feels (with a little encouragement) that she deserves better than anyone around her.  In a way I did feel sorry for her but the lengths in which she went through to get what she wanted had my sympathy for her in short supply.

 The absence of J.D. and his quirky style left a hole in my heart.  I know he wasn't a huge part of the first novel but when he made his appearances in this one without his signature style I found I missed him more than I thought I would.  That being said there was a new guy introduced: Crow.  He kind if caused some turbulence between J.D. and Em the very few times there was a chance at mending the broken feelings.  Now usually this would piss me off.  Surprisingly it didn't because I don't think he meant to.  Though I have as mixed feelings on if he likes Em or not as she does, for the most part she still just worries about getting J.D. to see her again.  My heart is torn between these two guys that may or may not like Em.  On one hand you have J.D. the friend that has always been there that she never realized how much he meant to her.  Then there is Crow the musically talented bad boy that has that I don't care attitude.  How do you choose?!

  While the Fury's aren't quite as prominent and vengeful in this one their presence is always there in the back of your mind.  There is an explanation as to why the Fury's showed up and why their focus remains on the small town of Ascension.  Elizabeth has really drawn me in with this one by answering some questions and then creating a new problem and twist to worry about.  The writing is beautiful and captivating.  I don't think that I will ever be able to look at the Fury's the same or read a book where they are not this strong.  

Quotes

Skylar's hair, she noticed, was in rollers, just like the ones Gabby used.  Uh-oh--someone had a girl crush.  Not surprising, really.  Gabby had always had followers.

It was as though Em knew Skylar's secrets.  It was creepy.  And it was official: Em and Skylar were never going to be friends, not really.  Skylar barely nderstood why anyone was friends with Em in the first place.  Sure, she was beautiful.  And smart.  But she was crazy!

She hesitated, watching the rain fall in sheets outside the coffee shop windows.
"I won't kidnap you.." Then he added with a smile, "Even though I'd like to."  Rolling her eyes, she nodded her consent.

Thursday afternoon he texted: We should meet.  Em's heart nearly exploded.

  That's all it took, she thought wryly. Boy sees girl attempting sacrifice in graveyard, boy falls back in  love.  Why didn't I think of that before?