Have I mentioned that I am SO BAD at doing reviews if I give it any time at all after I've finished a book? 
 Ah, well. There's nothing for it. The power was out when I finished this last night (sudden storm and power outage definitely added to the atmosphere), and I had no time to write up a review before I headed off to work today, so we'll have to make do with the faded bits and pieces that have managed to cling to my cold-addled brain. 
 First, I'll say that this is my favourite work of Bray's that I've read so far. It's written in a very similar style to her Gemma Doyle series, but far creepier (and more rich, in my opinion). It's still clearly a YA novel, but it's got substance, and it isn't overly preachy a la Beauty Queens. Both Theta and Evie are strong female characters (without being Strong Female Characters(tm)). Mabel also has the makings of a strong character, but we aren't given quite enough to work with there -- she needs some more fleshing out. 
 Theta and Memphis really stole the show for me. Talk about loveable characters. Can the next book just be about them, please? There's more than enough there to take up a whole volume. 
 All in all (without getting spoilery), the book had great atmosphere, it kept me reading late into the night, and Bray's wit really shone through in this one. 
 Downsides: EASY ON THE SLANG, LIBBA. I get the sense that it was being used as a tool to reveal certain character traits, but it still could've been dialed back a notch. After a certain point, it starts to detract from the story you're trying to tell. 
 While the main arc of this book was resolved, it was clearly being set up as a series -- and as such, that dreadful trend of leaving too much to the next book is present in full force here. I AM SO TIRED OF THIS. CAN I PLEASE JUST HAVE A BOOK THAT IS A SOLID, COMPLETE WORK IN AND OF ITSELF? (I know the answer, when it comes to YA as of late, is no. I get it, I really do. But that doesn't mean it's any less irritating.) 
 -- 
 Rating: 4 Creepy-Ass Pentacles 
 Favourite Quote: "Good old Charlie, the dear. She'd promised to be his girl. That lasted a week. Charlie was a darling, but also a thudding bore. His idea of petting was to place a hand stiffly on a girl's chest like a starched doily on some maiden aunt's side table while pecking, birdlike, at her mouth. Quel tragique." 
 Recommend: If you're into YA and creeptasticness and a little romance, definitely!