Second in the Gemma Doyle trilogy.

When she held Circe at bay and destroyed the runes at the end of A Great and Terrible Beauty, Gemma loosed the power of the realms and made the magic available to anyone in the realms.

Now she has been given the task to find the Temple and bind the magic. Kartik and the Order have their own plans for the magic of the realm and Gemma finds herself caught between them.

Meanwhile, Circe is still on the loose and Pippa refuses to pass as she should. Dark things are awakening within the realms and fighting to control the magic. As Gemma struggles to set things right, she has only the ravings of a mad girl to guide her.

Set against the backdrop of Victorian society, this gothic tale combines historical fiction with fantasy. Readers will be riveted by this well-paced mystery filled with authentic details of Victorian life. ( )

Rebel Angels is the second book in the Gemma trilogy! I've found that this series is very readable. Each book is as good as the last! I can't wait to read the last as Rebel Angels has left me wanting to read more!!! ( )

It is strongly recommended that you read A Great and Terrible Beauty first as it introduces you to the characters and the actual start of the big picture. I really enjoyed this book a lot more than the first one as I had so many unanswered questions left when I finished it which is why I rushed like mad to find Rebel Angels. It does a good job giving you more information on The Order and the Rakshana and their little magic world that's just behind "that door". So now with that good amount of information the plot in this book goes very smooth and combined with the action and mystery, it makes for a very good Victorian Gothic style book to read.

There is enough mystery and intrigue in this book to keep you guessing who's really the "bad guy" here and when you finally do figure it out you might probably feel a bit of shock at first because you thought you knew all along or you may not be surprised at all. It's hard to say. I had quite a few guesses but my first initial guess was wrong so I suppose it was a pleasant surprise for me. If I was right it would have been predictable and perhaps boring. However I liked how you were given options on who might be behind it all so chances are maybe it's meant to be written that way so it won't be so predictable.

Gemma is extremely more likable every time she opens her mouth or has a witty thought. If you liked her in the first book, you'll like her even more here. I liked her sense of independence and she did have this extra spark in her personality which made her stand out against the rest of the other characters. Speaking of wit, despite the real serious dark tones in the novel, there's little bits of comedy here and there that made me chuckle several times. I think it was because you can also hear what Gemma is thinking and some of the things that run in her head is actually quite funny (especially when Felicity and Ann decide to pick at her and laugh)

The ending of the novel leaves you with wanting more. You know that the fight isn't even over. They're just taking a break before the big one begins. If you have ever seen Lord of the Rings The Two Towers remember the ending? yeah, it feels like that. You know there's something big that's going to happen in the grand finale. I'm really looking forward to how this ends. ( )

Rebel Angels the second installment of the Gemma Doyle series is even more magnificently written than the first!We find ourselves two months since the last book left off. Gemma is looking forward to Christmas in London, and spending time with her friends Felicity and Ann. Previously Gemma believed she was saving the magic from Circe by destroying the magical runes, but now she has discovered that she unknowingly unbound the magic and made it possible for all to consume its power.Guided by Kartik, her friend of the Rakshana, she must now find the Temple and restore the magic in the Realms. Unbeknownst to Gemma, her trusted Kartik has a mission of his own, that will lead him to a path he has yet to discover.Although Gemma has the help of her friends, they still have their share of obstacles on their journey to find the Temple. First of all there is a new teacher at Spence, Miss McCleethy, whom Gemma finds reasons to distrust. Then there is Nell Hawkins the young girl that is a resident of the hospital where Gemma’s brother is employed. Nell has visions of other Realms and talks of an evil names Circe that is after her. Could it only be a coincidence?Not to mention the tribulations that Gemma faces with her father and making herself appear to be a presentable young lady in society. Through it all Gemma must once again find her courage and herself to uncover the Temple before Circe and claim the magic to save the Realms.I enjoyed Rebel Angels even more so than A Great and Terrible Beauty. There were so many twists and turn that I never knew what was going to happen next. I found myself agitated with Felicity and wondering why Gemma really was her friend, until I found out why Felicity is the way that she is, and now I understand that she needs Gemma’s friendship more than she knows. If you enjoyed reading A Great and Terrible Beauty then you won’t be disappointed with its sequel Rebel Angels! I can’t wait for A Sweet and Far Thing! ( )

Something to read over and over! ( )