Waiting on Wednesday: Born of Illusion by Teri Brown

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

This week’s can’t wait to read selection is
Born of Illusion by Teri Brown.
Publication Date: June 11th 2013

Born of Illusion - Balzer & Bray

Anna Van Housen is thirteen the first time she breaks her mother out of jail. By sixteen she’s street smart and savvy, assisting her mother, the renowned medium Marguerite Van Housen, in her stage show and séances, and easily navigating the underground world of magicians, mediums and mentalists in 1920’s New York City. Handcuffs and sleight of hand illusions have never been much of a challenge for Anna. The real trick is keeping her true gifts secret from her opportunistic mother, who will stop at nothing to gain her ambition of becoming the most famous medium who ever lived. But when a strange, serious young man moves into the flat downstairs, introducing her to a secret society that studies people with gifts like hers, he threatens to reveal the secrets Anna has fought so hard to keep, forcing her to face the truth about her past. Could the stories her mother has told her really be true? Could she really be the illegitimate daughter of the greatest magician of all?

Synopsis from goodreads.com.

  

The 1920s and New York paired with magic - sounds like a great premise for an exciting story. Anna seems a fascinating character too: clever and talented, with a secret ability, even her mother doesn't know about. Then there's the father missing from the picture from whom she might have inherited that ability. I wonder who he might be and what happened that he's not around for his daughter. Also, to what end does a secret society study people's gifts? I'm not much of a historical fiction reader, but I make an exception for the Roaring Twenties, especially when there is a mystery involved. :)

Are you waiting on historical fiction this week as well? Leave us a comment.