Category Archives: Reviews

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Review: Romeo Redeemed by Stacey Jay

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Title: Romeo Redeemed

Author: Stacey Jay

Publishing Information: October 9, 2012 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Retellings

Series information: Book 2 in the Juliet Immortal Series

Format: Hardcover, 384 pages

Source: ARC from the publisher via Netgalley

Recommended For: Fans of Shakespeare, romance, and tragic heroes

 

Cursed to live out eternity in his rotted corpse, Romeo, known for his ruthless, cutthroat ways, is given the chance to redeem himself by traveling back in time to save the life of Ariel Dragland. Unbeknownst to her, Ariel is important to both the evil Mercenaries and the love-promoting Ambassadors and holds the fate of the world in her hands. Romeo must win her heart and make her believe in love, turning her away from her darker potential before his work is discovered by the Mercenaries. While his seduction begins as yet another lie, it soon becomes his only truth. Romeo vows to protect Ariel from harm, and do whatever it takes to win her heart and soul. But when Ariel is led to believe his love is a deception, she becomes vulnerable to Mercenary manipulation, and her own inner darkness may ultimately rip them apart (Via Goodreads).

Warning! There will almost definitely be spoilers for Juliet Immortal in this review, be wary as you read! Also, if you haven’t read Juliet Immortal, go ahead and read it because it’s quite lovely. 

Romeo is dying. Actually, dying is an understatement because in actuality he is beginning to decay from the inside and it really isn’t pretty. As his body decays, his mind still holds the guilt for every bit of turmoil he realizes he forced Juliet into. You see, back when Romeo and Juliet lived in Verona, back when he tricked her into killing herself, he really thought he was saving her. He trusted The Friar and believed he was helping Juliet escape from a life of shame and exile. The Friar lied to Romeo and told him that Juliet was going to be living free from sin in Heaven. Unfortunately we know this is not what happened and it was through Romeo’s actions that Juliet suffered.

Finally, after Juliet’s (second) demise, Romeo is given a chance at redemption. He must save Ariel, yes the same Ariel whose body Juliet inhabited in Juliet Immortal, and turn her from the darkness she is slowly falling into. The irony and complication in this task is that Romeo is inhabiting Dylan’s body and in order to save her from the darkness, he must make her fall in love with him. Those of you who remember Dylan from book one can grasp the severity of this cause as Dylan is a jerk (to say the least) and Ariel has an extremely hard time trusting him. The worst part? Romeo has three days. Three days to turn Ariel into a trusting individual, Three days to make Ariel love him, and three days to save them both.

I’m going to be honest here, I really love tortured male leads. I love the whole “I am not worthy” and the angsty, long-haired, “I have a serious edge but really I will snuggle your cat when you’re not looking” kind of guy. It’s just my thing. So Romeo? He’s my kind of dude. He is apparently Ariel’s kind of dude as well because it doesn’t take long for her to fall for him too, and let me tell you Ariel was quite the character herself. In fact, one of my favorite things about this novel was the characterization of Ariel. She had some major STUFF going on in her head yet she was still written like a teenage girl filled with “normal” teenage insecurities. There were moments in the story where there was no doubt in my mind that she and Romeo were destined to be together and it was not because of their mutual goodness. Instead, Ariel stood out at times as a perfect match to Romeo’s dark nature, she was quite kick-ass, and at times, a tiny bit scary. I really fell into their romance, they were even more passionate and “meant to be” than Juliet and Ben from book one and I adored the way that one played out.

“Set me as a seal on your heart,” I whisper against her lips. “For love is as stong as death.”

Juliet Immortal was full of some plot twists, most of which I saw coming. The glorious difference in Romeo Redeemed was that I really didn’t see the twists in plot, and character, coming. I was happily surprised at how things progressed and I really loved the way the novel concluded. The ending in this novel was in no way a rushed epilogue but things progressed a little slower and unfolded in a really wonderful way.

It is often that I enjoy sequels more than book one in a series. In the case of Romeo Redeemed I can’t say that I enjoyed the sequel more simply because for me the novel worked as a wonderful compliment to Juliet Immortal, not so much a continuation of story but more of a necessary companion. The duality between book one and two was apparent and in retrospect I really can’t see reading one without the other. Romeo Redeemed was a delicious read, it was equal parts of romance and intrigue and I highly recommend you give it a chance.

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Review: Amber House by Kelly Moore

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Title: Amber House

Author: Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed & Larkin Reed

Publishing Information: October 1, 2012 by Arthur A. Levine Books

Genre: Young Adult, Gothic, Paranormal

Series information: Book 1 in a planned trilogy

Format:  Hardcover, 368 pages

Source: ARC from the publisher via Netgalley

Recommended For: Readers interested in a vibrant, gothic horror story

“Behind me, the sound of chain sliding over wood.

I felt so cold, so squeezed, I could hardly draw in breath. A tear oozed like blood from the corner of my eye.

I made myself turn. Made myself look.

A woman stood in the shaft of moonlight. She was all darkness to me, backlit by the window. I could see thick curls of black hair, the curves of muscled arms, a shapeless drape of translucent gown. All motionless. A spider ran down a lock of her hair, and air escaped me in the smallest gasp. I wanted to shove my fist in my mouth to stop the scream rising in my throat.”

Sarah Parsons returns to her family’s estate after her grandmother’s death in order to assist her mother in selling the old mansion. After spending some time in the house, Sarah begins to find clues regarding her family history and she becomes connected to the house in a very serious way. Sarah begins experiencing echoes left by former “residents” and in time, comes to unravel the mysteries surrounding her mother and grandmother and the very intense legacy of Amber House.

I really enjoyed Sarah as a character because she was easy to relate to as she was a typical teenage girl thrown into an atypical situation. She reacts to certain incidents and characters in a way that shows her shyness, anger or understanding in a wonderful way. Sammy, Sarah’s little brother, plays a very significant role in this novel and as a reader I was very invested in his storyline as his innocence heightened nearly all aspects of the plot. I felt the same frustration and anger over Sarah’s mother as she did and I really appreciated learning more of her story as the novel progressed.

The romance in this novel is an interesting one. There are times when it screamed love triangle but don’t fear, it is so much more complicate than that! Jackson and Richard are polar opposites, both of whom were interesting characters in their own way. I really enjoyed how “real” Richard seemed to me, he was perfectly created to represent that guy in high school. You know, the one all the girls want to date and all the guys want to be even though he is rather douchey? That’s Richard. Jackson, on the other hand, was the best friend who really seemed to understand Sarah and her needs. However, he had a slightly mysterious edge to him that made him more lovable, in my opinion. The best part was that both guys seemed to have their own agenda and as the story progressed, their motives are revealed and emotions become conflicted. I won’t say that it was a slow burn romance between any of the characters, because it is a lot more intricate than that. However, I will tell you that as the story progresses, the romance unfolds slowly and sneakily, and when it finally comes full circle I was left with my emotions spilling over a tiny bit. The best part about Amber House is that though the romance plays a great part in the story, it isn’t the central storyline. Family takes precedence and things play out how they must as important decisions are made.

My main gripe with this novel was that upon finishing it I was enraged and confused because it ended on a note that left so many questions unanswered. I was seriously underprepared for the epilogue and I felt led astray. However, I resorted to Google and after serious searching, I found that Amber House is in fact, part of a trilogy. I breathed a sigh of relief. Bad feelings gone, all is well, and so on. Now my only issue is my impatience in waiting for its sequel! 

I found this novel while I was spending time browsing through Netgalley and after reading the blurb (and how gorgeous is this cover?!) I decided to give it a try. Admittedly, I wish I had waited a month or so to read it because it is a perfect read for autumn weather but nonetheless it is a book that has stuck with me months after reading the last page. Amber House is a gothic tale stirring up feelings reminiscent of Bronte’s windy moors and King’s room 237. It is a novel that kept me up way past my bedtime and had me falling asleep with the lights on. For those of you looking for a good “autumn read,” I highly suggest you pick up Amber House. It contains all of the amazing horror elements to keep you looking over your shoulder while also molding in intricate relationships and a deliciously vibrant plot.

 

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Review: The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook by Jennifer Appel

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Title: The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook

Author: Jennifer Appel and Allysa Torey

Publishing Information: November 3, 1999 by Simon & Schuster

Genre: Cookbook

Format: Hardcover, 128 pages

Source: Borrowed from my local library

Recommended For:  Anyone who enjoys baking or eating delicious treats!

 

Sometimes, I do things besides read and blog, like bake! Though sometimes that baking experience is so delicious and amazingly enough can be rerouted back again to blogging so here we are. 

A few weeks ago, I checked out The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook from my local library. I don’t know if any of you have ever been to Magnolia Bakery in NYC (or heard about it on Sex and the City), but let me tell you, the treats there are DELICIOUS. The best part (for lazy Alyssa) is the fact that they are now also located in Grand Central Station! This obviously means that every time I step foot in Grand Central I must buy something (see: cupcakes) and all three days that my aunt and I were in NYC for BEA resulted in A LOT of Magnolia Bakery purchases.

I have to be honest and tell you that although I enjoy baking and have made a plethora of breads and cookies from scratch; I have yet to try cakes or frosting! I was so excited and also quite nervous to try these recipes for the first time, but overall I think they were a success, at least, no one became sick and I heard lots of yummy noises!

My first attempt was the Devil’s Food Cake (except I made cupcakes) with Mocha Buttercream Frosting and let me tell you, they were delicious! I have now made these for multiple parties – including a luau bridal shower – and everyone raves about them. The frosting is especially a hit for both lovers and non-lovers of coffee (or espresso) and I’ll tell you a secret – I’ve even plastered it on top of a cake made from a box recipe, blasphemous, I KNOW, but it even enhances the most boring cupcake recipe.

I checked this book out before purchasing it because some of the reviews made me wary. I am thrilled to say that I will definitely be purchasing this cookbook very soon and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to learn some secrets of the perfection that is Magnolia Bakery. Yum!

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Review: In a Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz

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Title: In a Glass Grimmly

Author: Adam Gidwitz

Publishing Information: September 27, 2012, Dutton Children’s Books

Genre: Middle-Grade, Fantasy, Fairy Tales

Series information: Companion novel to A Tale Dark and Grimm

Format: Paperback, 312 pages

Source: ARC from the publisher (BEA 2012)

Recommended For: Fans of fairytales, and fairy tale rewrites, anyone looking for a fun read

 Take caution ahead—

Oversize plant life, eerie amphibious royalty, and fear-inducing creatures abound.

Lest you enter with dread.

Follow Jack and Jill as they enter startling new landscapes that may (or may not) be scary, bloody, terrifying, and altogether true.

Step lively, dear reader . . .

Happily ever after isn’t cutting it anymore. 

It’s no question that I loved A Tale Dark and Grimm, it was one of my favorite reads of 2011 and I recommend it every possible chance that I get.  So imagine my surprise as I am stalking the Penguin booth at BEA and I see a HUGE poster showcasing the cover with artwork that looked suspiciously like that on the cover of A Tale Dark and Grimm. I stop in my tracks and my mouth hits the ground “HEIDI!” I scream, “DID YOU KNOW THERE IS A NEW GIDWITZ BOOK?!” People stared, I was nicely pushed along in the crowd and Heidi was all “Duh they are giving away ARCS on Thursday.” (Except a lot sweeter and more Heidi-like) so we did our best and FAILED to obtain one in the end. However, my awesome boss knows that I am slightly obsessed so when she obtained a copy for summer reading prizes she pressed it into my hands lovingly and said, “Go forth, and read to your heart’s desire.” And I did.

Like A Tale Dark and Grimm, this story focuses on two children who leave their homes due to humility and lack of positive parenting. They are joined by a frog, who has a story of his own to tell, and they all set out on some pretty interesting adventures. Through these adventures the story of Jack (and Jill) and the beanstalk are told, as well as Jack Jill the Giant Killer and we learn just how Jack broke his crown after tumbling (very far) down. There is also a pretty sinister mermaid story, which I utterly adored, some rather hungry goblins and an absolutely loveable yet terrifying salamander named Eidechse von Feuer, der Menschenfleischfressende, or Eddie, for short.

The hilarious narrator was back again to help sooth us through those tough moments and more importantly, to help explain what goblins really look like and not just what we think they look like due to the desensitization of video games. This brought a sense of humor to the already interesting and somewhat dark storylines that I really loved.

For those of you who enjoyed A Tale Dark and Grimm, In a Glass Grimmly does not disappoint. For those of you wondering if this is the book for you I urge you to give it a try, it was interesting, witty and all around fun. It was a joy to read and I thoroughly hope Adam Gidwitz continues writing these twisted tales as he really does a phenomenal job.

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Review: Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr

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Title: Carnival of Souls

Author: Melissa Marr

Publishing Information: September 4, 2012 by HarperCollins

Genre: Young-Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal

Series information: Book 1 in a planned series

Format: Paperback,

Source: ARC from the publisher (BEA 2012)

Recommended For: Lovers of dark and paranormal fantasy

 

In a city of daimons, rigid class lines separate the powerful from the power-hungry. And at the heart of The City is the Carnival of Souls, where both murder and pleasure are offered up for sale. Once in a generation, the carnival hosts a deadly competition that allows every daimon a chance to join the ruling elite. Without the competition, Aya and Kaleb would both face bleak futures–if for different reasons. For each of them, fighting to the death is the only way to try to live. (Via Goodreads)

I am always up for a dark tale, and thus far, Melissa Marr has excelled at delivering them. Carnival of Souls was my second book by Melissa Marr and the epic world building, intricate characters and weaving storylines that I loved in Graveminder, were also evident in Carnival of Souls.

Carnival of Souls is unique in the way it is told in three different points of view, from Mallory, Kaleb and Ava…

Mallory is anything but normal; her life isn’t too stable as she is constantly moving from town to town with her adoptive father, Adam. Adam is a witch and is on the run from the daimons because he stole something from them long ago, and their leader would do almost anything to obtain what has been lost to him. It is the constant vigilance of Adam and Mallory that has kept them alive and safe for so many years. Mallory obeys her father’s wishes and doesn’t get too close to anyone, knowing that she won’t be able to spend much time around them anyway. However, things change quickly for Mallory when she meets Kaleb. She is instantly drawn to him and finds him intriguing in a way that she has never felt before. However, she does her best to resist getting to know him because she believes him to be human and knows she can’t risk him by drawing him into her chaotic life.

The Carnival of Souls takes place in The City and occurs once in every generation. It consists of fights to the death between daimons, and the prize is a raise in the caste, and a chance to join the ruling class.

Kaleb is not at all what he seems to Mallory, he is a lower caste daimon and is one who wears a black mask. The black mask sets him apart and showcases his skills as a fighter and a killer. It are these skills that lead him to be hired to find Mallory for an upper caste daimon. It comes as a surprise to Kaleb when he is drawn to Mallory in a way that he had never imagined, she immediately becomes “pack” to him, and you die to protect those in your pack.

Ava is also a daimon in The City. Though unlike Kaleb, she is part of the upper class. Ava chooses to compete in The Carnival of Souls for a different reason than to raise her status. Instead, she fights to win her freedom – the freedom to choose her own future. Female daimons in the upper caste are forced to marry and breed, and Ava would rather die.

At first the relationship between Mallory and Kaleb seemed to lean toward the insta-love we find in many paranormal romances. However, Marr made me believe in it in a way I have been unable to in the past. The moment Kaleb described Mallory as pack was the moment I believed fully in their relationship and began to become invested in their reliance on one another as a couple. I also became very interested in Mallory’s growth through the novel, Adam keeps many secrets from her and though she is physically stronger than most females her age, she begins as a very naïve character. She grew fabulously throughout the novel, and by the last paragraph I was metaphorically giving her a high five. I enjoyed the vastly different emotions I felt toward both Mallory and Ava, where Mallory had to grow on me, I loved the strength behind Ava and her utter devotion to fight for herself. I felt angst and sorrow over her decisions because she had no choice but to fight for herself.

“They were pack. She was meant to be in his life, and now that he knew it, there was nothing he wouldn’t do for her.”

Melissa Marr again delivered a world that I cannot stop thinking about; I loved the darkness and the blurred lines between good and evil. The caste system, the masks, and their representation throughout The City provided amazing imagery that I had no trouble picturing in my mind.

Carnival of Souls was fantastic and delightfully dark. I felt a deep connection to each of the characters and thought the relationships to be intricate and overly exciting. The plot of this novel is fast paced and I devoured it, desperately needing to find out what was going to happen next. I am eagerly anticipating book two in this series, I can’t wait to see who will excel in fighting for what they believe in.

Extra: I was lucky enough to meet Melissa Marr at BEA – and not to brag, but she totally hugged me – and she was so incredibly nice and just..well…awesome! She also signed my book (with what I think is the best signature ever):

Thank you so much for the ARC, Melissa (and HarperCollins), I doubt I was able to express my gratitude and love for this novel in this short post. In a nutshell: you rock!

 

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Review: Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier

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Title: Shadowfell

Author: Juliet Marillier

Publishing Information: September 11, 2012 by Random House

Genre: young adult, fantasy, romance

Series information: Book one in a planned series

Format: Nook edition, 416 pages

Source: ARC from the publisher via Netgalley

Recommended For: Fans of myths, legends, lore and those looking for a deeper and darker young adult novel filled with adventure and romance.

Its name is spoken only in whispers, if the people of Alban dare to speak it at all: Shadowfell. The training ground for rebels seeking to free their land from the grip of the tyrannical king is so shrouded in mystery that most believe it to be a myth.

But for Neryn, Shadowfell’s existence is her only hope. She is penniless, orphaned, and utterly alone – and concealing a treacherous magical power that will warrant her immediate enslavement should it be revealed. She finds hope of allies in the Good Folk, fey beings whom she must pretend she cannot see and who taunt her with chatter of prophecies and tests, and in a striking, mysterious stranger, who saves her from certain death but whose motives remain unclear. She knows she should not trust anyone with her plans, but something within her longs to confide in him.

Will Neryn be forced to make the dangerous journey alone? She must reach Shadowfell, not only to avenge her family and salvage her own life, but to rescue Alban itself. (From Goodreads)

So I have been one of those gals who has refused to name a favorite author for as long as I can remember. However I finally realized that I’m not really fooling anybody and that it’s blatantly obvious to anyone who even casually mentions Juliet Marillier in my presence that I am just head over heels in love with this author and her work. This was a scary thing for me to realize because as I was reading Shadowfell I was holding it to a ridiculously high standard, which means there was a pretty long way to fall if this book didn’t meet my expectations. Fear not my friends, as I began reading I was reacquainted with the familiar feelings I have grown to love. I fell right into the story as easily as one snuggles under their favorite blanket and was left needing more as the story concluded.

The characters are quite loveable, Neryn is younger than most of Marillier’s heroines and she is significantly different than those we have met before. Instead of leaving the comfort she knows to set out on a journey like many of Marillier’s past heroines, the story begins with her at rock bottom. She is left with nothing. No family, no home and only an inkling of where to go next. She was written in a much more naïve voice than I was used to and it really reflected the difference between the young adult and adult novels by this author. I appreciated the fact that this character didn’t seem too “old” and that the reader was able to watch her grow as the story progressed. I loved Flint (no surprise there) and I love the extreme duality of his life and both the angst and honor that made up his character. I am hoping that the secondary characters become more fleshed out in book two (and I’m sure they will) because the glimpses we have been given are extraordinary!

“You don’t like it that I am the one you need to keep the wolf from the door; that comes as no surprise. But I am the one you have. At some point we’ll both have to risk telling the truth.” 

I’ve reviewed a few Juliet Marillier novels while working on this blog and it always boggles my mind how the author manages to make me feel comforted with her words yet also blown away at the different worlds and characters. Like Wildwood Dancing and Heart’s Blood, this novel was reminiscent of the world of Sevenwaters, yet at the same time it was profoundly different and glorious in its own way. The biggest difference found between Shadowfell and her previous novels is the fact that all of Juliet’s other “series” are made up of companion novels and not sequels. Shadowfell is different. I turned the last page and was met with a blank canvas, an ellipsis, if you will. This left me feeling an entire new range of feelings over the story. Never has Juliet left me wondering just where those characters were going and more importantly, what would happen to their love!! Marillier has a knack for slow burn romances but this one was left hanging just as the reached it’s peak! I wanted more, I needed more and I was left with my mouth dangling open in a “Touché, Ms. Marillier” moment.

It’s a new world Marillier brings to life in Shadowfell, we are taken away from the lush green that we readers are used to while in her world. One of the things I loved it the introduction of  new “Other” characters. I immensely enjoy reading about these characters and I really appreciated the way that this book represented a different type than I had read of before. I was impressed by the intricate storyline and constantly found myself wondering what was going to happen to these characters in a way that excited to me to no end.

Though this story was reminiscent of Marillier’s other pieces of literature, it was not my favorite, and I believe this is because I found that my heart wasn’t breaking and mending as much as when I read her adult novels. This is in no way a negative aspect of the novel, it was merely a different journey than what I was used to from this author. This novel is a story of hope and desire on many levels. It showcases the journey one must make to become the person they are meant to be and it was a beautiful beginning to another trilogy that I am sure to love.

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Review: The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

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Title: The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom

Author: Christopher Healy

Publishing Information: May 1 2012, by Walden Pond Press

Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Humor

Series information: Book one in a planned series

Format: Hardcover, 436 pages

Source: Borrowed from my local library

Recommended For: Fans middle grade and fairy tale lovers of all ages

Prince Liam. Prince Frederic. Prince Duncan. Prince Gustav. You’ve never heard of them, have you? These are the princes who saved Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White, and Rapunzel, respectively, and yet, thanks to those lousy bards who wrote the tales, you likely know them only as Prince Charming. But all of this is about to change. Rejected by their princesses and cast out of their castles, Liam, Frederic, Duncan, and Gustav stumble upon an evil plot that could endanger each of their kingdoms. Now it’s up to them to triumph over their various shortcomings, take on trolls, bandits, dragons, witches, and other assorted terrors, and become the heroes no one ever thought they could be. (Via Goodreads)

When you’re a child, you start reading books for the entertainment. You want to get away from the real world and feel elation over the adventure. That is what this book did for me; it made me remember how fun it is to read.

I for one have always wondered why every king and queen in fairytale land named their son Charming. It turns out, they didn’t. In fact, these princes all have their own unique name and story, though you’d never know it due to those pesky bards! The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom focuses on four separate Princes Charming: Prince Frederic (He met Cinderella Ella at a ball), Prince Gustav (He saved was saved by a gal named Rapunzel), Prince Liam (He kissed a princess named Briar Rose and woke her up from a really long nap), and Prince Duncan (He and Snow White are rather perfect for one another). The princes have their own quirks and are vastly different though they find themselves thrown together in a quest that will save all of their kingdoms and teach them all what it means to become heroes of their own tale.

Life between the princes and princesses is not what any of them had anticipated it would be…

Ella wants adventure and life with Frederic is not at all what she had imagined it would be when she met him that night at the ball. While Ella would rather travel and explore, Frederic is much happier having a quiet picnic on his grounds – on a blanket of course, one must keep clean – or quietly admiring art in the safety of his castle, this difference in personality leads Ella to go off on her own, leaving Frederic to his safe, (somewhat boring) life.

Gustav often acts before thinking and therefore his mission of rescuing Rapunzel from her tower didn’t go as planned and she ended up leaving on her own, finding him wandering the forest, and rescuing him. As you can imagine, this is a rather sore subject for someone who believes himself to be quite the manly hero so he takes off to search for some adventure of his own and a way to make a name for himself, away from Rapunzel and his sixteen older brothers.

Liam, though arrogant, is really a bit more like the Prince Charming from the original tales. He is handsome, brave and well, princely. Unfortunately, when Prince Liam first rescued Briar Rose, he did not anticipate that she would be spoiled, selfish and an all-together mean person. This led to a rather awkward conversation in which Liam refused to marry Briar Rose and she threw a royal fit and vowed that she would marry him while he stood in shackles if need be. He promptly (and intelligently, in my opinion) put as much distance possible between himself and the princess.

Finally, Prince Duncan and Snow White are married and are quite happy for the most part. However, Duncan is rather quirky and sometimes Snow just needs some quiet time so she asks Duncan to “Go do something else” without her. He then blows Snow a kiss, leaves for a walk and becomes hopelessly lost. Lucky for him (and he will be the first to tell you just how lucky he is) he is found a few days later by Frederic and Gustav who are on their way to “rescue” Ella. Personally, I loved Duncan beyond reason. His antics and outbursts had me laughing out loud. He is definitely one of the sweetest characters I have ever had the pleasure of reading about.

“Wild card, got it,” Duncan said. “Just like in Crazy Eights. I can be a diamond; I can be a spade. Whatever you need me to be, I’m that thing. That is so me.”

Both the princes and princesses are fabulous, though I hope we hear more from Rapunzel in book two and I greatly appreciated their vast differences and limitations that made them all stand out. The villains were also fantastic; I have a rather soft spot for a witch who uses a thesaurus spell so that she can insult people more creatively! The dwarves (not dwarfs) provide some snarky fun and the trolls are vastly misunderstood creatures.

This book made me insanely happy. It made me remember what it was like to curl up with my first Wizard of Oz book as a child. It made me smile, giggle and laugh out loud, a feat that few books are able to accomplish. But most of all, it helped me realize that I really do have a soft spot for Middle Grade novels. Thank you, Mr. Healy, for reminding me what it feels like to fall in love with reading for the first time.

As an aside: There isn’t one thing I would change about this novel. On top of having a lyrical and phenomenal story, the illustrations were a wonderful compliment to the tale. Also, I am definitely not a person who longs for books to be made into movies. In fact, I rather hate when it happens. However, this book was different. According to Christopher Healy’s website, it has been announced that 20th Century Fox Animation has optioned the film rights to The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom. I am thrilled and can’t wait to see where this goes!

For fun extras on the heroes and to find out what they’re up to next, check out Christopher Healy’s blog or twitter.
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Review: Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

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Title: Tiger Lily

Author: Jodi Lynn Anderson

Publishing Information: July 3, 2012 by Harper Collin’s Childrens

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Romance, Retellings

Series information: Standalone

Format: Hardcover, 292 pages

Source: Borrowed from my local library

Recommended For: Fans of strong heroines, Peter Pan and fairy tales

“Let me tell you something straight off. This is a love story, but not like any you’ve heard. The boy and girl are far from innocent. Dear lives are lost. And good doesn’t win. In some places, there is something ultimately good about endings. In Neverland, that is not the case…”

I have never been a huge fan of Peter Pan. I like the premise and sure, Hook is one of my favorite movies of all time but there were always pieces missing for me in the story. A few weeks ago I even listed Peter Pan as one of the characters I’d like to switch places with so that I could learn more about what’s going on inside his head. This might be why Tiger Lily called to me, though it also might be the fact that I never could stand Wendy and really longed to hear more about Peter before she came in and babied him. Thankfully, Tiger Lily was exactly what I needed in regards to Pan’s story. I have actually been struggling with this review because I found the book to be so brilliant that I haven’t been able to put into words how wonderful it truly is.

First, the characters: Tiger Lily is told not from her point of view, but from Tinker Bell’s. Tink (so named by Peter) does not belong to Peter; she is actually enamored by Tiger Lily and has watched Tiger Lily grow since she was just a baby. As Tiger Lily and Tink spend time with Peter, Tink does develop love for him as well but ultimately her loyalty lies with Tiger Lily and she does all she can to keep her safe from harm. One lovely thing about Tink is that as a faerie, she is able to “hear” people’s feelings. She can read their minds to some extent but more specifically she is able to hear their hearts and therefore understand their true feelings for situations. Tink describes this, “As a faerie, you can hear when something tugs at someone. It’s much like the sound of a low, deep note on a violin string.”

Tiger Lily is strong, daring and at times, heartless. The village shaman, Tik Tok, found her abandoned under a flower from which she gets her name. Tiger Lily is different from all members of the village. When the village girls scream and run from something they deem dangerous, Tiger Lily grabs her hatchet and runs toward the danger. She is quiet and contemplative and does not give herself completely to anyone, until she meets Peter.

Peter is a complicated character. He is brave on the exterior yet cries at night from his utter fear of the pirates and letting the lost boys down. He falls in love easily and acts before thinking in many circumstances. It is his openness, courage and devotion that Tiger Lily falls in love with.

The secondary characters were also written wonderfully. Tik Tok was rather unique as Jodi Lynn Anderson wrote him in a way that blurs the lines we are used to seeing. Tik Tok is a man, who dresses and acts like a woman. He is completely devoted to his craft and loves Tiger Lily as if she was his real daughter. Aunt Fire and her son, Giant were both grotesque characters and were written in a way that really made me loathe them as much as Tiger Lily did. Both Pine Sap and Moon Eye were lovely contrasts to Tiger Lily and I appreciated the way that they represented her connection to her village and a sort of grounding as she was falling for Peter more and more. To be honest, I sort of had a serious crush on Pine Sap from the beginning. He was the character who understood Tiger Lily like no one else, the perfect best friend.

Though the pirates played a significant part in the plot they weren’t really “on stage” that much but it was interesting to see Captain Hook portrayed as an aging drunkard and Smee as a rather sinister murderer.  Like the pirates, Wendy of course had a strong impact on the conclusion of the story. However, she was not a major character throughout the novel and I am glad of it. I did not love her, but I don’t believe we were meant to. She was childish and silly and was a wonderful presentation of everything Tiger Lily was lacking in her character. The duality was as vivid as day and night.

“Watch that boy,” she said. “You’re stronger in many ways, but that doesn’t mean he can’t take you apart.”

The Setting: Gorgeous and vivid, Jodi Lynn Anderson portrayed that forest as lush as I had imagined. The “cave” in which the lost boys lived was dank and was so described that I really felt as if I could smell the earth surrounding them. I found myself cringing away from the lagoon in my mind, wary of the carnivorous mermaids and longing to stand with Tiger Lily and Peter at the top of the mountain, looking out at the wild horses. There was one scene that really stuck out for me, in which Peter had the lost boys bring out their bedding and light the trees with candles. He told Tiger Lily they were sleeping in the trees because he thought she would enjoy it and I felt myself become giddy with excitement. Imagine how gorgeous it must have been and how amazing it would have felt to sleep in the trees by candlelight. Gorgeous all around.

The Story: Honestly I still don’t know how to write this. From page one I was taken by Tiger Lily and they way she was vastly different from those around her. I fell for Peter as she did, little by little she gave into him and let him into her heart. Through Tink’s eyes I was able to see how she couldn’t quite give enough and wasn’t exactly what Peter needed. There were times I was so frustrated with her and just wanted her to be what he needed her to be even though I knew it wasn’t her, I knew she didn’t know how to give in without giving up herself. I loved how the author looked at different forms of jealousy through different characters and she showed each characters vast strengths and weaknesses. As a reader, it made me invest even deeper into the story. I’ll be honest, the ending was so heartbreaking yet beautiful at the same time that I read it over and over. I felt my heart break and mend almost simultaneously. It was phenomenal.

The story was riveting. It was heartbreaking, tender, harrowing, compelling, breathtaking and all around gorgeous. I recommend it to fans of strong heroines such as Scarlet, fans of Peter Pan and readers looking for a fantasy novel that will make them feel an array of emotions.

“If there was a true moment that Tiger Lily fell so in love with Peter she could never turn back, it was that night, when he shivered and walked and told her he was warm, and told her he loved her so much. She was fierce, to be sure, but she had a girl’s heart, after all.”

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Review: Fathomless by Jackson Pearce

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Title: Fathomless

Author: Jackson Pearce

Publishing Information:  September 4, 2012 by Little Brown

Genre: Young-Adult, Fantasy, Fairy Tales

Series information: Book 3 in the “Fairytale Retellings” series

Format: Paperback, 291 pages

Source: ARC from the publisher (BEA 2012)

Recommended For: Fans of mermaids and fairytales

 

Celia Reynolds is the youngest in a set of triplets and the one with the least valuable power. Anne can see the future, and Jane can see the present, but all Celia can see is the past. And the past seems so insignificant — until Celia meets Lo.

Lo doesn’t know who she is. Or who she was. Once a human, she is now almost entirely a creature of the sea — a nymph, an ocean girl, a mermaid — all terms too pretty for the soulless monster she knows she’s becoming. Lo clings to shreds of her former self, fighting to remember her past, even as she’s tempted to embrace her dark immortality.

When a handsome boy named Jude falls off a pier and into the ocean, Celia and Lo work together to rescue him from the waves. The two form a friendship, but soon they find themselves competing for Jude’s affection. Lo wants more than that, though. According to the ocean girls, there’s only one way for Lo to earn back her humanity. She must persuade a mortal to love her . . . and steal his soul. (Via Goodreads)

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this novel, I didn’t particularly enjoy Sisters Red yet I liked Sweetly enough to want to continue on with the “series.” I won’t say I’m sorry that I did but I was disappointed in a lot of ways.

I suppose these are more “companion” novels than novels in a series yet I still wanted to hear more from characters in the previous two books. Characters in Sweetly were alluded to, it’s no surprise that “Lo” is also “Nadia” the lost sister from Sweetly, but I wanted more. I have to give credit where it’s due, all three novels are tied up in a way that make them not dependent on one another. However, upon finishing this book I couldn’t help but wonder if there was going to be another novel to finally bring everyone together. It really felt to me like the “series” is just getting started. Note: If the series is just getting started then these loose ends would make sense to me. However, I have not yet heard or read any indication that there will be  more novels in this series. If you have, please, enlighten me!

I found that kept asking myself questions while reading the novel, “Why do these sisters have powers,” and “Where are these werewolves that plagued the first two novels?” Don’t worry, they show up for a brief episode, and we learn where they come from, kind of. All three novels gives us a major piece of information in regards to the fenris, how one is made, what they do to the girls they “steal” and so forth. Yet I was still left with feeling like I only read parts of different stories thrown together. 

First, there is the idea of it being a “retelling” of The Little Mermaid. True, there was a mermaid who longed to be on land but for me, that is where the comparison ended. Lo longs to have her old life back (the life of Nadia) and she has been told that the only way to do this is to make a mortal fall in love with her so that she can steal his soul. Second, there are the triplets who just happen to have these powers to see the past, present and future. How and why do they have these powers? I’m not sure. For the sake of this story the powers enable Celia to assist Lo in remembering her life as Nadia, to help hold on to her humanity.

There were things I really enjoyed in this novel. The point of view changed between Lo (and Nadia) and Celia so it was really a story from three different characters. This kept the novel interesting. I also liked that Lo wasn’t a mermaid in the way that we know them, the fins and so forth, but more of a girl who can live and breathe underwater indefinitely. I also really enjoyed the ending to the novel. Jackson Pearce has great success in writing endings that I really don’t see coming. In fact, I went back and re-read my reviews for the prior two novels in this series and I mentioned the same things: how I didn’t love the novel throughout, but the ending redeemed it for me. Interesting. Celia, Jude and Lo were fantastic and layered characters that I really grew to love, I felt connected to them as I did the characters in Sweetly. I would have liked to have learned more about Celia’s sisters, as I mentioned earlier a little explanation of their powers would have been enjoyable and would have given the characters more depth, but they played their parts in the end.

I honestly don’t completely know how I feel about this novel. Parts were riveting and beautiful and parts didn’t click with me. If Pearce decides to continue on with this story, I will be back for more but it isn’t something I feel compelled to read.  If you are looking for a different type of mermaid story, one slightly sinister yet also endearing, I encourage you to take a chance and read Fathomless yourself.

Side note: I have to weigh in, I really, really adored the covers of both Sisters Red and Sweetly and to be honest, I am extremely disappointed in the cover of Fathomless. Alas!

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Review: The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly

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Title: The Book of Lost Things

Author: John Connolly

Publishing Information: November 7, 2006 by Atria Books

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Horror, Fairy-Tales

Series information: Standalone

Format: Hardcover, 339 pages

Source: Borrowed from my local library

Recommended For: Those in the mood for a fairy tale with some dark twists

 

High in his attic bedroom, twelve-year-old David mourns the death of his mother, with only the books on his shelf for company. But those books have begun to whisper to him in the darkness. Angry and alone, he takes refuge in his imagination and soon finds that reality and fantasy have begun to meld. While his family falls apart around him, David is violently propelled into a world that is a strange reflection of his own — populated by heroes and monsters and ruled by a faded king who keeps his secrets in a mysterious book, The Book of Lost Things. (Via Goodreads)

 

The story begins with David, obsessing over his “routine” (see: OCD) that he believes will save his mother from her life threatening illness. Unfortunately, David is unable to save her and his mother succumbs to the illness and dies. Some time after (side note: a little TOO soon after the death of David’s mother, if you ask me) David’s father remarries a woman named Rose and nine months later she gives birth to a son. It is around this time that David begins having “episodes,” moments where he blacks out and wakes up with no recollection of what happened while he was asleep. Poor David feels as if he is all alone in the world, as his father is working for the government and therefore is never home. So David is stuck in Rose’s giant house with just Rose, (who he loathes) and his new brother Georgie for company. David does his best to avoid these two and instead buries his nose in his books, as they remind him of his mother.

Rose tries her best to make David feel comfortable, and even gives him the room of her late uncle, Jonathan Tulvey. The room is filled with Jonathan’s books and trinkets and David takes comfort in seeing that someone is as connected to stories as he is. David becomes curious and asks Rose about Jonathan and she explains that when he was younger he and his little sister vanished into thin air one day. David becomes intrigued by this and as time passes he begins to hear the books in his room talk to him, and he begins to dream of a very sinister man, whom he names “The Crooked Man.” These dreams become twisted with reality and as time passes, David travels to another world in which the fairy tale characters he has grown up reading about exist. However, these characters are not the same kind and caring versions that he has grown up to love. They are sinister and grim versions, each twisted into a new form.

These characters were one of the absolute best parts of the story. I don’t want to spoil the fun for you so I will just touch upon some awesomeness. First, Snow White is a fat, disgusting and mean person. Second, Ever wonder where werewolves came from? Little Red Riding Hood had some issues with bestiality (I promise the story does NOT go into detail at this point, thank goodness, because, EW.) and the Crooked Man is quite possibly one of the creepiest villains I have yet to encounter (Rumple who?) There was also a rather kind woodsman, a loyal knight and an extremely creepy Sleeping “Beauty” thrown into the mix. All of these characters David met on his journey to see the King, the ruler of the land, who was having a very hard time ruling. David learns something from each encounter and it is through these extremely trying situations that the reader is able to see him grow from a spoiled, selfish child into a mature and kind young man.

When pondering the setting to this story I realized how unique John Connolly writes. Ultimately, he was just writing about a vast forest, a small town, and a few huge castles. Yet, in my mind I saw a darkness creeping from the corners of my imagination toward David. I saw lights extinguishing behind him as he walked down the long corridor, I saw the trees sway when there was no wind. These are things Connolly simply hinted at yet I was able to pick up on these subtle images and make them into something that made me afraid as if I was the one walking through this land.

The Book of Lost Things is harrowing and phenomenal. I haven’t been so enthralled by a novel of this genre since reading The Child Thief by Brom. It was deeply imaginative and sinister enough to have even the bravest adult looking over their shoulder while reading.

“These stories were very old, as old as people, and they had survived because they were very powerful indeed. These were the tales that echoed in the head long after the books that contained them were cast aside” (Page 10).