Review: Enchantée by Gita Trelease

Title: Enchantée
Series: Enchantée #1
Author: Gita Trelease
Format: Paperback ARC
Pub. Date: February 5th 2019
Source: Goodreads First Reads/Flatiron Books


Book Description:

Love.
Magic.
Revolution.

When smallpox kills her parents, seventeen-year-old Camille Durbonne must find a way to provide for her frail sister while managing her volatile brother. Relying on petty magic--la magie ordinaire--Camille painstakingly transforms scraps of metal into money to buy the food and medicine they need. But when the coins won't hold their shape and her brother disappears with the family's savings, Camille must pursue a richer, more dangerous mark: the glittering court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

With the dark magic she learned from her mother, Camille transforms herself into 'the Baroness de la Fontaine' and is swept up into life at the Palace of Versailles, where aristocrats both fear and hunger for la magie. Her resentment of the rich at odds with the allure of glamour and excess, Camille is astonished to find that her would-be suitor Lazare, a handsome young inventor whom she thought shared her dreams of liberty, is also living a double life.

As the Baroness de la Fontaine, Camille gambles at cards and flirts, desperate to maintain her place at court and keep herself and her sister off the streets. But la magie has its costs. When a scheming courtier blackmails her and Lazare's affections shift, Camille loses control of her secrets. Then revolution erupts, and she must choose--love or loyalty, democracy or aristocracy, reality or la magie--before Paris burns.

Bestselling author of Caraval Stephanie Garber calls Enchantée "a lit firework crackling with treacherous magic, decadent romance, and disguises that take on lives of their own--deliciously addictive!" Gita Trelease's lush, imaginative debut fantasy is perfect for anyone looking for immersive magic in the world of Sofia Copola's Marie Antoinette.

Review:

★★★★

Three and a half stars, rounded up.

What a good story. At the very base of it all, Gita Trelease is simply a talented story weaver.

This story had a lot going on. There's something in this book for everyone- French history, magic, revolution, fairy tale elements, romance, steampunk elements, betrayal, POC, LGBT, gambling, family, fashion, royalty. There's a lot to take in. Sometimes it seems like a bit too much at times, but it's nevertheless entertaining.

Something that Trelease does very well is "show" instead of "tell". She uses all five senses to conjure up such vivid imagery, especially when the lead character is in Versailles. What colors the candles glowed, how the pastries smelled, what sort of music played in the background. It's very easy to get swept up in the fantastical, yet somehow real, world of beaded dresses, powdered wigs, and Rococo symphonies. It would easily make a fantastic movie with the detailed imagery at play here.

The characters are pretty well developed, and I liked the lead, Camille, very much. She is pretty bad ass and makes sacrifices- even ones that arguably are "bad guy" decisions- for the ones she loves, and she owns it. She cares very passionately but isn't perfect and makes mistakes and learns from them. She encourages her sister and tries her best to protect her family, even the unlikable ones. The characters that you don't like, you don't like for a good reason, and the ones you love you cheer for. The love is very slow burning, but I adored Lazare, and I appreciated that he was of half-French, half-Indian descent. He struggled with his identity and it was an interesting plot to follow. He's not quite as he seems, both regal and an adventurer, honor-bound and humble. I was drawn to him as Camille was. I also appreciated the LGBT representation, albeit slight.

I think that the world building was fantastic, but a little bit misprioritized. The author does a magnificent job of building the world of Paris and Versailles, of revolution and royalty. However.... those things are real. I know what Paris was like, I've studied history, and I've read other books set here. What I wish had more backstory and detail was "la magie" or, the magic that some of the characters know. That's not common or assumed knowledge, and I wish a little more time was spent flushing out the magic components and history.

I think the pacing was a little off in spots too. Don't get me wrong- this book was incredibly entertaining, and overall I found it enjoyable. But clocking in at just under 500 pages, this isn't a quick read. Parts felt extremely slow, while others seemed rush. The "bad guy" plot didn't really gain steam until 3/4 of the way though, and it was a bit "foiled again, Batman!" when it arrived.

Another thing that sort of bugged me was that the French words aren't italicized or indicated at all. I speak French, so for me it didn't matter too much. But I can see that being an issue if I did not. Granted, there is a glossary of French words in the back, and my copy is an unfinished ARC, so perhaps this is not an issue in the finished copy.

All in all, this book is intriguing. If you're drawn into the likes of stories like Les Mis or Beauty and the Beast, then this book is more up your alleys. The historical components seem well researched and well blended with elements of magic, although I wish there was a little more magic throughout. The characters are the type you'll feel connected to, and with Trelease's skill at painting a textual picture you'll find yourself swept away to Marie Antoinette's court alongside magicians, gamblers, and aristocrats. While I might have had some issues with this book, I would definitely be interested in reading the sequel when it comes out in the future.

Thank you to Goodreads First Reads/Flatiron Books who gave me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

Title: The Darkest Part of the Forest
Author: Holly Black
Format: Hardcover, 328 pages
Pub. Date: February 5th 2015
Source: Xpresso Reads


Book Description:

Tell the truth. Or face the consequences.

Near the little town of Fairfold, in the darkest part of the forest, lies a glass casket. Inside the casket lies a sleeping faerie prince that none can rouse. He's the most fascinating thing Hazel and her brother Ben have ever seen. They dream of waking him - but what happens when dreams come true? In the darkest part of the forest, you must be careful what you wish for...

Review:

★★★

My girlfriend picked this book for me to read. I warned her that I have never read a fairy book that I loved. I was hopeful that this would be the one that broke my streak... But unfortunately, it follows the same pattern. That's not to say this book was bad. It wasn't. But when I closed the book, having finished it, the only thought I had was, "huh." And then I reshelved it and picked up something else to read almost immediately. It's maybe worth nothing (since I know she's a bestseller and lots of folks love her) I had never read a Holly Black book prior to this one.

Conceptually, I absolutely adored this book. The idea of the horned boy in the coffin in the forest is captivating. I love the idea of a contemporary town where weird things happen and everyone in town knows that "ah yes, must be the forest folk." I loved the idea of a strong female character, a knight no less! I appreciated that so much of the book focused on the sibling pair of Hazel and Ben, and I appreciated the LGBT representation of Ben falling in love with Severin.

I also love the cover, though I know that has nothing to do with the story. And, I'll admit, after doing some Googling this book has some absolutely gorgeous fan art that I love.

So much of the writing was well done. Descriptive, flowery, detailed. Things that I look for in a fantasy novel.

But.... I was so bored through so much of it. And it hurts me to say that, because I wanted to love this book. Hazel was pretty unlikable to me. She was forever kissing people for no real plot. I felt like the kid in Princess Bride. She was very tell and not show. She didn't do anything that angered me and I don't think she's the worst. I just didn't find her particularly interesting- and that's saying something when she's living a double life as an Elfen knight!

It felt sort of fragmented. Not hard to follow, but more patched together in an odd way. It's mostly Hazel's perspective, but every once in a while another character gets a chapter, but with no regularity or pattern. They mention how their parents are artists, and how they weren't super great at being parents. But then there's a mention that they were downright neglectful, and there's no real expansion or closure about it. Thing just sort of get mentioned now and then when convenient.

The bad guy comes off almost as a cartoon villain. The sort of bad guy who announces his betrayals and master plans and then is shocked (insert Pikachu face) when the plan is thwarted. Don't worry though, Mystery Inc gets to the baddie before too much damage is done. Then there's the name.... The monster that is sad is named Sorrow. The name of one of the bad guy's assistants is Grim.

There was so much potential in this book, and there were plenty things about it that I liked... Ultimately, it just wasn't for me. If you're a fan of Holly Black's, of fairy related stories, or strong female leads. This may be a book that you enjoy more than I did- it seems that plenty of other people absolutely adored it. I hope that's the case for you too.

Mini Review: Alice in the Country of Hearts by QuinRose

Title: Alice in the Country of Hearts, Vol. 1
Series: Alice in the Country of Hearts #1-2
Author: QuinRose
Illustrator: Soumei Hoshino
Format: Paperback, 367 pages
Pub. Date: June 26th 2012
Source: Half Price Books


Book Description:

Tell the truth. Or face the consequences.

Kidnapped by a handsome man with rabbit ears, Alice Liddell finds herself abandoned in an odd place called Wonderland and thrust into a "game," the rules of which she has yet to learn. Alice, ever the plucky tomboy, sets off to explore and get the lay of this strange land, intent on finding her rude kidnapper and giving him a piece of her mind (and her fist). But little does she know that she's wandered right into the middle of a dangerous power struggle involving just about all of Wonderland's attractive, weapon-happy denizens. And the only way for Alice to return home is to get acquainted with the lot of them?! How in the world will she manage that and still manage to stay alive?!

Review:

★★★★

I love Alice in Wonderland, in all of its forms. If there's a retelling, a story inspired by Alice, or anything of that sort, I'm going to read it. In this case, it was the manga inspired version.

It was a really cute, fast read. The characters are all very charming. I really liked the twists on the characters we all know and love.

The illustrations were very pretty and complimented the writing well. One of my normal issues with manga/graphic novels is that I tend to find that you don't get a whole lot of story. That wasn't the case for Alice in the Country of Hearts. I thought it had a good, well paced plot that was mirrored by these illustrations.

Alice was likable and spirited, and held her own despite being in such a confusing place. There's a lot more romance in this version than the original, and an interesting twist of what those in Wonderland's heart is really made of and what makes them tick.

I look forward to reading the other episodes of this series and seeing where else it goes from here.

Review: Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

Title: Breadcrumbs
Author: Anne Ursu
Illustrator: Erin Mcguire
Format: Paperback, 312 pages
Pub. Date: January 2nd 2013
Source: Half Price Books


Book Description:

The winner of numerous awards and recipient of four starred reviews, Anne Ursu's Breadcrumbs is a stunning and heartbreaking story of growing up, wrapped in a modern-day fairy tale.

Once upon a time, Hazel and Jack were best friends. But that was before he stopped talking to her and disappeared into a forest with a mysterious woman made of ice. Now it's up to Hazel to go in after him. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," Breadcrumbs is a stunningly original fairy tale of modern-day America, a dazzling ode to the power of fantasy, and a heartbreaking meditation on how growing up is as much a choice as it is something that happens to us.

In Breadcrumbs, Anne Ursu tells, in her one-of-a-kind voice, a story that brings together fifty years of children's literature in a tale as modern as it is timeless. Hazel's journey to come to terms with her evolving friendship with Jack will deeply resonate with young readers.

Supports the Common Core State Standards

Review:

★★★

I remember there being so much hype around this book when it came out. It seemed like everybody was reading and loving it. I remember seeing the beautiful, snowy cover all over the place. So, finally I caved into the hype and decided to give this one a read. I have mixed feelings about this one. While I didn't hate it and have most definitely read worse, I couldn't help but to be disappointed in the story.

I'll start out by saying, Anne Ursu is an unbelievable writer. She is so poetic and her writing becomes almost song-like. It's slow and soothing and easily pulls you into the story. The winter and snow is so well described, it conjures up images of fantastical mountain castles and a nostalgia of winters that we had as children.

I like the story conceptually. It's inspired by a classic Hans Christian Andersen fairytale called "The Snow Queen." It's easy to see where the author drew her inspiration from, and I think the overall story plays off of it well.

My troubles lie with the main character, Hazel. I didn't find her very relatable, or even very pleasant. I was okay with her bleakness- I was that kid growing up too. But what bothered me was how selfish she comes across. She is so unhealthily attached to her friend Jack. She "allows" him time to play with other friends, as though she actually has the power to decide who he can or cannot be friends with. She refers to him as "hers" which is possessive and creepy.

We're told that Hazel is very bookish, and a fan of all these wonderful books. There's a lot of literary references. We're told how imaginative, how creative she is. But the other tells and doesn't show. We never see her being creative or reading a book or being content with herself. It as though her entire personality and existence is tied to Jack's friendship with her. She's judgmental to those around her, and doesn't really seem to learn a lesson or reflect on how she acts to change for the better.

I wish I would have found myself cheering for her. This is a story where I know I am supposed to! I'm supposed to root for her to go on her quest, to brave whatever nasty magical things are to be found in the forest, to defeat the biggest evil of them all and to get her friend back safe and sound. But I didn't have that connection to her, so I didn't really care what happened, and that's not what you're looking for in a book.

I'm also not quite sure who this book is for? The flowery language and deeper messages read much older than the middle grade crowd that I think it's aimed towards. I think a lot of kids would be bored by the slow build and language of this story.

The illustrations make up a bit for the issues I had with the writing. They are absolutely beautiful, and do a good job of capturing the essence and tone of the passages they accompany. It was a nice little pick-me-up each time I came across one.

I also appreciate that Hazel is of Indian descent.

I know I'm in the minority here. A lot of people really enjoyed it. And I wanted to. Really I did. It wasn't for me though. The writing was descriptive at times but lacking very much in character development.

Mini Review: Grimms Manga by Kei Ishiyama

Title: Grimms Manga
Author: Keiko Ishiyama
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: January 9 2018
Source: Tokyo POP


Book Description:

In this classic manga version of the Brothers Grimm fairytales, Kei Ishiyama puts her own creative spin on these beloved stories.

Featuring Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, The Two Brothers, The Twelve Hunters, Snow White, The Frog King, Puss in Boots, and The Singing, Springing Lark, this fantasy manga retells these timeless tales... but with a twist of originality!

Review:

★★★★

This is a very cute collection of Grimm-inspired fairy tales done in a manga art style.

I really enjoyed these retellings. It's worth emphasizing that again: these are retellings. If you are looking for exact stories the way the brothers Grimm told them, you're going to be disappointed. These stories all have new twists and changes that succeed in representing what the original story was about, while making it new and unique. For example, some genders are swapped and some morals of the stories are changed.

I adored the artwork. It went well with the text, and showed the flow of the plot so that you could easily see the stories unfold in front of you. Personally, my favorite artwork was for Little Red Riding Hood- I think that the wolf character looks darling.

If you like both fairy tale retellings and manga, you're in luck. This is something you'll want to read. It's a pretty quick read and one I'd definitely look through again.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Mini Review: The Petite Fairy's Diary by Jun Asuka

Title: Fairies: The Petite Fairy's Diary
Series: Disney Fairies
Author: Jun Asuka
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: December 2017
Source: Tokyo POP


Book Description:

Petite is the smallest fairy in all of Neverland. She’s even smaller than a bug! Petite’s small size makes her clumsier than all of the other fairies in Pixie Hollow. With the Moon Banquet coming soon, all of the fairies must present their talents to Queen Clarion, but Petite hasn’t found her talent yet! Can Petite find her talent before the Moon Banquet in just a few days?

Join the fairies of Pixie Hollow in another whimsical adventure!

Review:

★★★★

I love Disney, manga, and fairies, so the new Disney Fairies Manga series is definitely right up my alley. Though I wasn't crazy about Vidia and the Fairy Crown, I saw that this upcoming edition to the series had a different author/artist so I decided to give it a shot. I'm glad I did, as I liked this one better!

The characters are really cute, and so is the story. It's a feel-good type plot that goes to show that even if you're different, you're fine just the way you are, and in some ways, even better! I think that's a lesson that we all need to hear every once in a while.

I liked the artwork better as well. I found it more detailed, and it went very well with the words on the page.

I think this is a good book for pre-teens/kids who are just starting to get into graphic novels or manga, though if you're older than that you can still certainly enjoy this book.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Mini Review: Vidia and the Fairy Crown by Haruhi Kato!

Title: Fairies: Vidia and the Fairy Crown
Author: Haruhi Kato
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: July 25th 2017
Source: Tokyo POP


Book Description:

When Queen Clarion's crown goes missing on the night of Pixie Hollow's biggest bas, all fingers point to one thief - the rude and standoff-ish fairy Vidia! To keep from being banished from Pixie Hollow forever, Vidia goes on an outrageous hunt for the crown that takes her from one end of Neverland to the other. Can she find the crown in time to save Vida's reputation.

Review:

★★★

I love Disney. Love love love love it. I'm a big fan of their novelizations and manga adaptations as well, so I was really happy to pick this one up. It's a pretty cute book.

The artwork isn't my favorite, but it's pretty cute.

The story is really simple and a bit lacking in my humble opinion, but I really liked the attention that was paid to the characters. You really got to know them and got a lot of information about them, and got to watch them change over the course of the story.

I think it'd be a good book for the pre-teen age, though it's certainly enjoyable beyond that. If you like Disney or Tinkerbell, or even just fairies, it may be worth checking out. Personally, I enjoyed it well enough but it's not something I'll likely re-read in the future.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN! Review: The Little Red Wolf by Amélie Fléchais

Title: The Little Red Wolf
Author: Amélie Fléchais
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: October 3rd 2017
Source: Publisher


Book Description:

Lose yourself in in the dark forests of Amelie Flechais' spectacular artwork. A young wolf, on a journey to bring his grandmother a rabbit, is charmed by the nice little girl who offers to help him... but nice is not the same as good. A haunting fairy tale for children and adults alike.

Review:

★★★

I love fairy tales. Originals, retellings, picture books, novels. It doesn't matter. I also happen to love wolves. So, I was sold on this book right away.

First, I have to say that the artwork is gorgeous. You can spend quite awhile just looking at the illustrations and studying the detail and the techniques used by the artist. For me, the illustrations are equally as important as the text, and these images blew me away. I love the style, and each drawing is like it's own mini painting. The pictures go great with the text that is on each page. They're dark, but not scary.

I also liked the take on this story- that is, that it's a wolf on the journey to his grandmother's house, and it is the human who is causing a fuss about it. There's also a twist at the end that I wasn't sure how it would play out, but had my attention.

The text that was there was well written, and kept me flipping through the story. Unfortunately, I just felt like there wasn't enough of it. The story was a bit thin, and I was left disappointed in the end. The end cuts off very abruptly; I actually thought that there was something wrong with the file on my computer and it was cutting off pages. But, no, it's just quick to stop. A shame, considering how much I liked the build up and the art.

This is a very cool, albeit dark picture book that is a bit underdone in the way of story, but is stunning visually along the way.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Beauty and the Beast by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve

Title: The Beauty and the Beast
Author: Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve
Illustrator: Mina Lima
Translator: James Robinson Planché
Format: Hardcover, Illustrated with interactive elements, 208 pages
Pub. Date: January 31st 2017
Source: Mother in Law, Valentine's Day Gift


Book Description:

MinaLima, the award-winning design studio behind the graphics for the Harry Potter film franchise and the creators of the illustrated Jungle Book and Peter Pan, reimagine the beloved French fairy tale The Beauty and the Beast in this deluxe unabridged edition illustrated with stunning full-color artwork and nine 3-D interactive features—published to coincide with the release of the blockbuster Disney live-action musical film starring Emma Watson, Ian McKellen, Josh Gad, Ewan McGregor, and Emma Thompson.
Generations of readers have been bewitched by the epic love story of a beautiful young girl imprisoned in the magical castle of a monstrous beast. Now, the classic fairy tale is brought to life in this spectacular illustrated edition as originally envisioned by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve in 1740.

Review:

★★★

Honestly, I wasn't familiar with the original story of Beauty and the Beast. Like most other people, I'm familiar with the animated Disney version, and now the 2017 live-action rendition of it also by Disney. I was really excited to read this when I got it as a Valentine's Day gift from my mother-in-law. I appreciate her thinking of me, because she knows it's my favorite of the princess films.

The physical book itself is stunning. The cover is very striking and classically designed. It comes in sealed clear plastic, so that the hidden elements in it stay in tact. The illustrations are beautiful, and go along with the text perfectly. I love that there are interactive components to this. Almost like a pop-up book, but for an older demographic. You can open the wardrobe, look at maps, and other neat little additions to the story. It's a beautiful look that I intend to keep on my shelves.

The actual story, however, is less of a victory to me. I understand that it was written centuries ago, and that it's been translated into English. But with that being said it was just kind of... Well, boring. It's long. It's tediously written. It's dry. I imagine this is how most high schoolers feel when they get assigned Shakespeare for summer reading. You know, the trope on sitcoms where "when will I ever use Shakespeare?!" comes up? Similar feel.

The story itself isn't bad, though it's very different from the version that most people know. Beauty has sisters, for example. And there's no Gaston character. But she's also just kind of there. Not particularly interesting, and it was a struggle to work up enough "care" to get through the story.

I think it's worth reading once, for comparative reasons. But I don't anticipate reading it again, unless maybe in French to brush up on my language skills.

Mini Review: Frozen Heart by Elizabeth Rudnick

Title: Frozen Heart
Author: Elizabeth Rudnick
Format: Hardcover, 304 pages
Pub. Date: October 13th 2015
Source: Disney Press


Book Description:

Told in alternating chapters from both Anna's and Hans' perspectives, A Frozen Heart takes a sophisticated look at events of Frozen, exploring the couple's backstories, motivations, and doomed relationship.

Review:

★★

Oh dear. This definitely wasn't what I anticipated. I was so excited when I saw that this book was coming out. I adore Disney films, and though I don't think Frozen deserved quite all the hype that it got, I still enjoyed it well enough. I was eager to read Frozen Heart because I thought maybe it would explore the world of Anna and Elsa with a bit more depth and complexity... But that wasn't the case.

This book follows the movie almost to a tee. There is one character who gets a bit more insight and explanation, and that's Hans. That's it. That little bit of insight, for a character that I still don't like, isn't enough for me to recommend reading this story. If you've seen the movie, you have gotten the gist of it.

Not only was it almost a film script, but I didn't even find it particularly well written. It felt very much like a cash-grab for Disney, to pump out a book about Frozen to help feed the mania. And, well it worked since I read it. But it was choppy and a bit dull. That could also be because I was playing the movie in my head.

Now I understand that I'm not the main demographic for this book. If you have a younger child who is obsessed with all things Frozen and princesses, or who is easing into reading bigger books, then this might be the book for you. But if you're looking for something in addition the the film's plot, I think you'll be disappointed.

I received a copy from Disney Press in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Splintered by AG Howard

Title: Splintered
Series: Splintered #1
Author: AG Howard
Format: ARC
Pub. Date: January 1st 2013
Source: Won


Book Description:

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence.

Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

Review:

★★★★★

Oh man, where do I even start with this book? I suppose the beginning is as good of a place as any. What first drew me to this book was, admittedly, the cover art. It's so gorgeous. And then I found out it was a reimagining of Alice in Wonderland and I was sold. Alice's adventures are one of my favorite stories.

But then after I got this book, I just didn't read it. For no reason. There was so much hype and stuff for it, and I wanted to read it so badly, but it just seemed like there was never the time.

So I made time, and I am kicking myself for having waited so long. This book is absolutely fantastic.

What I liked best about this book was the world building. Howard took familiar elements from the tales we know and love, such as tea parties, Cheshire cats, and an evil queen, but she completely twisted them and made them her own. I was surprised by how dark and kind of creepy the world building was, but I positively adored it. Dark and creepy is just my style. Once I started reading I couldn't stop, because I was so eager to see what new lands and scenes Howard would unveil in this new, strange world. It was both familiar and unfamiliar, and I kind of liked the mix of the known and the mysterious.

I also really liked the care that was taken to build up character descriptions. By the end of the book, I felt like I knew all them personally. That's not an experience I get often in books, and I'm always blown away when it does. My favorite character was Morpheus, who was equal parts dreamy (no pun intended), mischievous, and mysterious. More of him, please.

The only thing that I really didn't like about the book was the very obvious love triangle. I knew there was one going in, and I do think that in the realm of love triangles, this one was pretty well done. It just gets a bit old for me after awhile, the "who will she pick!?" business. I mean, I'm still giving this a high rating, so it didn't matter to me too much, but it's still worth mentioning.

I am very eager to read book two, Unhinged, which thankfully I already own. I have no idea why I waited so long to read this, but I'm glad I eventually did! If you enjoy Alice in Wonderland, fairy tale retellings, or dreamy men with accents or piercings, then this is a book I'd definitely recommend to you.

I won this book in a giant box of books giveaway. Thanks, Tt!

Mini Review: W.W.W.O.M. Witches, Wizards and Winks?...Oh My! by Mary Puma

Title: W.W.W.O.M. Witches, Wizards and Winks?...Oh My!
Author: Mary Puma
Format: Paperback, 208 pages
Pub. Date: 2012
Source: Goodreads Firstreads


Book Description via Goodreads:

"A powerful, moving story of a woman who lived, lost and wants to live again."

W.W.W.O.M.is an 'authentic' autobiography from the Wicked Witch of the West who has been trying to get her true story out for centuries using the only form of communication available to her -- conduit authors.

The Wicked Witch knows the only path to obtain her freedom from purgatory, find restoration (and obtain a pulse again), is to break a curse as old as her translucent green skin. And unfortunately, she must pass through our level of existence to get there.

She has been attempting to punch through long before conduit authors L.Frank Baum and Gregory Maguire. Her truths have been misinterpreted, misunderstood and distorted more times than she cares to count...

Her latest conduit author is refreshingly accurate in her ability to translate an uncensored account of the Witch's life. (Don't mistake this remark as kindness...) for this witch, there is 'real' freedom in truth.

Review:

★★

Oh dear. I didn't much care for this one at all, so I'll keep my review quick. I was really excited to get a chance to review this, because I love the Wizard of Oz, and really enjoyed the book Wicked. However, this won't be added to my shelves any time soon.

First, on Goodreads, there are people labeling this book as young adult and children age range- NO. This book is chock full of profane language. While I'm an adult and not really offended by such language, it is definitely not a children's retelling. And honestly, even as an adult, I thought it was a bit over the top. It brought to mind the idea that those who can't speak well fill it in with swear words.

I hated the characters. They were each unlikeable. If this book was a way to try and get to know the wicked witch better in order to garner more sympathy or something, it definitely didn't work. By the end, I didn't really care what was happening to any particular character. The witch was mean and nasty, and honestly kind of trashy.

The writing was hit and miss for me. The beginning of the book was really boring and disconnected, but it picked up speed and my interest gradually.

This book did keep my interest enough to read until the end. I also really, really like the concept. I see what the author was going for, but for me it was too harsh. The concept and the fact that it held my attention are what let this book maintain its second star.

If you're a die-hard fan of Wizard of Oz, or are offended by sex, profanity, and violence, this is not the book for you. This is also not a children's story, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone younger than adulthood.

Thanks to Goodreads First Reads program for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Snow White Lies by Sarah J. Pepper!

Title: Snow White Lies
Author: Sarah J. Pepper
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: April 26th 2015
Source: Sarah J. Pepper


Book Description via Goodreads:

“Evil poisons everyone. Period. Our mouths water when we sink our teeth into what we have always craved. Surrendering to our desires by biting off delectable piece of the forbidden fruit is nothing more than a meager confession: Poison tastes sinfully sweet,”—Confessions of the Big Apple Debutante, by blogger Miss Snow White.

Review:

★★★★

Before I even talk about the book, can we just take a moment to admire the cover? It's gorgeous, and is possibly my favorite cover so far this year. Stunning.

I wasn't too sure what to expect when I started this book, I've never read anything by Sarah J. Pepper before. That said, this definitely wasn't what I expected. I don't mean that in a bad way, of course, but I've read a lot of retellings before so I went in with assumptions of how this would go, and I was definitely wrong.

Snow White Lies is not your mother's Snow White. It's a contemporary, new adult, urban fantasy-esque book that turns the familiar tale we all know on its head. There's familiar characters, such as Snow herself and the dwarves, but they're twisted into a whole new story. In this book, Snow is a blogger and good lord she is sassy. I loved it. She's a strong character and I liked watching her story unfold. I was never really quite sure what directions this book was going to take, which made it engaging and hard to put down. This is a darker retelling that has gritty/dark themes throughout the book, which helped to hold my attention.

I'd definitely read more of Pepper's work based off of my experience with Snow White Lies. I think grown up fans of fairy tales will eat this one up, and another chunk of readers will pick it up for the cover art alone. Fans of urban fantasy, as well as darker stories, I think would also enjoy reading this one.

I was provided a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Blog Tour Review, Excerpt & Giveaway- Flunked: Fairy Tale Reform School by Jen Calonita!

Title: Flunked: Fairy Tale Reform School
Author: Jen Calonita
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: March 3rd 2015
Source: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Advanced Praise:

“Charming fairy-tale fun.” –Sarah Mlynowski, author of the Whatever After series.

“Flunked is spellbinding and wickedly clever. Gilly is smart, spunky, and a hilarious narrator!” –Leslie Margolis, author of the Annabelle Unleashed and the Maggie Brooklyn mysteries.

“Flunked is a fresh and funny take on the enchanted world. (And who hasn’t always wanted to know what happened to Cinderella’s stepmother?”)” -Julie DeVillers, author of the Trading Faces identical twin series and Emma Emmets, Playground Matchmaker.

“A reform school where all the teachers are former villains. Kinda writes itself, right?” Betsy Bird’s Librarian Preview

About the Book:

OUR MISSION:

To turn WICKED DELINQUENTS
and FORMER VILLAINS
into FUTURE HEROES


Gilly wouldn’t call herself wicked exactly…but when you have five little brothers and sisters and live in a run- down boot, you have to get creative to make ends meet. Gilly’s a pretty good thief (if she does say so herself).

Until she gets caught.

Gilly’s sentenced to three months at Fairy Tale Reform School- where all of the teachers are former (super-scary) villains like the Big Bad Wolf, the Evil Queen, and Cinderella’s Wicked Stepmother. Harsh. But when she meets fellow students Jax and Kayla, she learns there’s more to this school than its heroic mission. There’s a battle brewing and Gilly has to wonder: can a villain really change?

Excerpt:

There’s a boy up there, standing on the crystal chandelier! He has slightly curly blond hair and is wearing a uniform—­a navy sweater vest over a white shirt with khaki pants—­but his boots are muddy. He’s stepping on priceless crystals with cruddy boots? Is he insane?

“Jax! What are you doing up there?” Kayla whispers heatedly.

“I’m cleaning the crystal for Flora,” Jax says and rolls his eyes. “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m making a break for it.”

Kayla applauds. “Yay! This time I know you can do it.”

I shade my eyes from the light bursting through the stained-­glass window next to the chandelier Jax is perched on. “Busting out? Why?” I ask Kayla. “I thought you said this place was cool.”
Jax laughs loudly and looks at me. I feel slightly stunned. I’ve never seen violet eyes before. “FTRS was fun for a while, but strange things have started happening and I don’t want to be here when something bad goes down.”

Strange things? What kind of strange things? Why does Kayla suddenly look pale?

“He’s exaggerating,” Kayla tells me, but she doesn’t sound convincing.

Drip. Whatever Jax is holding is leaking. Kayla and I move out of the way so we don’t get wet. “Grease,” Jax explains to me. “It lubes the window.” He swings the chandelier, and as it nears the window, he uses a fork to try to pry the window open. “A few more tries and I’ll have it.”

“Then what are you going to do, genius?” I ask. “You’re two stories up.”

Jax’s eyes gleam. “I’ve jumped from higher spots before.”

“It’s true,” Kayla says to me. “Jax once jumped from the gym to the dining hall turret. That was three stories up. We call him the Escape Artist. One time he even managed to break into Azalea and Dahlia’s rooms and borrowed their keys to the indoor pool so the whole dorm could take a midnight swim.”

“Impressive,” I tell him. “And I thought I was good at tricking obnoxious royals.”

“She stole a dragon’s tooth clip from one this morning,” Kayla fills him in.

“Nice,” Jax says. “Your first pull?”

“No, I’ve been doing it for a while,” I brag.

“Me too,” Jax says. “My father is a farmer. You can only get so far trading vegetables. I needed to kick things up a notch.”

For some reason, I don’t think any of us are going to make the transformation Headmistress Flora is looking for. “Why do you want to break out so bad?”

“I’ve got places to see, and Enchantasia isn’t one of them.” Jax swings the chandelier so hard the crystals clang together. The window latch pops open, and I watch Jax leap from the chandelier to the tiny window ledge. I’m in awe. Jax looks down at us smugly before pushing open the window. “Are you sure you two don’t want to join me?”

“There’s no time for us,” Kayla says. “Get out of here. Wait!” Her eyes widen. “You deactivated the alarm on the window, right?”

“There isn’t one,” Jax insists. “If there was, I wouldn’t be able to do this.” But when Jax lifts the window, we hear:

EEEEEE! EEEE! EEEE! Unauthorized exit! Unauthorized exit!

The shrieking sound is so intense that Kayla and I cover our ears. Within seconds, Flora is out of her office and running toward us.

Swoosh!

I feel something brush past me and I whirl around. When I look up at Jax again, a large, muscular man with a long mane of hair is hanging on to the window ledge, his furry hands pulling Jax back by his shirt. How did the man get up there without a ladder?

“Mr. Jax,” the man says in a low growl, “we really must stop meeting like this.”

Quiz:

You've read the excerpt now take the quiz! If you get sentenced to Fairy Tale Reform School, it will help to have an ally. Take the quiz and find out who your mentor would be.

Click here!

My results:

Professor Wolfington!



Professor Wolfington (formerly known at The Wolf) is the professor of history and a student favorite at Fairy Tale Reform School. He's more than happy to help you reform, but DON'T mention Granny.

Name: Xavier Wolfington

Occupation: Professor of history

Likes: Peace, quite, and spin class

Dislikes: Talk of his former life

Enter the world of Enchantasia at HappilyEverAfterScrolls.net.

And don't miss Fairy Tale Reform School: Flunked, coming from Sourcebooks Jabberwocky in March 2015!

Buy It Now!:

Amazon | B&N | BAM | Indigo | IndieBound

About the Author:

Jen Calonita is the author of the Secrets of My Hollywood Life series and other books like Sleepaway Girls and Summer State of Mind, but Fairy Tale Reform School is her first middle grade series. She rules Long Island, New York with husband Mike, princes Tyler and Dylan, and Chihuahua Captain Jack Sparrow, but the only castle she’d ever want to live in is Cinderella’s at Disney World. She’d love for you to drop her a line at jencalonitaonline.com or keep the fairy tale going at http://books.sourcebooks.com/enchantasia/
Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Review:

★★★★

I was first drawn into the cover for Flunked. I mean, look at how pretty it is! Plus, it's no secret that I have a deep-seeded love for all things fairy tale and fantasy. I knew I had to read this one, and I'm so glad I did.

Prepare to get swept into the land of storybook legends, where gnomes and fairies and humans live together in (general) harmony. The princesses that we all know and love rule over the kingdom, the commoners live in anything from cottages to giant boots (Just ask Gilly!), and the day's news is magically transmitted to your scroll so that you never miss a beat. Part of this harmony is caused by the Fairy Tale Reform School: a boarding school run by Cinderella's (previously) wicked stepmother and a few other baddies we know- Snow White's mom and the big bad wolf among them. Their goal is to take young hooligans and teach the villainy out of them to make them upstanding citizens of Enchantasia. After getting caught on her third offense of petty theft to help feed her starving family, it's hear that Gilly is shipped.

The reform school is like if you took the castle from the Magic Kingdom and combined it with Hogwarts. You can ride pegasi, get lost as the hallways keep changing, and take cool classes like sword-fighting. I really liked the world that Calonita was able to create. By taking familiar stories from childhood and adding this new twist, it makes for a very cool setting that I was eager to learn about over the course of the book.

Gilly is fascinated too- until she starts noticing some sinister and shady behavior happening at the school, especially as it prepares for its five year anniversary ball, which all the Royals will be attending. Soon she and her friends find herself going against the villains that they've only heard about in legends in order to save the school, the Royals, and themselves.

The action is well paced and Gilly is a character that we can all look up to. She's determined and strong, and even though she was placed into a reform school in order to redeem herself of her wicked ways, she has a heart of gold and learns just what exactly she's prepared to fight for, even if it means making some pretty tough decisions along the way. She's a hero you'll cheer for time and time again, alongside her new cast of friends.

I really hope that this is the start to a series. I would love to see what happens next and live more of Gilly and her friend's adventures. I think this is a great book that middle grade kids (and even younger kids) and lovers of fairy tales will both enjoy. Thanks so much to Sourcebooks Jabberwocky for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mini Review: Wonderland: Asylum

Title: Wonderland: Asylum
Author: Raven Gregory, Patrick Shand
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: July 1st 2014
Source: Netgalley & Diamond Book Distributors

★★★★

Three and a half stars.

---

When I came across this title, I was instantly intrigued. I love all things Wonderland, and I love all things asylum. What could be better than both of these things together? I was previously unfamiliar with this series, but I am glad I'm familiar with it now.

The biggest thing that made me enjoy this graphic novel collection was the artwork. I loved it. The creatures were bad ass looking, the characters were well done, the scenery and backgrounds of panels had detail. It was very "classic comic book" looking to me, and that was probably reiterated by the fact that the lead character is wearing red and black, looking rather Harley-esque.

The stories themselves were a bit confusing at times, but I wasn't all too bothered by that. I mean, it's a story about Wonderland (a place that by definition makes no sense) and insane asylums/madness. The seemingly random twists or tangents made me read twice, but altogether went with the theme of the book. The text itself left a bit to be desired, but I feel that way about a lot of graphic novels. It seemed a bit awkward at parts. Again though, I wasn't too bothered by this.

Overall, I recommend this for fans of Alice in Wonderland themed stories or dealings in madness. Be prepared to cock your head and say "huh" a few times, but as a whole I think it's worth a go. Thanks to Netgalley and DBD for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Lord of Snow and Ice

Title: Lord of Snow and Ice
Author: Heather Massey
Format: ebook, 251 pages
Pub. Date: October 1st 2013
Source: Author

★★★★

Three and a half stars, rounded up.

Lord of Snow and Ice is a retelling of the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast. This is a romance that features magic, snow, kingdoms, and a relationship that should not be.

First of all, I have to say that I love the cover. It's simple but pretty, and I think it does well to capture the essence of the story line.

One thing that really impressed me about the story Lord of Snow and Ice is the descriptive writing in regards to both the setting as well as the characters. I very much felt that I was "there", and was easily able to visualize the places and the people that the author wanted me to see. Being someone that loves winter in the first place, I really liked all of the snowy language and that aspect of the setting. This is a place that I enjoyed visiting, so to speak. The story did drag on a bit at times, but it maintained my interest throughout.

The key part of this story that made me disconnect from it overall, is the characters. While well described, I didn't particularly like the main character, Clarysa. I can't really pinpoint why, but I was just often annoyed by her and her actions. She did come into herself a bit as the story progressed, which made it a bit better.

Overall this is an interesting take on the story of Beauty and the Beast that is worth reading just for the setting descriptions alone. Fans of retellings and romance take note, those who find naive characters or fairy tales a deal breaker, look elsewhere. Thanks, Heather, for my copy of this!

Review: Alice in Tumblr-land

Title: Alice in Tumblr-land
Author: Tim Manley
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: November 5th 2013
Source: Netgalley & Penguin Books

★★★★

Four stars.

---

Alice in Tumblr-land is a book full of snippets and pictures that help narrate fairy tales in the modern era. Peter Pan wants nothing more than to be internet famous, Alice experiences a drug trip, and Sleeping Beauty and the Ugly Duckling struggle with self-esteem problems. This is a fairy tale for the technology generation.


This book was dark and strange, and I loved it. It wasn't at all what I was expecting, but I was pleasantly surprised with how much I snickered throughout reading it.

One of the things that I most enjoyed about this was the graphics. Each short little tale has a picture with it, and I really liked the artwork. They're drawings that look simple, but that are still way better than I'd ever do.

Another thing that I liked about this book was the size of the stories. Each page has only a few sentences and a picture, making the book seem easier to read. You can either read a bit at a time and appreciate each page on its own, or if you read it in longer sections, you can see the wider story arcs that each character we know and love experiences.

All in all, it made me laugh out loud more than once. I would recommend it mostly to my fellow in-their-20's internet dwellers, the ones that either use or scoff at instagram, that use tumblr or imgur or the like, because I feel that they'll be the ones that connect with it most. However, if you like retellings and use the internet, I'm sure you'll get a chuckle out of it too.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books for my chance to read this.

Review: For Your Heart by A.L. Davroe

Title: For Your Heart (Retellings #1)
Author: A.L. Davroe
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: October 31st 2013
Source: A.L. Davroe

★★★★

Four stars.

---

In Jeanette's younger days, she went into the park with her very best friend.... But came out alone. She hasn't been the same since his disappearance, and she hasn't gone back to the park since that day. It's been seven years and she still can't shake what happened, living her life through a series of distractions to try and forget. Meanwhile, a knight of the summer court named Tamrin has been given the task of protecting the queen of the summer faeries' very special rose patch. Unaware of the consequences, Jeanette picks one of these roses, and Tamrin vows that he will right his wrong. The consequences? A rose is worth a human heart. But can Tamrin go through with it, the longer he gets to know Jeanette?

----

This is an upper level paranormal romance novel, and is a re-imagining of a well known Scottish tale, The Ballad of Tam Lin. I was unfamiliar with the tale before reading For Your Heart, but was pleased by how Davroe integrates the story.

For me, the characters were a strong element of this story, and what made it so likable. Jeanette is true to her morals, and Tamrin has this cute naivety when it comes to how the human world works. He's adorable, and I grew to love the pair of them as they grew to care about one another. It was a sweet romance that I was entranced by. This book is told through multiple POVs, which helps the reader get to know each of the characters better. It was clear to tell who was speaking, and didn't muddle the story at all.

And speaking of entrancing, I love the fantasy world and aspects that Davroe writes about within For Your Heart. Personally, I got an Alice in Wonderland-esque vibe about the two worlds and how one can travel between them. Being a massive Alice fan, this was a huge intrigue for me. I'd love to see more books that take place in the Otherworld or explore them more in depth.

I also loved the pop culture references that were sprinkled throughout this novel. References were made to things like Doctor Who and different animes, and I got kind of excited and fangirly when this happened. They added to Jeanette as a character and made her more relatable, at least to me.

My issues with this book were minor. I didn't like one of the side characters at all, but I don't really feel like I got to know them well.

Plus, look at the cover work for this. Gorgeous.

All in all, I'd recommend this to the older half of the YA spectrum who love fantasy and romance, or have an interest in retellings/re-imaginings of classic stories. I was very fortunate enough to beta read this title: An advance reading copy of For Your Heart was provided to me by the author, A.L, Davroe, in exchange for honest feedback. Thanks!

For Your Heart is available TODAY on Amazon, so pick up your copy here! Also, add it to your Goodreads to-read list by clicking here!

Review: Beauty and the Wolf

Title: Beauty and the Wolf (The Cursed Princes)
Author: Marina Myles
Format: egalley edition
Pub. Date: June 6th 2013
Source: Netgalley & Kensington Books

★★

Two stars.

Isabella never wanted to marry Draven. Sure, he is attractive. But he is also rumored to have a temper, and to have spent some time at an asylum. She's no stranger to odd looks and rumors herself. She wears an ancient Egyptian amulet that some whisper carries a curse that will doom her. After a quick escape, Isabella finds herself coming back to Draven's estate, in order to secure life for herself and her family, though Draven has his own intentions....

-There is way, way too much happening in this book. It seems like every possible book genre/topic is squeezed into this one. Fairy tale retelling? Check. Gypsy magic? Check. Asylums? Werewolves? Egyptology? Cursed amulets? Romance? History? Check, check. It seemed way over the top, to the extent that it was hard to read it with a straight face.

-None of the characters are likable. There's Draven, the hot but brooding misunderstood rich boy, who is a complete man whore with a violent temper. His mother is a miserable wretch, and the housekeeper is unpleasant and judgmental. And then there's Isabella. Sigh. She has utterly lost her mind. On one hand, I am pleasantly surprised to find that she's not just another damsel-in-distress. However, she was mouthy, argumentative, and demanding to the point that made it, again, unbelievable (yes, I am saying that in a book about werewolves). Oh, and at the beginning of the book, she spends all her time mentally complaining that Draven doesn't look his best on her wedding, on HER special day..... A few pages later it mentions that she didn't wear make up, why should she? REALLY? Pot, kettle. Kettle, meet pot.

-An overuse of words like "bloody" is also present in this book, which feeds into the unintentional hilarity of the story line and line delivery.

+One thing that I will say that I enjoy about this story is the werewolf-like twist on the classic "beast" character. Even Myles' version of a werewolf is unique in a new, intriguing way. It was a saving grace for this book.

+Another positive that this book has going for it is the cover. Whoever the model is is gorgeous, and it helped me to pick this book out right from the get-go.

Maybe it's because I'm not a huge fan of historic romance, or maybe I just didn't "get" what the author was trying to do, but I didn't enjoy this story and I won't be recommending it to any of my friends.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Books for my copy.

Mini Review: Unhinged- Chapter Sampler

Title: Unhinged - Chapter Sampler
Author: A.G. Howard
Format: egalley edition
Future Pub. Date: January 7th 2014
Source: Netgalley & Amulet Books

★★★★★

Five teasing stars.

This review is going to be short, since this is only a chapter excerpt.

Just one chapter, I thought to myself. You won't be completely enthralled after just one chapter. It cannot possibly be enough time to become smitten with this book. Wrong.

I will not lie to you, the immediate reason this attracted my eye is the cover. It's stunning. I love the color scheme, I love the way that Morpheus is situated. I would hang this up on my wall. And then of course, there's the reason of it being a retelling of one of my favorite fairy tale stories- Alice in Wonderland.

This short, one chapter sampling gives a small insight into the upcoming release of the novel, Unhinged. The language is gorgeous, the descriptions beautiful enough for the reader to completely picture themselves through the looking glass. And then there's Morpheus. I will be dying/eagerly awaiting January 2014 just so I can learn more about this man and read more about his bad-boy sounding self.

This chapter has fueled my desire to read this book and is a perfect tease- just enough to wet your mouth with the continuing story line from Splintered, but not enough to satisfy the longing for the book's release. Unhinged will definitely be a book worth watching out for, I can already tell.

Thanks to Netgalley and Amulet Books for the chance to read this excerpt.