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.

HOLIDAY COUNTDOWN Mini Review: Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas by Jun Asuka!

Title: Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas
Series: Disney Manga
Author: Jun Asuka
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: October 1st 2017
Source: Tokyo POP


Book Description:

Jack Skellington is the Pumpkin King, the ruler of Halloween Town and master of all things creepy and spooky. But he's tired of his life in the shadows and longs for something new. When he accidentally stumbles upon Christmas Town, he decides this is the perfect chance to try his hand at a brand new holiday and is convinced he'll have the world yelling "Scary Christmas"! With the young patchwork doll Sally trying to dissuade him and the evil Oogie Boogie waiting in the wings to take over Halloween Town in Jack's absence, he'd better hurry if he wants to get his plan in place by December 25th! You've seen the movie, now read the manga for a new twist on an animated classic!

Review:

★★★★

Disney? Check. Halloween? Check. Manga? Check. Tim Burton? Checkity check.

There's absolutely nothing that I wouldn't like about this combination of things.

I think making a manga out of this film was a really smart idea. Tim Burton's vision and aesthetic translate really well into the style of manga. Plus, I feel like there's a huge overlap of fans of Tim Burton and fans of manga & anime- but that might just be speculation on my part.

I really like the artwork. I find that it's really well detailed, and gives you a lot to look at. It goes well with the original story, as well as the story being told in this book.

The story felt a bit off to me though. It seemed SUPER rushed. I wish it had slowed the pace a bit more, to give me a longer experience of this book.

I think this book is well done, and is good for fans of manga, Tim Burton, Nightmare Before Christmas, and Disney alike. It pays good homage, albeit with a few bumps in the road.

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! Mini Review: Conversion by Katherine Howe

Title: Conversion
Author: Katherine Howe
Format: Paperback ARC
Pub. Date: July 1st 2014
Source: Won


Book Description:

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane comes a chilling mystery—Prep meets The Crucible.

It’s senior year at St. Joan’s Academy, and school is a pressure cooker. College applications, the battle for valedictorian, deciphering boys’ texts: Through it all, Colleen Rowley and her friends are expected to keep it together. Until they can’t.

First it’s the school’s queen bee, Clara Rutherford, who suddenly falls into uncontrollable tics in the middle of class. Her mystery illness quickly spreads to her closest clique of friends, then more students and symptoms follow: seizures, hair loss, violent coughing fits. St. Joan’s buzzes with rumor; rumor blossoms into full-blown panic.

Soon the media descends on Danvers, Massachusetts, as everyone scrambles to find something, or someone, to blame. Pollution? Stress? Or are the girls faking? Only Colleen—who’s been reading The Crucible for extra credit—comes to realize what nobody else has: Danvers was once Salem Village, where another group of girls suffered from a similarly bizarre epidemic three centuries ago . . .

Inspired by true events—from seventeenth-century colonial life to the halls of a modern-day high school—Conversion casts a spell. With her signature wit and passion, New York Times bestselling author Katherine Howe delivers an exciting and suspenseful novel, a chilling mystery that raises the question, what’s really happening to the girls at St. Joan’s?

Review:

★

I had such high hopes for this one. I love American history, and have special interest in Salem. I have an entire shelf dedicated to books- both fiction and nonfiction- on the subject. So when a retelling young adult book caught my eye, I was so excited. Boy, what a let down.

The main character was the absolute worst. She's demeaning and shallow and so self obsessed it's ridiculous. If she's supposed to be relatable, then I don't want to meet the girl who sees herself in Colleen. Every word that left her mouth was either snotty, judgmental, or about herself. I couldn't take it for long. The more she talked the less I cared about her and the book.

And the other characters, as well as the plot, are so bland that I can't tell you anything about them. Other than it was set in a prep school, and there's your sterotypical "preppy girls" who show up in every other book that involves a private school in the young adult genre. There's some Salem outlines and references, but it wasn't chilling, or haunting, or anything else that I expected upon reading the blurb.

I don't recommend it. Props on the cover art though. It caught my eye and I really like the design of it.

Maybe if you went to a school like this, with people like this, you'll relate to it more than I did.

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN! Review: The Isle of the Lost by Melissa de la Cruz

Title: The Isle of the Lost
Series: Descendants #1
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Format: Hardcover, 311 pages
Pub. Date: May 5th 2015
Source: Won/Publisher


Book Description:

Twenty years ago, all the evil villains were banished from the kingdom of Auradon and made to live in virtual imprisonment on the Isle of the Lost. The island is surrounded by a magical force field that keeps the villains and their descendants safely locked up and away from the mainland. Life on the island is dark and dreary. It is a dirty, decrepit place that's been left to rot and forgotten by the world.

But hidden in the mysterious Forbidden Fortress is a dragon's eye: the key to true darkness and the villains' only hope of escape. Only the cleverest, evilest, nastiest little villain can find it...who will it be?

Maleficent, Mistress of the Dark: As the self-proclaimed ruler of the isle, Maleficent has no tolerance for anything less than pure evil. She has little time for her subjects, who have still not mastered life without magic. Her only concern is getting off the Isle of the Lost.

Mal: At sixteen, Maleficent's daughter is the most talented student at Dragon Hall, best known for her evil schemes. And when she hears about the dragon's eye, Mal thinks this could be her chance to prove herself as the cruelest of them all.

Evie: Having been castle-schooled for years, Evil Queen's daughter, Evie, doesn't know the ins and outs of Dragon Hall. But she's a quick study, especially after she falls for one too many of Mal's little tricks.

Jay: As the son of Jafar, Jay is a boy of many talents: stealing and lying to name a few. Jay and Mal have been frenemies forever and he's not about to miss out on the hunt for the dragon's eye.

Carlos: Cruella de Vil's son may not be bravest, but he's certainly clever. Carlos's inventions may be the missing piece in locating the dragon's eye and ending the banishment for good.

Mal soon learns from her mother that the dragon's eye is cursed and whoever retrieves it will be knocked into a deep sleep for a thousand years. But Mal has a plan to capture it. She'll just need a little help from her "friends." In their quest for the dragon's eye, these kids begin to realize that just because you come from an evil family tree, being good ain't so bad.

Review:

★★★ ★

Upon watching the "Descendants 2" film on the Disney Channel a few months ago, I suddenly remembered that not only does this book series exist, but that I had a copy of the first book.

So, away I read.

Ultimately, this was a pretty quick read that held my attention really well.

I like the concept of having a new yet familiar world, filled with new yet familiar faces. The children of the most infamous Disney Villains all live, study, and survive on the Isle of the Lost. I thought that Melissa de la Cruz did a really good job of world building the island. It was vivid and descriptive, and it answered a lot of questions that I had (from seeing the movie before I read the book). I also liked that she took four separate villain children and gave them four distinct backgrounds and life experiences, though they're all from the same small place, and shoved them to work together. It was interesting to see how relationships changed and grew, and to see how they all interacted with each other, especially since they all know the heinous things that each of their parents have done in the past.

There are a lot of callbacks to Disney films in this book, and I adored that. If you were a fan of Disney animated classics growing up, there are a lot of familiar characters that make appearances, and you get new insight into some of the motives of these movies.

There's a little tease of a romance, but it doesn't really come to fruition in this first installment of the series. I hope that changes in the other books. There's also not a lot of description of the "good" enchanted land of Auradon; I assume that will come later too.

The only thing that really didn't vibe well with me was the personalities of the four villain kids who are the main characters: Jay (son of Jafar), Carlos (son of Cruella), Evie (daughter of the Evil Queen), and Mal (daughter of Maleficent). There was a lot of time dedicated to explaining what the sins of each of their parents was: what they had done to be villains, how they had failed, how mean they were. All fair explanations, but... We know. We saw what happened in the films. It's not something that needs to be constantly readdressed like "Oh remember Jafar wanted the lamp!?" We need to know more about who the villain children are, and I never really got a sense of who they were, on their own. Perhaps this changes when they no longer have such strong, imprisoning ties to their parents in later books, but in this book it seemed lacking for the kids, or redundant for the adults.

Like I said though, I enjoyed this book. It was a fun, nostalgic read that took me back to all the Disney books that I loved as a kid, and still love now in adulthood. It's a great book for kids and young teens who still love Disney, or who like series such as Ever After High or Monster High.

I look forward to continuing the series when I track them down.

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.

Mini Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 & 2 by John Tiffany & Jack Thorne

Title: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 & 2
Series: Harry Potter #8
Authors: John Tiffany & Jack Thorne & JK Rowling
Format: Hardcover, Special Rehearsal Edition Script, 309 pages
Pub. Date: July 31st 2016
Source: Gift from my dad


Book Description:

The Eighth Story. Nineteen Years Later.

Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, a new play by Jack Thorne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. The play will receive its world premiere in London’s West End on July 30, 2016.

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

Review:

★★★★

This review is going to be short and sweet and spoiler free. People seem to either think this is the best thing ever or something to be set on fire, and quite frankly, I'm just not that passionate about it either way.

I enjoyed reading this addition to the series. I went in with low expectations because there's so many reviews- both fan and media- that ripped it apart. It put me off from reading it until after the hype died down, but eventually I gave into it.

Maybe it's because I went into it expecting a big change in tone or writing style, but it didn't bother me. I felt particularly victorious when a plot twist I called when the original series came out ends up happening in this story. I liked some of the new characters, and some of the original characters who are now all grown up.

I got a little tired up doing the time warp after awhile, and admittedly that did take me out of the story a bit.

Regardless, I'm glad I read it and I intend to see it on stage when it comes to the US.

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.

My Boo's Review: Escape from Wonderland by Raven Gregory!

Every once in a while on here, I'll be posting my girlfriend Emily's reviews on here. She doesn't blog on her own, but sometimes she needs to let her book feelings out in the world, and that's where Bitches n Prose steps in. (She also drew that banner. Ain't she cute?)


Title: Escape from Wonderland
Series: Escape from Wonderland #1-6
Author: Raven Gregory
Format: Paperback, 199 pages
Pub. Date: April 2014
Source: Zenescope Entertainment


Book Description via Goodreads:

The beginning of the end is here. The final piece to the Wonderland trilogy brings the powerful story of Calie Liddle full circle. Her infant daughter was taken from her arms and brought into the realm of madness. Now Calie must re-enter the one place she has tried for so long to escape. The moment of truth has arrived as the girl who became a woman now sets out to become a hero. The one person who can prevent pure insanity from escaping into this world must now find a way to defeat madness itself. The final chapter of the most intense, riveting and addictive comic book series you have read in years has arrived and this time around there may be no escaping Wonderland.

Review:

★★★★★

First I want to say that my edition is exactly the same, only with a soft cover. Once the proper edition is added to Goodreads, I will edit my review appropriately.

I freaking loved this! I'm a huge Alice in Wonderland fan, and all of the dark and twisted takes on the classic story. I found this at a Half-Price Books store and couldn't pass up on the bargain even though I've never read parts 1&2, and I can tell you right now I'll be searching everywhere to snatch them up soon enough.

One thing I loved about this GN is that I didn't need to have read the previous stories to understand what was happening in this one, there was sufficient and important background information provided when it was needed to keep the story flowing and on pace. I was never left wondering what a character's motivation was, or what their connections to each other were for very long, and I appreciate that in graphic novels especially.

Another thing I loved was the stunning artwork, for a gritty and gore-y Wonderland, every page was filled with vibrant colors and exquisite details. One of the details I really liked were the signs on the trees in the forest that constantly changed their text to deliver sass, snark, and quips like an actual being in conversation. They were hilarious for the few pages they appeared, I highly recommend taking the extra minute to read each sign, it's definitely worth it.

The last thing I'd like to mention is the few pages in the back of the book that show the drawing process of some of the panels and full page art, from how it was blocked out with basic forms to half inked drawings, it really shows how much effort and detail goes into these books. And as an aspiring artist myself who often had a lot of trouble with portions and angles of view, these pages were helpful as a learning or reference tool, and I personally find that kind of nifty.

I would definitely recommend Escape From Wonderland and it's predecessors to fans of Alice in Wonderland, and fairy tales with a dark and twisted, modern spin to them.

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Kissing Frogs by Alisha Sevigny

Title: Kissing Frogs
Author: Alisha Sevigny
Release date: 11/18/14
Publisher: Swoon Romance

Book Description via Goodreads:

Popular party girl and high school senior Jessica Scott has a secret: she used to be a nerd — a big one; a goody two-shoes, grade-skipping, all-state spelling bee champ. But she lost the braces, put on some contacts, and applied all her academic genius to studying and imitating the social elite. Now she rules the school from the upper echelon of the high school realm. With her cool new friends and hottest-guy-in-school boyfriend, life’s a beach — and that’s where she’s headed for Spring Break. That is, until her teacher breaks the bad news that she’s failing Biology — and her only chance to make up the grade is to throw away the culminating trip of her hard-earned popularity and join the Conservation Club in Panama to save the Golden Frog.

Unable to let go of her faded college dreams, Jess finds herself in a foreign country with a new social crew, and one handsome face that stands out as a blast from the past, threatening to ruin her queen bee reputation. Travis Henley may have grown up, but he still likes to play childish games and as payment for retrieving Jess’ lost ring from the bottom of a jungle pool, he wants three dates. While Jess does battle with spiders, snakes, wildfires and smart mean girls, she desperately tries to hang on to the last vestiges of her popular existence like the Golden Frog from its webbed toe. But as she starts to care about something more than tanning and texting – a species on the verge of disappearing forever – she may realize the worth of her inner nerd, and the one frog in particular that could be her prince in disguise.

Set in the lush and tropical El Valle de Anton, this modern fairytale re-imagining of “The Frog Prince” is toe-curling contemporary romance with an environmentalist heartbeat, in the tradition of Stephanie Perkins.



Buy it here: Amazon

About the Author:

Alisha Sevigny holds a degree in Sociology and Professional Writing from the University of Victoria, is a film school graduate, former literary agent and current Social Media and Communications Director for an award-winning English school. A shameless romantic, Alisha and her husband have travelled the world together. On a recent trip to Panama with their new daughter, Alisha fell in love with the country, culture, and their national emblem, the Golden Frog. She was inspired to write her first Young Adult novel, Kissing Frogs. Born and raised in Kitimat, British Columbia, Alisha has always had a strong connection to the environment and conservationist spirit. She now lives in Toronto with her family.
Facebook | Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Review:

★★★★ ★

Four and a half stars.

I'll let you all in on a little secret: I was suckered in by the cover. I mean, just look at it. Look at how cute it is! I want a physical copy for my shelves, because it is absolutely darling. And I'm very happy to announce, that the story inside is just as lovely. This book is charming, well-written, and will hook you in from the start.

At first I didn't like the main character, Jessica. I really, really dislike girls who pretend to be stupid for popularity reasons. I knew people like this growing up and it just made me sad. Jessica was snarky and judgmental and I wasn't sure how I was going to like this book. And then I "got" it. Jessica didn't like having to pretend to be that way either, she just didn't know it yet. I loved watching her shape and grow throughout the trip to Panama, I liked seeing how she started to care about the project instead of just seeing it as a way to pass a class. And I loved watching her sort out her feelings, especially when it comes to Travis.

I adored Travis. He's smart and attractive and funny and passionate. It's easy to see why any girl would be smitten with him. I felt that all of the characters had unique voices that were brought to the table, and I got attached to most of them for different reasons. Jessica's new "nerd" friend Harp, for instance, is absolutely adorable and I wish I had a friend that sweet.

The setting and background of this story also add to its charm. Like Jessica, I fell in love with Panama and the allure/mythologies of the Gold Frog. The way that Sevigny describes every detail, from the gorgeous landscapes to the native animals, to the specific places and even the smells of local foods, it felt like I was actually in Panama. I have never been there. I have never wanted to be there. But I'll be damned if Sevigny didn't stir up an interest. There's also a lot of fun facts in this book. Because they're members of the conservation club, the whole group is well-versed in their studies, and chime in with information and tidbits about various things. I found these really interesting, and most importantly, it was done well-enough where it didn't feel like facts were being shoved down my throat.

My only real annoyance with this book was the fact that while Jessica is in Panama for her conservation report, her boyfriend and "best friends" are partying it up in Florida. I grew up in a pretty average town, neither rich nor poor. And no one, not even the popular clique, in high school would have gotten away with going to party unsupervised across the country. It made the book feel a bit more collegiate level in nature at time, when the characters are all still in high school. This didn't detract too much from the overall story, but it was something that bothered me.

I loved the sweet, clean, and admittedly cheesy romance (the characters comment on how cheesy it is too) that is Kissing Frogs. To the best of my knowledge this is a standalone, but I really, really hope to read more from these characters in the future. I recommend it for fans of YA contemporary romances.

I received this book via YA Bound Book Tours in exchange for my honest reviews. Thank you!

Follow the rest of the tour here!

Giveaway:

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Blog Tour Organized by:
YA Bound Book Tours

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.

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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.

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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?

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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!