Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
Series: Cruel Beauty Universe, #1
Source: Bought
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: January 28, 2014

Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl's journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

Cruel Beauty was a surprising read - and it was little to nothing like I expected. I was expecting twisted fairytales, but I never went so far as to throw demons and alternate universes and ghosts and Greek mythology into the mix, that's for sure. I never saw any of those things coming, and it was a tad bit shocking, to tell you the truth! But I still enjoyed the story.

The main character, Nyx, was kind of fun to pick apart. Her personality is definitely not rainbows an puppies! Actually, I'm going to say that about 90% of her personality is resentment and hatred. And for the first half of the book, that's all there really was to her. I'm glad that she grew as a person, because I doubt that I could have handled that for the entire book. When she fell in love with Ignifex, it was kind of like she became a different person, just a little. She still had her anger and resentment, but it wasn't nearly as strong - and now she has love and forgiveness and other emotions! She becomes compassionate.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have Ignifex - who has no moral compass to speak of. I mean, it's not his fault - but I think it never occurs to him that some of the things he does are wrong. He's very childlike in that way, and he's also extremely trusting. He may be a merciless king, but I don't think it's entirely his fault.

The romance was a bit on the insta side, but it wasn't too bad. It was what you would expect from a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Nyx hates Ignifex for a while, but she falls in love with him pretty quickly once they've talked once or twice.

I have to say, the most surprising part of Cruel Beauty was the sheer number of twists that it employed! We have the Kindly Ones from Greek mythology, a shade (that has more meaning later), a castle full of demons and the world inside a castle. Not to mention the alternative universe! I had no idea how this could possibly have a happy ending, but it was pretty good, even if it was nothing like the retellings I'm used to.

Red Riding Hood by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright

Red Riding Hood by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright
Series: N/A
Source: Bought
Publisher: Poppy (Little, Brown)
Publication Date: February 25, 2011

The blacksmith would marry her.
The woodcutter would run away with her.
The werewolf would turn her into one of its own.

Valerie's sister was beautiful, kind, and sweet. Now she is dead. Henry, the handsome son of the blacksmith, tries to console Valerie, but her wild heart beats fast for another: the outcast woodcutter, Peter, who offers Valerie another life far from home.

After her sister's violent death, Valerie's world begins to spiral out of control. For generations, the Wolf has been kept at bay with a monthly sacrifice. But now no one is safe. When an expert Wolf hunter arrives, the villagers learn that the creature lives among them--it could be anyone in town.


It soon becomes clear that Valerie is the only one who can hear the voice of the creature. The Wolf says she must surrender herself before the blood moon wanes...or everyone she loves will die.

Valerie was not who she had been. She felt parts of herself softly crumbling off, like a cliff falling into the sea.
Looking back at this book, I didn't find it to be very memorable at all. I couldn't connect with any of the characters, Valerie included, and to be downright honest with you? I actually think that I liked the movie more. And that never happens. It was a pretty big disappointment, storywise. I was expecting some big twist, with a terrifying take on an old fairytale - which unfortunately didn't happen. It was kind of blegh.

Valerie's character was like cardboard. I feel like she didn't think through any of her decisions, and really she just had no pizzazz. Even her feelings of  "love" were flat and underdeveloped. Not to mention the fact that the poor girl is an idiot. I'm not even being mean. But really, she is. It seemed like every five minutes, her opinion on who the wolf was changed... and she stabbed her boyfriend. Real smart, sweetie. (Don't worry, he still "loves" her.)

You know what? Now is the perfect time to talk about the feelings of instalove! Blegh! Let us all fall madly in love with each other over nothing! Grrr. Not only did Red Riding Hood have a terrible case of instalove, it also had a love triangle. A badly done love triangle, that basically made me want to eat my ball cap or something. No romance! No feelings! But don't forget, we're madly in love! (Also, I don't remember if this happens in the book - if it did, I rolled my eyes - but in the movie, he tells her that he'll "eat her up". SERIOUSLY.)

The point of view switched several times without warning, and while it wasn't very confusing, it was pretty annoying. It killed me. And let's not even mention how open the ending was - like really bad open. AND THE LAST CHAPTER IS ON THE INTERNET. *RAGE FACE* I'm not even going to pretend that it was a good ending. It was predictable, dumb, and everything I don't want in an ending.

All in all, Red Riding Hood was okay... but I have many rants on it. So it wasn't great - only read it if you like the movie, I guess. Because everything that happened in the book was in the movie - and the book was written to "give more life" to the screenplay. Fail.

Cress by Marissa Meyer

Cress by Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles, #3
Source: Gifted by the incredible Inky
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication Date: February 4, 2014

Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard. 

In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

"I'm scared of her, and her army, and what she can do. And everyone expects me to be strong and brave, but I don't know what I'm doing. I have no idea how to overthrow her. And even if I succeed, I have no idea how to be a queen. There are so many people relying on me, people who don't even know they're relying on me, and now they're dying, all because of some ridiculous fantasy that I can help them, that I can save them, but what if I can't?"

I originally started to write this review last night, but I could think of nothing to say. Nada. I'm a blank book, and there is nothing written in the pages of my mind that could properly describe exactly how I felt about Cress. But I'll try, and maybe you'll think I have something interesting to say about it.

I went into Cress with some big expectations... I was expecting to be wowed, and to a degree I was. This book takes us deeper into the world of The Lunar Chronicles, with the introduction of new plot and a few new characters. And intermixed with all these new characters are the characters that we know and love, like Scarlet, Iko, Cinder, Kai and Wolf. It was fun to see them again, and I enjoyed their group dynamic, but most of this one was all about Cress, one of the new characters.

Do you recognize the name? You should, it's on the front of the book. Cress was... interesting. I didn't like her as much as I liked Scarlet, but she's right up there with the original main character, Cinder. (If you can't tell, Scarlet is my favorite main character, but that may change with the next book. The peek we got at Winter was AMAZING.) But back to Cress. She's cute, really.  She's very innocent, very naive, and very unsure of herself, but I liked her. She was very nerdy, very easy to identify with... but mostly the epitome of a shy, quiet girl.

Just to screw with us, Thorne is the complete opposite. Cress has built him up in her mind to the point of hero status, which was cute, but unlikely. The glimpses that we got of Thorne show that he doesn't think of himself as a hero. Sometimes, he was, but most of the time... Thorne is just an average, normal kind of guy. That doesn't mean that I didn't like him, though! I did like him. But I feel like their romance was a little bit insta-lovish. Kind of. Like, a little bit. I liked it and all, and I didn't think the romance between them was stupid or anything (I actually thought it was adorable while reading) but the more I think about it, the more I realize that it was just a tad not perfect.

I liked that we saw character growth throughout the book - Thorne definitely became a better person, and Kai grew up a little more. I think he's shaping up to be a great leader - and I respect his character. I didn't get the point of views mixed up, but I do kind of want to call Cress Cinder. I'm not sure why - their characters are nothing alike, but I JUST DO.

Cress was nonstop twists and turns and new plot points - sometimes I felt like I would never be able to keep up, but I managed quite well. I'm really excited to see how this last book will turn out - especially since Winter is SNOW FREAKING WHITE, and OMG. Winter is totally going to rock - she's crazy. Like, "the walls are bleeding, but they don't believe me" crazy, and I'm going to have fun with her. And Jacin! :D

The worst part of Cress? (I hear you all saying "what? Worst part? What are you talking about?") It was the ending. Because now, no matter what I read... I'm stuck waiting on the next book in this series for A YEAR. AT LEAST. All in all, this was a really good continuation of the series, and I'm DYING for Winter.

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson
Series: N/A
Source: Bought
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: July 3, 2012

Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. . . .

Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.

Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything—her family, her future—to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.

With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Peaches comes a magical and bewitching story of the romance between a fearless heroine and the boy who wouldn't grow up.

It's the two of them, jumbled up and broken apart into confused pieces, and not really understanding, themselves, what they were doing.

To be completely honest with y'all, I've been sitting here and staring at the computer for about ten minutes. I literally have no inkling of what I want to say at all.

Tiger Lily was... I loved it. It took a bit of getting used to, because it was told from Tinker Bell's point of view, but it was about Tiger Lily. Like I said, it took some getting used to - but I really think that it was a unique and interesting way to go about it. I loved the writing, it was very descriptive and... I don't know. Flowing.

I enjoyed the character of Tiger Lily - I didn't really get to connect with her, because of the point of view, but I feel like she was a good character. She was very brave, but I feel like her mind is a dark and sad place. But that's okay. She really was pretty dang complex, and I was intrigued by her.

Undoubtedly, my absolute favorite part of Tiger Lily was the atmosphere. Neverland truly is a dark and dangerous place, with many villains that made it very interesting. It was so twisting and cruel; I mean who doesn't love that?

The ending that this book lead straight to was kind of depressing, but only for a moment. In the end, what Tiger Lily got was so much more amazing. Peter and Tiger Lily's love story was good - but in the way that a first love story always is. It was sad, and I wanted them to be together, but it just wasn't meant to be. Like I said, Tiger Lily's ending was so much better than it would have been with Peter.

It just fit. All in all, Tiger Lily really was a good read. I enjoyed Tiger Lily & the story of Neverland, and the atmosphere was amazing. But I just... don't know how to say what I want to say?

Love, Tink by Elle Strauss

Love, Tink (the complete series) by Elle Strauss
Series: Love, Tink, #1 - 6
Source: Netgalley
Publisher: ESB Publishing
Publication Date: July 10, 2013

Tink is hopelessly smitten with Peter, the leader of the Lost Boys who'd mysteriously arrived at Neverland two years ago. Unfortunately, Peter is tired of the adventure and especially tired of dodging Captain Hook who is after his head. He just wants to go back to New York City and live his life as a normal fifteen-year-old.

Tink is the only one who can help Peter return, but it breaks her heart to do it. She just wants to make him happy, so she does the unthinkable and betrays the fairy king. Now her heart is filled with remorse. Should she go after Peter? Should she follow him to his New York?

Love, Tink was a different read for me. I'm not usually such a big fan of serial books, but I decided to try this one - because it was a re-imagining of Peter Pan, and I just loved the idea of that. I thought it was cute, I really did... but. It just wasn't for me.

The story was cute and interesting, but the characters lacked any sort of depth. It was all very simplistic - definitely for a younger audience. Not everything checked out, but everything so easily wrapped up. I questioned Tink's wings drooping, and the "self-sacrifice" that happened with Jangle. I honestly didn't get it. Halfway through the series, we got one or two chapters in Peter's point of view and then it was back to Tink, with no real explanation.

There was no real plotting to be had, and no build up. It was just like "bam!" and something would happen. There was a gross twist near the end, and I was all like eww, but Tink miraculously gets out of it. Plus the ending... it just... ended. All in all, Love, Tink wasn't really my thing, but I did think that it was a cute read.

Mistress of the Wind by Michelle Diener

Mistress of the Wind by Michelle Diener
Series: N/A
Source: Netgalley
Publisher: Self-published
Publication Date: December 19, 2013

Bjorn needs to find a very special woman . . . 

The fate of his people, and his own life, depends on it. But when he does find her, she is nothing like he imagined, and may just harbor more secrets than he does himself.

Astrid has never taken well to commands. No matter who issues them . . . 

She's clashed her whole life with her father, and now her lover, the mysterious man who comes to her bedroom in darkness and disappears to guard his mountain by day as a bear, is finding it out the hard way. And when he's taken by his enemies, no one is prepared for Astrid's response.

It is never wise to anger the mistress of the wind . . . 

A captivating and magical adult retelling of the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon.

I'm going to start out by saying that I really don't have very many thoughts on Mistress of the Wind. Since I haven't read the fairytale that this is based on, I went in completely blind! I had no idea how it might end, or even if the original was good at all. And while I liked Mistress of the Wind, I didn't love it.

To me, it felt like a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, to tell you the truth. I liked the way that it was told - kind of like an old historical book, with a dash of mysterious allies and strange happenings. I'd say the biggest thing that kept me from loving this one was simply the amount of time that it took me to read! I couldn't get into it enough to just sit down and read it for long stretches of time - I believe I averaged about forty pages per reading.

I liked the story, but I didn't really know what to think of it. There were lots of twists that I anticipated, and while it really was interesting... I just came out at a point where I have no idea what to think. Astrid was an interesting main character, and I liked how she learned to use her newfound abilities... but I can't help but think that she was a bit of a contradiction.

In the beginning, she seemed very strong and sure of herself, but as the novel progressed, she became less and less sure of what she wanted. That disappointed me, because I liked how self-aware and awesome she was in the beginning. All of the tests and such that she participated in just proved to me how much she'd kind of just... lost it.

And the love interest, Bjorn... I wish I could have liked him more, but my only thoughts about him are kind of "meh". All in all, Mistress of the Wind wasn't a love for me. I liked it, but I didn't connect with either of the characters.

Enchanted by Alethea Kontis

Enchanted by Alethea Kontis
Series: Woodcutter Sisters, #1
Source: Bought
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Publication Date: May 8, 2012

It isn't easy being the rather overlooked and unhappy youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week. Sunday’s only comfort is writing stories, although what she writes has a terrible tendency to come true.

When Sunday meets an enchanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical. One night Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland—and a man Sunday’s family despises.

The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction for this prince she barely knows? And what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past - and hers?

I honestly think that I may have waited a bit too long to review Enchanted, but hey. Whatever, right? Anywho, when Enchanted started off, I was really excited about it! Another fairytale retelling, woohoo! But then, well, it became another fairytale retelling. Which...wasn't all that awesome, although this was still an enjoyable story. I liked the take on most fairytales being linked to the same family (they have all kinds linked to them. You don't even know), but I felt like everyone else was most of the story.

There was way too many unneeded details, like how stylish and fancy and whatever some random person's dress was, as well as the fact that the evil godmother that cursed so-and-so was the good godmother's sister who was related to Sunday's mom who was a magical person in her own right...it's like, I don't know. I just felt like I didn't need all of those little connections. It was neat, sure. But it overpowered the story in it's own right.

It almost crossed the line into way weird, but I think it strayed back enough to be alright. But you'd think after all the connections of the fairytales...well, that the story of Sunday and Rumbold would have been cooler. And it was okay, I just...I felt like there was no real reason for it. What use is it finding your soulmate (after losing him) if you don't even recognize his personality/soul? I don't understand, you know?

I liked the spin, and the alternating points of view, but I think that the premise and overall execution could have been better. But it did have a nice, peaceful, resolved ending.

Snow White Sorrow by Cameron Jace

Snow White Sorrow by Cameron Jace
Series: The Grimm Diaries, #1
Source: Bought
Publisher: Self-published
Publication Date: May 30, 2013

What if all you knew about fairy tales was wrong?

Sixteen year old Loki Blackstar is no Prince Charming. His mother is a ghost. His only friend is a red Cadillac that sings to him through the radio. He looks like an Angel but acts like jerk. No wonder he has been banned from Heaven, which is the least of his troubles. Loki needs a job to pay for school and support himself.

Still, Loki has a rare gift: He is a Dreamhunter. One of the few in the world who can hunt and kill immortal demons in their dreams so they never wake up again.

When Loki is sent to kill a sixteen-year-old vampire girl the locals call Snow White Sorrow, he is pulled into a magical but dangerous world. The locals believe the monster to be Snow White.

The real Snow White... living in the ruins of an ancient castle in a small town. She is described as horribly beautiful, terrifyingly enchanting, and wickedly lovely.

What he finds instead is a beautiful monster girl filled with rage and hurt, who has an epic untold story to tell of things such like why the Brothers Grimm altered the fairy tale, who the Evil Queen really is, where the mirror came from, and who possessed it.

Snow White has killed every person who has dared come near the castle where she once lived with the queen. Mysteriously, she lets Loki live, and whispers two words in his ears; two words that will change his life forever.

Snow White Sorrow was one of those books that I picked up just because. It looked interesting, and twisted fairy tales are my absolute favorite theme. And while the twisted fairy tales angle panned out (loved the "Grimm diaries" take) the actual way it was done wasn't all that great. I know this is a weird place to start, but let's start with the ending. The "ending" wasn't really an ending. The fairy tale itself wasn't resolved, nor were most of my questions answered. It just kind of...ended. Dropped off the ends of the earth without a goodbye, just stopped. *END of Book one*

Here's where I ask...what happens? I feel like I don't want to make an effort to read the next one if you're going to do me like that! I need to have at least two issues resolved. Give me that much, seriously! Other than that, though, I really liked this one. The characters weren't nothing to write home about, but the fairy tales...gotta love them.

I loved all the twists (Georgie Porgie, Hansel and Gretel, Snow White, and maybe even some others) that were present. They're what gave this one three stars for enjoyability. Other than that, it was just like every other book I've been reading lately-- disappointing. I think my standards must have gone up or something. Who knows.

Anywho, I found Loki to be an alright kind of character. I even liked him sometimes, but honestly, most of the time, Loki is a huge bonehead. He's got an innocent, childlike thought process, but then sometimes you realize that he's way ahead of you. It's weird, he's got all of this darkness inside of him, but he just seems like a little kid. He expects the best of everyone, and sometimes it's downright distracting.

Also, randomly out of nowhere, occasionally you'll get one sentence out of another character's point of view. It's kind of awkward. It threw me out of the story a bit, and I feel like I could never get fully immersed in Snow White Sorrow.

All in all, I liked the fairy tale elements of this one, but the characters were lacking, and I had hoped for a more resolved ending. Not a bad book, all things considered.

Towering by Alex Flinn

Towering by Alex Flinn
Series: N/A
Source: Gifted
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: May 14, 2013

At first, I merely saw his face, his hands on the window ledge. Then, his whole body as he swung himself through the window. Only I could not see what he swung on.

Until, one day, I told my dream self to look down. And it was then that I saw. He had climbed on a rope. I knew without asking that the rope had been one of my own tying.

Rachel is trapped in a tower, held hostage by a woman she’s always called Mama. Her golden hair is growing rapidly, and to pass the time, she watches the snow fall and sings songs from her childhood, hoping someone, anyone, will hear her.

Wyatt needs time to reflect or, better yet, forget about what happened to his best friend, Tyler. That’s why he’s been shipped off to the Adirondacks in the dead of winter to live with the oldest lady in town. Either that, or no one he knows ever wants to see him again.

Dani disappeared seventeen years ago without a trace, but she left behind a journal that’s never been read, not even by her overbearing mother…until now.

First off, I just want to say that I was really looking forward to Towering. I love fairytale retellings, and I also love Alex Flinn, so I was really expecting to be wowed by this one. And I kind of was... I was wowed at how much I disliked this book. I really wasn't expecting anything like what happened.

To tell you the truth, I'm not even sure what really happened. Because we happen upon this story.. a story about a girl who's been trapped a tower since she was a young girl by a woman she knows only as "Mama". Classic Rapunzel tale... but wait. Apparently, her tears heal people.  And get this? Her hair is a magical growth hormone or something, because when she needs it, it just grows and grows until she's tripping on it and how is that helping when you're running for your life? Someone needs to explain this to me. I mean, I realized that there would be magic, but I was hoping for some kind of explanation for why (and a better one than was actually given).

But. Let's actually start from the true-blue beginning. I was enjoying it in the beginning-- the first few chapters were enchanting and interesting, and the alternating points of view were nice. From this point on, I spent the whole rest of the book trying to get back to the feeling from the beginning. Because as I read on, I realized that our main characters (Rachel and Wyatt) weren't really growing any as characters. They continued being exactly the people we met... which is sad, because I believe that people change every day.

Rachel seemed to absolutely innocent-- having only read a select few classic novels, as well as living her life in a tower probably made her that way. So kudos to the author for that. But I felt like she just didn't know enough of the world, and was existing the way a little kid (before the questioning stage) might live. Just obedient in doing whatever she was told. Also, as I've said before, her hair irked me.

Wyatt was very mysterious at first, but he didn't really behave like a normal teenage boy, in my opinion. He's too... I don't know. Maybe too... something I just can't explain... but I didn't particularly care for him as a character. Or even a love interest, to tell you the truth. He was kind of boring.

Now that I've gone and mentioned it, I might as well tell you a little about the romance. So, here goes! There was none. They met, hey let's kiss and that was the only how-do-you-do that we got out of them as a couple. It was so awkward. They met each other and then they were making out with each other within minutes...I get it, she saved your life. But do you really need to? Eeeewww. There was a serious case of insta-love going on to, because there was quite the confession upon their second meeting. *facepalm*

On top of the insta-love, I feel like the plot was revealed way too early in. Almost everything was completely obvious from the beginning, except *SPOILER* the part where her hair is magical because of a crazy drug that her mother (and her mother before her) was doing...and the fact that all of the town's missing are being housed in a magical harvesting plant (location unknown) where this highly addictive drug grows. Oh, and they're apparently mindless freaks when they're on the drugs and the only way to stop it from growing is Rachel's magical hair (according to prophecy!) And it gives them freakishly inhuman strength, as well as hallucinations. And they're all still young (and kind of immortal), except for Rachel's mom who died for an unknown reason. *SPOILER END* And weirdly, all of that happened sometime within the last fifty pages. So, WEIRD.

The ending was okay... but how good of an ending could you hope for when you didn't enjoy the book? One point five stars for the beginning.

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy
Series: The League of Princes, #1
Source: Bought
Publisher: Walden Pond Press
Publication Date: May 1, 2012

Prince Liam. Prince Frederic. Prince Duncan. Prince Gustav. You’ve never heard of them, have you? These are the princes who saved Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White, and Rapunzel, respectively, and yet, thanks to those lousy bards who wrote the tales, you likely know them only as Prince Charming. But all of this is about to change.

Rejected by their princesses and cast out of their castles, the princes stumble upon an evil plot that could endanger each of their kingdoms. Now it’s up to them to triumph over their various shortcomings, take on trolls, bandits, dragons, witches, and other assorted terrors, and become the heroes no one ever thought they could be.

Christopher Healy’s Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom is a completely original take on the world of fairy tales, the truth about what happens after “happily ever after.” It’s a must-have for middle grade readers who enjoy their fantasy adventures mixed with the humor of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. Witty black-and-white drawings by Todd Harris add to the fun.

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom was a very fun book. I first picked it up because of the awesome illustrated cover, but after I read the intro there was no putting it down. First off, well, the premise itself was just awesome. I love the idea of it! Anything done with fairytales is A-OK by me, seriously. But anywho, this is one of those books that I kind of feel to old for...it was way fabulous, and I loved it to death, but it was written for kids much younger than me.

But that's not the point. The illustrations were awesome, the story was captivating, and the overall experience was something special. I loved all the princes-- Gustav, Liam, Duncan and Frederic. Weirdly, I think that anti-social Gustav was my favorite, being the youngest of two sets of octuplets (seriously laughter occurred when that was announced). His dorky heroism and complete uncaring nature won me over, y'all.

In spite of that, though, I thoroughly enjoyed all of the other princes, and of course the princesses too! Almost every chapter was in a different point of view, which you'd think would be confusing, but it really wasn't at all. It was fan-freaking-tastic. Each point of view was uniquely fleshed out, and each and every character had their own quirks. It was all very whimsical and imaginative.

All in all, The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom was a really interesting break from all the bad books I've been reading lately. I really loved it, and I'm hoping to get to the sequel soon!

Follow the White Rabbit by Kellie Sheridan

Follow the White Rabbit by Kellie Sheridan
Series: Beautiful Madness, #1
Source: Netgalley
Publisher: Patchwork Press
Publication Date: May 21, 2013

For centuries, Wonderland thrived as the domain of beautiful bedlam and unapologetic madness. It was a place like no other. All it took was one girl slipping in through the cracks of the universe to start chaos spiraling toward order. In the 150 years since Alice’s visit, the realm has become tainted—almost normal. Rabbits in waistcoats and playing card minions are little more than creatures of myth, and Wonderland is literally falling to pieces.

For Gwen, Rose, and Lucky, Wonderland is home, and yet they know little of its former glory. When the Alice prophecy resurfaces, they’ll have one chance to use Wonderland’s own legends to bring a little mayhem back into their reality. For she who controls Alice controls the fate of Wonderland.

(Novella, 21k words)

Headlights illuminated the road ahead, flickering with each bump and crack in the pavement as I drove across the countryside.

I don't really know why I started this one-- I think it was because of the "Alice in Wonderland" re-telling point, but I can't be sure. Turns out that I really enjoyed it! My only issue? Way too short. I feel like the story had really only just started by the end of the book.

I was just starting to understand everything that was going on and to piece it together. I want to read more. I want to look more into the similarities between the original Wonderland characters and the new ones. I love the idea that "Wonderland" exists in cycles, and that it wants to repeat them over and over again.

I just loved the idea of this one. I loved the atmosphere, and the creepy vibes that I kept feeling were absolutely amazing. In the beginning, I wasn't sure how I would like it, because I knew that it was a novella-- but I actually enjoyed it! My only issue was the length, and that at first the changing POV's was confusing. I got used to it, though, and Gwen and Lucky were my favorite characters.

Two guesses as to who they are! All in all, I liked this re-telling of "Wonderland", but I wanted it to be longer.

Three girls hold cards; each plays her game.
As Wonderland's wind whispers a name.
Black is white and white is red.
All unravels as you tug the thread.
The stakes are high, don't interfere.
No turning back - Alice is near. ~Pg. 9, E-ARC