Review: The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back by Sariah Wilson

The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back

By Sariah Wilson

Released: August 15, 2012

Publisher: Fire & Ice Books

eBook, 224 pages

Source: Free eBook

Everyone knows how all those fairy tales go. The princess gets beautiful, nabs her prince, falls instantly in love, lives happily ever after and leaves her evil stepsisters in the dust.

But what happens when you’re the ugly stepsister and your obnoxiously perfect—read pretty, smart, and, worst of all, sickeningly nice—stepsister is dating the charming, tall, devastatingly handsome guy you’ve had a thing for since you were nine years old?

Quirky, artistic and snarky Mattie Lowe does not lead a charmed life. Her mother is constantly belittling her on Skype. Mercedes, the school mean girl, has made it her personal mission to torment Mattie. But worst of all? Her stepsister Ella is the most beautiful, popular girl in school and is dating Mattie’s secret longtime crush, Jake Kingston.

Tired of being left out and done with waiting for her own stupid fairy godmother to show up, Mattie decides to change her life. She’ll start by running for senior class president against wildly popular Jake.

Ella can keep her Prince Annoying. Mattie’s going to rule the school.

And no one, not even a cute and suddenly flirty Jake, is going to stop her. --Goodreads

Purchase The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back here for FREE for limited time: Amazon (Kindle)

3.5 Stars

Review:

Sometimes, you just want an adorable, sweet read to balance out your reading depression. Nothing too depressing like cancer or tragic pasts, but not too cheesy and fluffy. Thankfully, there are books like The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back here to fulfill this purpose. With a lot of heart and laughs, this book made me smile at every turn.

Mattie is the average girl that is continually being traumatized by her stepsister's perfectness. Not to mention, Mattie is having to deal with a sociopathic mother, a bully who knows how to press all of the right buttons, and an arrogant Jake Kingston. Life sucks, right? Even though Mattie is facing way too many issues for someone her own age, these problems are so relatable and similar to the stuff we face in real life. Initially, Mattie faces these issues cynically and does nothing to put a stop to them. It doesn't happen until Mattie is utterly humiliated when she decides to fight back. However, she receives help from the person she least expects: Ella. With Ella, Mattie goes to prove to the world that even an average person can defeat the extraordinary through the student council elections.

If you can't tell already, this is an underdog story. It's a story that brightens our day when we read about the underdog defeating everything standing in her way. Mattie is definitely a flawed heroine. She makes so many mistakes and assumptions throughout her journey to discover herself. But this makes her so likable because she actually learns from her mistakes and admits to them. 

I admit, I really enjoyed this book. So many of the characters, not just Mattie, were so enjoyable to read about. We meet Ella, Mattie's perfect stepsister, who is so ridiculously nice and kind. Initially, Ella seems like a flat character because we only really see how perfect she is. Little by little, the history behind Ella's actions and personality unveil, soon making her my favorite character after Mattie. Jake himself wasn't too bad either. After piercing through his arrogance, we see the stereotypical male lead who is mean because he is pressured to get into a good college, so he vents out at others behind everyone's back. I mean seriously, there probably are more original reasons for why Jake was such an arrogant *beep*, but I guess this reason was believable, so kudos to the author for that. Additionally, many of the other characters were cute to read about, such as Mattie's dad, Trent (Mattie's best friend whose a guy), and Mattie's sociopathic mother (Yeah, she was really mean and nasty, but my mom is like that too. Therefore, I probably don't see Mattie's mom's verbal abuse as something completely wrong).

As a light, summer read, The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back is a perfect relaxing read. Snarky, adorable, and emotionally riveting, this book is a book that will bring a smile for it's dorky, but sweet ending. Despite a few clichés and extremely childish moments that were unsuited for the age of the characters, The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back is a fun, fast-paced read that will have you laughing, crying, and smiling with Mattie during her journey for identity.

Review: The Frog Prince by Jenni James

The Frog Prince (Fairie Tale Collection #8)

By Jenni James

Released: June 5, 2013

Publisher: StoneHouse Ink

eBook, 87 pages

A prince disguises himself to find true love—

Prince Nolan has had enough of Princess Blythe—the woman to whom he has been betrothed since infancy—and her simpering letters. Does the princess truly not have a brain in her head? Never before has he communicated with someone who seemed so childish and spoiled. It was time he met her for himself, to decide if he could actually follow through with this marriage. But to do it right, she must not see how handsome he is. He needs a disguise—something that would show him her true nature.

Nolan asks an old herb woman to transform him into a creature that is disgusting to any female—a frog. The spell will last thirty days unless the princess does the impossible and kisses him. Now the true test begins. Will Blythe prove to be as monstrously annoying as he believes she is, or will he learn to see past his judgments and find a loving princess waiting for him? --Goodreads

Purchase The Frog Prince here: Amazon (Kindle) | Barnes & Nobles (Nook)

4 Stars

Review:

Jenni James has once again proven herself to be extraordinarily gifted with her fairy tale retellings. While staying close to the setting and dreamy quality of fairy tales, Jenni James sends her readers off to a darker, more developed fairy tale world. These retellings all have a special quality about them that set them above all others. For example, Sleeping Beauty included a world of good warriors fighting off the evil witches. I mean who would ever think of that? What about a cannibalistic stepmother in Hansel and Gretel? The stuff Jenni James usually writes is just candy (fluff, but addictingly tasty fluff), so when she started exploring human nature through fairy tales, her retellings reach another level of amazing-ness.

We begin with a not-so stereotypical scene of a prince convincing his mother that turning into a frog is the best course of action. A majority of Jenni James' retellings involve witty banter, and this was no exception. It may seem as if the smart talk takes up a majority of the book because there is so much of it, but it really suits the story. In fact, it is way more amusing to see characters making fun of each other using their words, rather than the more commonly used body gags. 

The best part, though, was not the humor inserted in the dialogue: in reality, it was the depiction of the natural bond between Nolan and Blythe that develops. I know, it's ridiculous that a person can bond with a frog. But somehow it's easy to fly with this idea that people can bond with frogs realistically. The original fairy tale was kind of "meh" on explaining how a princess who hates frogs can deal with a frog hovering around her 24/7, so this take on The Frog Prince revises and improves the logistics of how princess and frog fall in love and eventually marry. We really see that from the moment Nolan and Blythe meet that these need each other and how their relationship shifts from acquaintances to close confidants to finally lovers is so romantic. It's difficult for a book to force a reader to fall hard for the romance, especially in an 87 page book, but this book managed to do it so effortlessly.

The thing that really strikes the most is the evolution Nolan and Blyth themselves. Remember him? How he thought that he was better than his fiancé and wanted to judge her? Remember her? The one who judges on first impressions? Yeah, these two flawed people are able to overcome their faults with one another's help, which is so adorable and meaningful. This relationship is definitely a keeper!

Sigh... Fluffy fairy tale retellings are always a relaxing, fun read, but only if they are done right. Too often writers incorporate too much detail or aren't able to sell their retelling. Thankfully, The Frog Prince didn't have too many problems with this. The only thing that was really annoying was the extremely rushed endings that Jenni James always ends with. Once again, the ending was kind of lame and needed more oomph to make it have greater impact. Rushed endings with quick little blah blah stuff is always a drag to read, so I really hope that the next fairy tale won't face this epidemic problem. However, this was expected, especially after this happening seven times already. Despite this minor issue, The Frog Prince is a fantastic retelling that stays true to the essence of the original while exceeding expectations with a beautiful romance that eclipses all others.

Blood and Snow by RaShelle Workman Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

Blood and Snow by RaShelle Workman 

Where in Series: Blood and Snow #1-12

Released: 2013 

Type: eBook

Pages: 518 

Purchase: Amazon (Kindle)

Every thousand years the Vampire Queen selects a new body, always the fairest in the land, and this time she's chosen Snow White. Snow isn't an ordinary girl. She doesn't know that yet.

When Snow gets bitten by a Hunter, her life is thrown into a whirlwind of change where instead of worrying about what to eat, she has to fight not to drink the blood of fellow high school students. She becomes a revenant - not quite human, not quite vampire.

With the help of an eccentric old Professor, his seven adoptive sons, and her best friend, Snow learns to control her blood craving. Sort of. She drinks a bloodlust tea, but she'd rather drink from her Hunter. Or, a human.

She also discovers a whole other realm, one filled with fairies, dragons, and magic. And not only does the Vampire Queen want her, but there's a pendant called the Seal of Gabriel created for Snow by the Vampire Queen's twin sister. And Snow's supposed to use it to restore balance to all magical creatures. Including vampires. --Goodreads

3.5 Stars

Review

Usually when I try fairy tale retellings these days, I try to grade them harshly because the original content is usually at a bare minimum for them. So do not be surprised with this harsh rating and review because there are probably plenty of other people with higher ratings than mine. They are probably also better at figuring out ratings for fairy tale retellings as well... Anyway...

This book or bundle, which it really is, is a series of twelve novellas that tell the story of Snow and her hunky dory life when she discovers that she is a vampire. To make it worse, the Vampire Queen wants her body, which is so wrong on so many levels, but we won't get into that. Prince Charming, or Hunter as he is referred to as, marks Snow as the Queen's next chosen body. 

However, Snow isn't alone in trying to discover herself as well as the world she lives in. There is the amazing Professor Pops who is a hilarious father figure to Snow as well as the her seven boy friends. Note the space between 'boy' and 'friends.' Then again, it should probably be six boy friends and one boyfriend. Here is a spoiler, Snow and Gabriel, one of the seven 'dwarfs' that need to shrink a few feet to be a dwarf are going all gaga over each other. It's kind of creepy and gross because Gabe is aggravating. 

The story that Blood and Snow tells is a fresh, original one that completely deviates from the actual Snow White story, including the very original that wasn't told by Disney. So many characters were added or rewritten in as completely different people, making it so much more exciting to read. For example, Snow White is now a complete tomboy klutz in this new version. This change was somewhat clichéd and unoriginal, not to mention unbelievable because Snow was way too clumsy. Still, it was just one of the cute, fluffy changes that were made to make Snow not see the beauty within her.

The thing that truly kept me drawn to this series was the writing. The plot was topsy-turvey because while some books were solid reads, others felt lacking in certain respects. Of course, this series progressed in plot and in writing as each novella was finished. The only thing that aggravatingly stayed constant was the description of the smells. It is incredibly unrealistic for a character to notice each little scent that passes by them because people tend to focus more on the visual things, rather than the little odors that come out here and there. 

Blood and Snow is a series that is hard for me to judge. Each little novella had its own little successes and failures, so it is difficult to decide on the entire series as a whole. Characters either shined or spiked at many points, but Dorian, one of the seven 'dwarfs' shall stay in my heart forever because he is awesome! 

Otherwise, I wasn't a huge fan of anyone else because they weren't consistent in their beliefs. I was a big fan of the author's writing though, so even though I am a bit iffy on certain aspects of this book, I am still planning to check out the spin-off that will be written for Cindy, Snow's obnoxious and annoying friend. She is a person that I don't really want to understand, but I am willing to give it a go just for more of Rashelle Workman's works.

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Twisted Tales Blog Tour: With a Kiss by Stephanie Fowers

With a Kiss (Twisted Tales #1) 

By Stephanie Fowers 

Released: March 15, 2013 

Publisher: Triad Media and Entertainment 

eBook, 282 pages 

Faerytales. They're real . . . they just haven't happened yet. Halley Starr finds this out when she loses her heart to a terrible curse. Now she has to get it back from that dirty faery who stole it from her. But first she must fight against the seven rules of the faery kingdom that mortals must never break:

1. No trespassing sacred faery territory

2. Don't ever say thank you

3. Using a faery’s given name is a no-no

4. Resist all faery music

5. Never break a promise to a faery

6. Reject all faery food

7. And never, never fall in love with a faery

But if Halley wants her heart back again, she can’t worry about the rules.

"With a Kiss" is the first book in the Twisted Tales Series.

3 Stars

Review:

With a Kiss by Stephanie Fowers is a cute, fun fairy tale retelling that is similar to Mercedes Lackey's Five Hundred Kingdoms series, but has more heart and teenage angst to draw readers in. Although this was far from being perfect, there is so much packed into the book that makes it enjoyable to read.

We are introduced to Halley Starr, a girl born with literally no heart. By no heart, she doesn't love anyone, even though everyone loves her. When she is forced to bring a baby back to her mother with a fairy gang, she learns to love and discovers who she truly is. Despite the straight forward summary, this book seems to ramble off on several points. It makes it extremely difficult to follow certain events and to gain a full understanding of the plot. At several points, I was a little confused on where the author was trying to lead the reader to in the beginning. Once the action begins in the Sidhe world, the action and humor picks up a bit. Still, the slow beginning was rather trying at times.

Even with the awkward beginning pages, With a Kiss manages to pull of the journey to giving the baby, called Babs, back to her mother. With the help of Hob, a mysterious stranger and a silent, but snarky leprechaun, Halley faces the strange, eerie Sidhe world. The problem was that there were so many unexplained plot devices that kept on adding on to my mental list. While a few of these questions were partially answered, there was still a bulk of the questions that I am still trying to answer by sorting out the book. For example, I am still wondering exactly why Halley is sent off by the mother to return Babs to her mother. Hello! Babs' mom sent Babs to Halley herself, so why does she just ship Babs something off, expecting someone else to return her to her. It is somewhat unpractical, even with the answer offered at the end. Also, why is Halley have a crown stuck to her head that tells her things? These were just the tip of the many puzzling problems that I came across.

Although I was confused for a majority of the book, the reading experience I had with this book was spectacular. Halley and her gang's conversations were cute and witty, and could draw the reader in easily. The romance in this book was pleasantly sweet, even if I didn't like the people in the couple in general. Halley was somewhat flat in characterization. She begins as an "ice queen" and immediately after being kissed, feels the emotion love for the first time. However, she does not really ever reveal it to anyone else besides Babs, making it hard to be empathetic with her. Hobs was so mysterious, annnoyingly so. If there was one character I could shoot first in the world, it would be him. I am telling you dude now that your secrets are not furthering your cause or saving the world. Go join the CIA if you wanna become in charge of classified information.

Regardless of its several faults, With a Kiss excels in painting the picture of a journey to the unknown. Unfortunately, the details of the journey are somewhat muddled, which makes it difficult to root for. Initially, we are told that Halley needs to return Babs to her mother, or else she will die, but then the objective seems to shift somewhere else. The three stars I give as a rating is what I believe that With a Kiss deserves, but my enjoyment of this book surpasses five stars because it was a new twist on the fairy tale retellings that are typically offered. 

Purchase With a Kiss here: Amazon (Kindle)

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Excerpt and Giveaway: Blood and Snow by RaShelle Workman

Blood and Snow: The Complete Set

By Rashelle Workman 

Released: February 17, 2013

eBook, 535 pages 

Every thousand years the Vampire Queen selects a new body, always the fairest in the land, and this time she's chosen Snow White.

Snow isn't an ordinary girl. She doesn't know that yet. 

When Snow gets bitten by a Hunter, her life is thrown into a whirlwind of change where instead of worrying about what to eat, she has to fight not to drink the blood of fellow high school students. She becomes a revenant - not quite human, not quite vampire.

With the help of an eccentric old Professor, his seven adoptive sons, and her best friend, Snow learns to control her blood craving. Sort of. She drinks a bloodlust tea, but she'd rather drink from her Hunter.

Or, a human.

She also discovers a whole other realm, one filled with fairies, dragons, and magic. And not only does the Vampire Queen want her, but there's a pendant called the Seal of Gabriel created for Snow by the Vampire Queen's twin sister. And Snow's supposed to use it to restore balance to all magical creatures. Including vampires. --Goodreads

Excerpt:

When you lose everything, there’s only one option. Jump. Go all in. Which is what I did. With both fangs. I embraced my vampire… ism?... ness?... tendencies?... whatever. I accepted them and, the truth was, I liked it.

At least while I partook of human blood. After, when the drunken haze faded, guilt would edge its way in. I hadn’t killed another human, not since Gabe, but killing him was horror enough. It ate at my heart. I remembered the grotesque way Gabe’s body laid on the floor. The way Professor Pops and the guys looked at me. With loathing, disgust, and fear. But I deserved it. I’d become a monster, and killed a brother. A son. A boy I thought I might love. He kissed me, and I repaid him in blood. Lots of it. Maybe even all of it. My carnal need overtook all other emotions, and I let myself give in. Relished the sensation.

Author Info:

RASHELLE WORKMAN lives on a mountain with her husband, three children, and three dogs. From her back porch she can see the city lights and imagine... She's the bestselling author of the Dead Roses series (Sleeping Roses is being translated into Turkish, and will be available in print wherever Turkish books are sold in 2014), the Immortal Essence series, and the Blood and Snow series.


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Review: Princess of the Silver Woods by Jessica Day George

Princess of the Silver Woods (Princess #3)

By Jessica Day George

Published December11th, 2012

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books

Hardcover, 336 pages

When Petunia, the youngest of King Gregor's twelve dancing daughters, is invited to visit an elderly friend in the neighboring country of Westfalin, she welcomes the change of scenery. But in order to reach Westfalin, Petunia must pass through a forest where strange two-legged wolves are rumored to exist. Wolves intent on redistributing the wealth of the noble citizens who have entered their territory. But the bandit-wolves prove more rakishly handsome than truly dangerous, and it's not until Petunia reaches her destination that she realizes the kindly grandmother she has been summoned to visit is really an enemy bent on restoring an age-old curse.

The stories of Red Riding Hood and Robin Hood get a twist as Petunia and her many sisters take on bandits, grannies, and the new King Under Stone to end their family curse once and for all. --Goodreads

4 Stars

Review

Let me start this out saying that this is the third book in the series, and it would help to read the other two books first, but to enjoy this book you don't have to read them (although it is suggested as it would make things a bit clearer). When I started reading this book, I myself had not realized that this was the third book, but it turns out that I had actually read the first in the series a while back, but didn't remember it until now. Even though I missed reading the second book in the series, I still loved Princess of the Silver Woods, and thought it was a cute and quick read.

I personally am a fan of fairytale retellings, and Princess of the Silver Woods was no exception. Petunia, the youngest of the twelve dancing princesses, has grown up to be quite a spunky and brave person. She even dares to point a pistol at the bandits who try to rob her. Of course she isn't scared, or at least hides it well, showing a brave exterior when she might be quaking underneath. With that however, Petunia doesn't always think things through. I just wanted to smack my head when she fell for the trap (it was  so very obvious). Sigh. Oh well. Also, the love between her and Oliver was sort of annoying. It was kinda like insta love, much as I don't want to admit it. They barely see each other yet fall in love so quickly. Ok, Petunia may be a great person whom you could fall easily in love with, but still.

From the beginning, Oliver was quite taken with Petunia. I guess having a pistol pointed in his face by her may have made quite the first impression. Indeed, he is also a dashing hero in disguise. His earldom was given away by King Gregor after the war, so he was left as an earl without any land. Not only that, but he still had to provide for his people, resorting to robbing coaches for money. Of course, predictably, he will be redeemed by Petunia.  

Also, I got very annoyed at how many times they mentioned the nine princesses of Russaka and their connection with the King Under Stone. It seemed everyone made that revelation on their own and had to keep repeating it as if they couldn't get it through their heads. Yes, everyone understands, now can you quickly do something about it? 

Overall, Princess of the Silver Woods was a great little book that provided some lighthearted fun at a fast pace. If you are looking for a book that is a quick read and something you can just sit back and enjoy, I would definitely recommend this book. However, I would also suggest reading the other two books in the series (although it isn't necessary).

 Purchase this book at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble /  The Book Depository

Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2)
By Marissa Meyer

Published: February 5, 2013
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Hardcover, 464 pages

Cinder returns in the second thrilling installment of the New York Times-bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother and the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she has no choice but to trust him, though he clearly has a few dark secrets of his own.

As Scarlet and Wolf work to unravel one mystery, they find another when they cross paths with Cinder. Together, they must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen who will do anything to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner. --Goodreads

4 Stars

Review

The first time I read this (yes, I read this), I found Scarlet to be an underwhelming disappointment to desperation I felt to read this book as quickly as possible. Because I finished this book in an hour (I was busy!) I lost everything that made this book as amazing as it was. Luckily, after a re-read, I can say that Scarlet is a fantastic sequel to the one-of-a-kind Cinder.

Scarlet picks up immediately after the ridiculous cliffhanger of Cinder and transport us to France, where Scarlet, the granddaughter of the missing Michelle Benoit, is panicking and going off her rocker, desperate to find her grandmother. Not to say that a relative of a missing person will literally go off her rocker like Scarlet was throughout the entire book, but man! Scarlet was one fierce, and extremely impetuous heroine to root for. At many points, her desperation to find her grandmother fell a bit flat, considering the danger she keeps causing Wolf and herself to run into. If there was one person I wanted to knock a few marbles into, Scarlet would be my pick number one.

Despite my initial irritation with Scarlet, the dangerous world of the Lunar Chronicles has just become a whole ton better with the introduction of Wolf and Thorne. Two completely contrasting characters both bring smiles to my face with their idiosyncrasies: Wolf is literally a newborn babe in the new world, while Thorne is a comic relief character who keeps Cinder from going insane. Oh yeah! *spoiler* If you didn't know, Cinder runs away with Thorne, who has a stolen spaceship, to discover the whole truth of her past from Michelle Benoit (remember, Scarlet's grandma). *spoiler* The humorous retorts going on between Cinder and Thorne almost made up for the lack of Cinder and Kai romance that crackled in the first book. Although it was sad to see some of my favorite characters not featured as prominently as in the first book, these new guys totally made their absence worth it!

Your heart really breaks for Kai in this book. While everyone else is running toward a goal in mind, Kai is left to face the frightening Queen Levana without the support that he needs. Although I was cold as rock toward Scarlet's predicament, I admit to shedding a few tears to poor Kai. Not only has his heart been broken, he is forced to be diplomatic to the enemy who constantly stalks him like prey. What Scarlet does best is have incredibly lovable characters, like Kai, that allow the reader to be empathetic and feel way more passionate about the plot than they should. Basically, I'm generalizing the readers of Scarlet to be exactly how I felt as I read this. Sorry if this wasn't true for you, but deal with it.

This book doesn't have too much going on throughout the plot, but still faithfully follows the Little Red Riding Hood story, which in turn didn't have much going for it either. Cross dressing wolves, anyone? However, there hasn't been a book in a ridiculously long time who has hit me this hard in terms of character development like Scarlet did. The disappointments I had with Scarlet, herself, and a sort of lack of plot were almost completely made up with the new characters, Wolf and Thorne, as well as the maturation all of the characters are forced to face the climatic buildup for what is to come.

Purchase Scarlet here: Amazon/ B&N/ TBD

Review: Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Tiger Lily
By Jodi Lynn Anderson
Published July 3rd, 2012
Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books

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. -Goodreads

Review

At first, I was only vaguely interested in reading this book. It was only until I saw it on a library shelf that I decided to try it, going in without high expectations. However, Tiger Lily far exceeded my expectations. It turned out to be such a wonderful story of a girl who is so brave and strong on the outside, but has so many doubts and fears that she can't express, not even when she falls in love for the first time. It is so much more than just a retelling of the well known story of Peter Pan, it is Tiger Lily's story, one about love, loss, and loneliness.

In the story of Peter Pan, Neverland is seen as a magical place where good will always triumph over evil. That is not the case in Tiger Lily's Neverland, and through Tinker Bell's view point the readers can catch a glimpse of an entirely different world other than the Disney fairytale setting. The story is a brilliant mix of the Peter Pan that I know and grew up with and a whole new story that makes you question everything from the original fairytale and see it in a different light. In this Neverland, there is a deeper and darker side, where good doesn't always win and love doesn't always carry the day. 


From the outset, Tiger Lily has always been different from the rest of her tribe. She is bold, fearless, an amazing huntress and tracker, and doesn't fit into the mold of what her tribe expects her to be. She has always had to deal with that loneliness and the feeling of being an outsider. She manages with all her problems by shoving them deep down inside of her where they will never show. Not only that, but it is very hard for her to communicate and show her feelings and break through her outward mask of being uncaring and cool. I feel such pity and empathy towards her. 
  
By the end I was very disappointed with Peter. I knew that he would leave Neverland with Wendy, but I still didn't want it to happen. I will always root for Tiger Lily, though I think that the ending was the best it could possibly be (after all Peter and Tiger Lily can't end up together as it's not in the original story). They are such a good match, and are so similar. I also feel that  in the end Peter betrayed himself. He ended up growing old and living a life of comfort and security when before he was so adventurous and fearless and didn't think it was possible to grow old. 

I absolutely loved this book. The writing was beautiful, and flowed from one thing to the next. Neverland became a real and magical place, and the characters had such a deeper meaning to them than in the original story of Peter Pan. Tiger Lily is such a poignant tale of first love and how confusing and cruel life can be. The ending was so sad I cried (a lot) and was so bittersweet. In my heart I knew what would happen but I couldn't help but want Tiger Lily to finally get the guy. However sad the ending was it was also satisfying, and it made the story complete. I guess it's like life, there isn't always a happy ending. 

Purchase this book at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

Review: Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Scarlet

By A.C. Gaughen

Released: February 14, 2012

Publisher: Walker Childrens

Hardcover, 292 pages

Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance. 

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.

It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.  --GoodReads

Three Stars!

Review

Ah, yes. Yet another fairy tale retelling of an old, OLD classic. Passed down from one generation to the next by word of mouth, no one really knows the original, but rather the "renditions" of previous stories. A whisper down the lane game, if you will. Robin Hood is the story of a fearless, as-honest-as-you-can-get thief, that steals from the pompous rich and gives without fail to the poor. Based upon a well known story known throughout the world, A.C. Gaughen pulls off a gender-blending story centered on the Hood's female partner-in-crime. 

Now, truth to be told, when someone mentions the name,"Robin Hood" to me out of the blue, I would never ever suspect a girl. 

I think this counts as a traditional Robin. Doncha think?

Sorry. Doesn't come to mind...

However, this is (almost) exactly what Gaughen thought of. At first, I was really excited. I mean, a girl creaming a guy in the art of thievery? Heck yeah! Count me in! Scarlet even specifies at one point that she has to teach all of the guys in her troop how to thieve properly (err, if there's actually a way to break the laws properly...)

YEAH! Love the fist.

Scarlet, the main protagonist, narrates the story in such a great way. She's crude, rude, and fits in with all the other guys in her "band" of lads. This band is made up of her, Robin Hood, Little John, and Much. Not to mention that she's one bad-ass with the knives. But, somehow, even with her foul mouth, she attracts the attention of two worthy-to-be-mentioned guys, the Hood and John. This is why I have a love/hate YA novels. No matter how insecure, rude, crude, sassy, silly, or introverted the main gal POV is, there's always 2 guys that fall head over heels in love. While I love the fact that the 2 coolest guys in the story fall in love with Scarlet, I also loathe the fact that it's so unrealistic and sometimes a bit cheesy. 

Anyway.... back to the main point. I mean, I love Scarlet's potty mouth, but she's so over emotional about her past. I don't know. It's the one chink in her armor. Oh, yeah, and expressing her feelings without blowing up as red as a tomato. 

Like a tomato. Seriously.

But well... I suppose that's what makes her  a believable character. If you don't mind reading about some head strong girl fighting a guy 30 times stronger than her but is as shy as a lily when it comes to talking about love...well, have fun! Cause I didn't. Not really. 

Another thing: this has to do with Robin and John. Remember how I said that both boys are seriously infatuated with this poor girl? Well, Scarlet leaves them hanging for quite a some time and as you know, boys  with raging lusty hormones fighting over a girl that "just doesn't know who to pick because she loooooooves them both" doesn't end very well. Scarlet's indecisiveness really irked me. You can't have both Scarlet! You may have a six-pack (well, probably. She goes so long without eating and works out as a career, why not throw in a couple of abs. She more than deserves it.)

Just image this on Scarlet. I dare you to.

Oh. Don't get me started on her eating habits! They were really bad, even for an anorexic girl. Scarlet calmly states throughout the book that she's not eaten for weeks and days on end. Not to mention the fact that she's the type of person that fills others' stomachs before one's own. John and Robin nag her constantly to eat (I don't blame them. Curves are way better than bones for a teenage boy...*cough*) and Scarlet takes it as an offense. She says she can barely choke down two bites, and hates to accept charity when THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT SHE'S DOING TO FEED THE VILLAGERS. I BET THEY DON'T LIKE IT TOO BUT THEY ACCEPT IT ANYWAY BECAUSE WHO DOESN'T LIKE FREE STUFF THEY'RE STARVING. So in reality, I believe that Scarlet ends up looking something like this:

Bbnieoanfidasj!!!!! TOO SKINNY!

Sooooo, back on to the overall analysis. 

Plot: It was interesting at first but doesn't give you the feeling of "I CANNOT PUT THIS DOWN UNTIL I FINISH IT" sort of reads. It was a bit flimsy and it mainly focused on Scarlet's, John's, Robin's interactions and daily routines.

Style: Robin Hood does take place in England, so some of the slang is a bit hard to understand at first, but you get used to it. It's rough and some  a LOT of the grammar is incorrect (so if you're a perfectionist or have OCD, this may be a problem for you.) Here. Let me give you a few sentences as examples.

 "[The bar] were heaving with bodies, laughs, and mugs slinging 'bout," (Gaughen 1).

"He were the youngest of us, too, bare sixteen, which didn't help none but Rob knew what Much were capable of in true." (Gaughen 2)

There's a lot of lads', lasses', and were's. The were's were the worst. They drove me insane...

Overall, if you're looking for a medium-quick read (depending how fast you read), a fairy tale retelling, cheesy love triangle and foreign slang doesn't bog you down while reading, go check out Scarlet. All I can say is that it's not half bad. (Although I am a bit disappointed with the lack of a sturdy, interesting, edge of the seat story. I loved the book because of the concept of a female side kick to the famous Robin Hood). Just don't get your hopes up too high for this one.

Happy Reading Everyone!

Order online at: Amazon/ Barnes&Noble/ The Book Depository

The Grimm Prequels Blitz

Grimm Diaries Prequels 7 - 10

By Cameron Jace

Expected publication: Jan 16, 2013

What if all you knew about fairy tales was wrong? 

Warning: these Grimm Prequels are like snap shots of a magical land you're about to visit soon. I like to think of them as poisoned apples. Once you taste them, you will never see fairy tales in the same light again. 

This Grimm Diaries Prequels are a number of short books in the form of epistolary diary entries. The diaries are more of teasers for the upcoming series: The Grimm Diaries, allowing you to get a glimpse of what to expect of the series. The 6 diaries are told by The Evil Queen, Peter Pan, Little Red Riding Hood, the Devil, Prince Charming, and Alice Grimm 

The first book in the Series will be out in February 2013, called SNOW WHITE SORROW. --Goodreads

Series Description:

The Grimm Diaries are pages written in a Book of Sand, where each fairy tale character confessed the true stories once altered by the Brothers Grimm two centuries ago. To keep the truth about fairy tales hidden, the Brothers Grimm buried the characters in their dreams to never wake up again. But the curse is broken now, and the characters are allowed to wake up every one hundred years. They intend to tell the truth about really happened, and about an untold cosmic conflict between fairy tale characters.

Purchase @ Amazon for $0.99 here!

Purchase Grimm Diaries Prequels #1-6 here!

Snow White Sorrow (The Grimm Diaries #1) 

By Cameron Jace 

Publication Date: Delayed (Once Again) 

Publisher: Akmal Eldin Farouk Ali Shebl (Should really get sued)

Sixteen year old Loki Blackstar is no Prince Charming. His mother is a ghost. His only friend is a red Cadillac that talks 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. --Goodreads

Giveaway:

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Review: The Sweetest Spell by Suzanne Selfors

The Sweetest Spell

By Suzanne Selfors

Published: August 21, 2012

Publisher: Walker Childrens

Hardcover, 416 pages

Emmeline Thistle, a dirt-scratcher's daughter, has escaped death twice-first, on the night she was born, and second, on the day her entire village was swept away by flood. Left with nothing and no one, Emmeline discovers her rare and mysterious ability-she can churn milk into chocolate, a delicacy more precious than gold.

Suddenly, the most unwanted girl in Anglund finds herself desired by all. But Emmeline only wants one-Owen Oak, a dairyman's son, whose slow smiles and lingering glances once tempted her to believe she might someday be loved for herself. But others will stop at nothing to use her gift for their own gains-no matter what the cost to Emmeline.

Magic and romance entwine in this fantastical world where true love and chocolate conquer all. --Goodreads

3.5 Stars

Review

In a terribly deprived world without chocolate, lies a fairy tale waiting to be discovered. The name of this fairy tale is The Sweetest Spell, and with it comes the yumminess and unsurprising taste of chocolate within the plot. Translation: Nothing really special, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Now, I'm going back to the normal talk. Chocolate language is exhausting, as well as describing The Sweetest Spell. As a retelling of the Ugly Duckling, it doesn't really deviate far from the ugly duckling besides the fact that Emmeline is not ugly but has a foot problem. That's where it kind of ends. Instead of focusing on physical beauty, this book focuses on the physical product that is produced by physical means. Confusing, I know. Basically, poor Emmeline is a useless thing until her chocolate comes out. Then she's now the idol of the world. Although it's distasteful to read this, it is realistic, so points for that!

However, it isn't exactly clear what the point of this story is. Is it to say that everyone's special in their own way? Is it to explore the greediness of humanity? There are a ton of people who were totally trying to mooch off the chocolate (which I don't blame them for). Of course there were characters who are exceptions to this generalization that outshone the protagonists by a long shot. They are the people who kept me hooked to The Sweetest Spell, not the whiny little star-crossed couple who had some weird moon-eyed relationship that couldn't see beyond day 1. It's unsurprising now to see insta-love, but that doesn't give any author an excuse for it. Not even you, Shakespeare (You have to admit, it's all his fault with R+J).

My main problem with this book was its lack of originality. Yes, the whole chocolate blah was unique. Then the plot twists come to try to force the reader to go "OMG." Unfortunately, it doesn't really work out that way. Sorry, but there are always people who will be able to figure out something from day one. Maybe people should stop stressing the points in the stories that are going to turn out to be the surprises. It makes it so obvious it's worth crying for! Sheesh people! We're spending time reading stuff that we could've just skipped to the end for! 

As usual, it's important to note that The Sweetest Spell is not a "bad" book. There's just a lack of creativity that allows it to outshine the other retellings already out there. Otherwise, the writing is splendid and magical. Entrancing, Suzanne Selfors excels in spinning her tales out with the vigor that many authors lack. With The Sweetest Spell, Selfors churns a chocolate treat that will brighten the day up with its smooth and caramel consistency (if you can figure out what that means).

Purchase this book: Amazon/ B&N/ TBD

The Grimm Chronicles Blitz

The Grimm Chronicles

200 years ago, the Brothers Grimm unleashed their stories upon the world. Literally. Now the characters of the Grimms' stories walk among us. With every day that passes, they grow more evil. They are the Corrupted, and only a hero can stop them.

For 18-year-old Alice Goodenough, that means taking precious time off from her summer vacation. In addition to volunteering at the local library, Alice must stop the Corrupted who are now actively hunting her down. With the help of her magic pen and her trusty rabbit friend, the world has suddenly gotten a lot more complex. The Corrupted are everywhere, and only Alice can see them for what they truly are.

This book contains the first 3 episodes of the critically acclaimed series:

Episode 1: Prince Charming Must Die!

Episode 2: Happily Never After

Episode 3: Revenge of the Castle Cats

Additional features for this special edition:

- An introduction

- Two special "Lost Diaries"

- A behind-the-scenes interview

- A collection of original Grimms' Fairy Tales

The Grimm Chronicles is intended for Young Adults aged 13 and up. The goal is to provide Young Adult readers with a strong, charismatic young woman in the role of the hero and provide readers with a positive protagonist who uses her brain to overcome obstacles life throws in her way.

Praise

“5 stars!” ~ Bookies Book Blog

"Highly recommended for all who love fairy tales and the YA genre." ~ My Cozie Corner

"All in all the books were excellent." ~ LilyElement

"If you love fairy tales and them being turned into modern day stories you will love these short stories." ~ Mom With a Kindle

5 stars (out of 5) ~ I Am, Indeed

“Isabella Fontaine and Ken Brosky’s incredible talent for storytelling takes the reader on an amazing action-packed ride fueled by endless creativity and limitless imagination. TGC is like a high-stakes version of Harold and the Purple Crayon meets a contemporary, above ground Alice in Wonderland. “ ~ Bookfetish

“I absolutely loved this book! No, let me rephrase that, I FREAKING LOVE THIS BOOK! Nope, that doesn't even do it justice. Vol. 1 has the first three stories from the 12 that will ultimately make up the chronicles.” ~ Jesse Kimmel-Freeman

Purchase:

The Grimm Chronicles: Volume 1

Book 1: Prince Charming Must Die!

Book 2: Happily Never After

Book 3: Revenge of the Castle Cats

Book 4: The Orphanage of Doom

Book 5: Blood and Thunder

About the Authors:

Ken Brosky received his MFA in fiction writing from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He also teaches English at Madison College. This is his first Young Adult series.

Isabella Fontaine owns a farm in Wisconsin and enjoys reading weird books like House of Leaves. This is her first Young Adult series.

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Book Blast Giveaway Details

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 1/11/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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