The Wizard Returns by Danielle Paige

The Wizard Returns is the third prequel to Dorothy Must Die.  It can be read as a standalone, no problem, but you can also read reviews of the other books by clicking on the titles:  No Place Like Oz (#0.1), The Witch Must Burn (#0.2), Dorothy Must Die (#1).

These prequels have been so enjoyable that I almost regretted coming to this final one!  I've already got a copy of The Wicked Will Rise from my library so that I can stay in this alternative Oz.  The Wizard Returns was, unfortunately, the weakest of the prequel trilogy.  Not to say that I hated it; it just wasn't as WOW as the first two.  The title is just slightly off- it turns out that the wizard never left Oz!  His balloon crashed, he landed in the field of poppies, and has been asleep for 20+ years.  When he wakes, all of his memories are gone.

This novella traces his journey from the field of poppies to the headquarters of the resistance.  Along the way, he's guided by an Ozian named Pete, who takes him through three "tests" to earn his memory back.  The story wasn't terrible, but it was pretty full of tropes.  I didn't sense a ton of imagination in this one.  Terrible person gets amnesia and needs to redeem himself?  Done before.  Three tests/tasks to earn a big reward?  Done before.  I even saw the grand finale coming, in a way.  (I didn't specifically see fairies, but you know what I mean.)

I also wasn't really "feeling" the wizard, as the young folks say.  ;)  He came across as rather whiny, petulant, and weak.  I understand that life isn't going as he'd planned, but come on!  Pete just explained that he was a terrible guy and that he gets a second chance!  Be grateful, not whiny!  Overall, I'm not entirely certain this particular novella was all that necessary.  :/

Something that made it all much better, though, was the narration!  I listened to the audiobook of The Wizard Returns and the reader was fantastic.  His voice was lively and upbeat; a real joy to listen to.  He also did different voices/accents for each character, without any of them sounding contrived or goofy.  Real talent!  I'd listen to more books read by Luke Daniels.

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by Tynga at Thursday, November 17, 2016

 Danielle Paige, Dorothy Must Die, Fantasy amp; Magic, Harper Collins, Library, Retelling, Review, Wizard of Oz, YA, young adult  2 People left their mark

✎

The Witch Must Burn by Danielle Paige

The Witch Must Burn is the second book of the prequel trilogy to Dorothy Must Die.  It's not necessary to have read Dorothy Must Die or No Place Like Oz in order to enjoy this one, but you can read reviews of them by clicking on the titles.

No Place Like Oz, the first prequel in Dorothy Must Die: Stories, was kind of dark.  Dorothy was the quintessential nasty, angsty teen... to the umpteenth degree!  So it was really refreshing to get into The Witch Must Burn, told from Jellia's point of view.

Jellia is a servant, the head ladies' maid, in Dorothy's castle.  Even though she's just a teen herself, she's still old enough to remember what Oz was like under Ozma.  Right from the beginning of the novella, the reader can sense her depression regarding Dorothy's rule.  She misses Ozma, and worries about her.  She despairs that things could ever improve again.  On top of that, she still has to work for the very mercurial and often mean Dorothy, and keep a big secret.  (You know I never give things away in my reviews!  You'll have to read the book to find out more!)

My heart went out to Jellia!  She's trying so hard to please Dorothy and to shield her subordinates from Dorothy's wrath.  She's not a naively blind follower, though- she knows that Dorothy is in the wrong.  She just doesn't know what to do about it.  Yet.  (*wink wink nudge nudge*)

If you've read Dorothy Must Die, you'll know what needs to be done.  Even if you've read it, though, you'll still be surprised at the path that Jellia takes to get there.  I know I was!  It was heartbreaking in places, but always inspiring, what with Jellia's never-say-die attitude.  There were even a few parts that were almost reminiscent of mad scientist horror tales, so it was a perfect October read for me.

The only small quibble I had was with the reader (I listened to the audiobook of The Witch Must Burn)- she just wasn't my taste.  I can't exactly put my finger on anything in particular that was wrong; I think the accent just wasn't my cup of tea.  It wasn't bad enough to distract me from the story or anything, so there's a good chance that other people will love the narrator.

 

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by Tynga at Thursday, November 10, 2016

 Action amp; Adventure, Danielle Paige, Dorothy Must Die, Fantasy, Fantasy amp; Magic, General, Harper Collins, Library, Retelling, Review, Romance, Wizard of Oz, YA, young adult, Young Adult Fiction  Leave your mark

✎

No Place Like Oz by Danielle Paige (second opinion)

No Place Like Oz is the first of three prequel novellas to Dorothy Must Die, packaged together in Dorothy Must Die: Stories.  I listened to the package as an audiobook and thoroughly enjoyed them.  You can see Stephanie's review of Dorothy Must Die here, but it's not necessary to have read it first to enjoy No Place Like Oz.  And you can read Jonathan's original review of No Place Like Oz here.

No Place Like Oz opens on Dorothy's sixteenth birthday.  Even in the 1920's, this is a big deal birthday for a young girl.  She's going to have a party that afternoon, but everything starts to go wrong.  First, her Aunt Em disappoints her with a smaller-than-expected birthday cake.  Then she catches her friends gossiping about her and her tales of Oz.  The straw that breaks the camel's back?  Her aunt gives her a mustardy brown, long, spartan dress for her birthday instead of a new, hip dress.  She skulks off to her bedroom and wishes very hard to return to Oz.

This novella fills in the back story that is touched upon very briefly in Dorothy Must Die.  In it, we find out how Dorothy could go from the naive little farm girl in The Wizard of Oz to the monstrous sorceress in Dorothy Must Die.  It's not an overnight process.  It's a series of small decisions that change her personality little by little.  In fact, the whole novella could be read as a cautionary tale, or fable:  be careful what you wish for.

I was impressed with how well fleshed-out Danielle Paige's Dorothy was, especially considering the shorter length of this story.  She's complex:  even while feeling shame and anger over the upcycled dress gift she still recognizes that she should be grateful to Aunt Em.  She feels intense love and protection for her aunt and uncle, even as they exasperate her over and over again.  This is so true!  Who hasn't felt exasperation at a loved one?

I had read Dorothy Must Die before reading No Place Like Oz, so I was pleasantly surprised to feel compelled to listen.  I thought it'd be a somewhat ok fluff of a story; just something to fill out the story a little bit.  Wrong!  It's a very good story in it's own right.  Even with "knowing the ending," I enjoyed every twist and turn in the plot.  It wasn't overly predictable at all, with a few unexpected elements.

The narration was good, too.  I really liked the reader, Andi Arndt.  She did a fantastic job!

Another excellent aspect to this prequel novella?  I'm doing the PopSugar Reading Challenge 2016, and this will count as half of my "a book and it's prequel" item!  :)

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by Tynga at Thursday, November 03, 2016

 Danielle Paige, Dorothy Must Die, Fantasy, Harper Collins, Library, Retelling, Review, Wizard of Oz, YA, young adult  Leave your mark

✎

Stealing Snow by Danielle Paige

I think Stealing Snow was supposed to be a novel about self-discovery and creating your own destiny, and while I liked the idea of the main character Snow finding her true self, I was very disappointed with the novel. Snow was a misunderstood teen living in a psychiatric institute but had no real business being there. Most characters, while eccentric, were one-dimensional. And the world building lacked so many elements that it made the story hard to follow.

I'm not very familiar with the Snow Queen fairy tale so I can't even begin to compare it to the original story. Fairy tale retellings are so common these days that I can't help but wonder if these authors are checking off a list until every story has been reimagined. I loved Danielle Paige's Dorothy Must Die series, her version of what happens after The Wizard of Oz. However, I'm not a big fan of this new release. It doesn't have the same finesse as her previous books. I had great hopes for this new series but I was left very disappointed.

Snow has lived most of her life in a psychiatric institute but in my opinion, I don't think she ever belonged there. As a child she tried to walk through a mirror, injuring herself and another girl whom she tried to pull through the mirror with her. Honestly, that singular event shouldn't have institutionalized her. A child's imagination is a special thing and it could have simply been Snow playing pretend and hurting a friend and herself in the process. These days, I think we are too quick to diagnose children with behavioural problems and drugging them senselessly. Obviously, leaving the institute is the best thing that happened to Snow and without the medication, she's the same sarcastic person. However, you have to wonder, as soon as she stops taking her medication she gets pulled into the magical world of Algid.

She runs away from the institute in search for Bale, the only person she ever felt a connection to. She saw him disappear through a mirror and she feels responsible for what happened to him, especially since their first kiss rendered him numb and uncommunicative. Honestly, I don't see Bale's appeal. Snow's one and only goal in the novel is to save Bale yet we know very little about him except that he's a pyromaniac. We end up knowing more about Jagger and Kai, two boys she meets in Algid, and honestly I don't blame Snow for feeling attraction to both boys. She had very little contact with boys her own age in the institution and now she meets these fantastical, however one-dimensional characters, and she can't help but feel some attraction.

Jagger is the reason she's in Algid, the reason she found her way through the tree portal into her native and magical world. Through many different teacher, Snow slowly begins to learn how to control her magic, her snow. She also learns that she's a long lost princess (gasp!) yet no one she meets seem very forthcoming with information. So many things happen, one after the other, and that's where the author really lost me. She tried to introduce us to her magical world yet with very little description it was very hard to follow. The lack of world building and the constant shift in scenes, without description and without transition really spoiled the book.

Danielle Paige will have to come up with something special for the sequel in order to redeem herself and her new series. You would think a story full of secrets, magical fury, robbers, witches and royalty would be captivating yet Stealing Snow really wasn't for me. I had a difficult time getting through the book because of the confusing writing style and the strange pace of the book. I liked the premise of the story but the execution is what failed in my opinion. I doubt I'll continue reading this series since its first impression wasn't a great one. I would encourage anyone to form their own opinion about the novel, but personally, I have very little hope in Snow and her entourage. However, many renowned writers had positive things to say about the novel so my opinion may be the aberrant one.

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by Tynga at Monday, September 26, 2016

 Bloomsbury, Danielle Paige, fairy tale, Fantasy, Magic, Retelling, Review, Stealing Snow, Witch, young adult  1 Person left their mark

✎

Winter by Marissa Meyer

 

WINTER is here!

What an amazing conclusion to an epic series! WINTER is the book I've been waiting for all year and it didn't disappoint. With over 800 pages, it did take me a few weeks to complete, but it was definitely worth it. With The Lunar Chronicles, Marissa Meyer has created a wonderful futuristic world and each novel is a reimagining of a well known fairytale. WINTER is slightly based off Snow White but this is definitely not the typical Disney fairy tale. It has spaceships, a revolution, an epic battle scene, a deadly plague and so much more. Of course it does have princesses, a king and a queen, and you can expect some romance but it's definitely not  your grandmother's fairy tales.

Marissa Meyer's futuristic and sci-fi world couldn't be more perfect, in my opinion. I think the main reason why her series is such a success is because of her attention to detail while creating this world and her characters. While Winter isn't my favourite character, her craziness does add something interesting to the story. Raised on Luna, a colony on the Moon that is lead by a less than desirable queen, Winter is hated by her stepmother, Queen Levana. Winter's natural beauty is admired by all, and Queen Levana could only hope to be admired that way. Queen Levana's scarred face has lead her to fool every one on Luna with her glamour and never shows her true face. Levana is outright jealous of Winter and she has done everything in her power to make life miserable for her stepdaughter. Winter's refusal to use her glamour has made her a little crazy, which doesn't really help her case. However, the people of Luna still adore Winter and that makes Levana even more furious.

While the other three books of the series tell the story of one character in particular, all storylines converge into one, in WINTER. Cinder has come to Luna to gain her rightful place on Luna's throne, while Scarlet and Cress are dedicated to their friend, and helping in anyway to achieve her goal. Levana's tyrannical rule has caused pain not only on Luna but has also threatened planet Earth's survival. With the Lunar plague still a threat to everyone, Cinder has to find a way to not only overthrow Levana, but also find a way to cure the plague that has killed so many people back on Earth.

And who could forget the four girls' love interests... Kai, Wolf, Thorne and Jacin all play a major roles in the series, but I love how the author made sure the girls are always the real heroes. Sure, the boys help a lot in fighting Levana's tyrannical rule, but they are able to win every little battles because of the girls' courage. One of my favourite characters actually remains Iko, Cinder's android and best friend. The comic relief the android provides is balanced just right with everything else that happens in the series. Also, the relationship Cinder has with Iko proves how Cinder cares for each and every personality, whether human or mechanical. In my opinion, that trait is a desirable one for any Queen to have, which gives us all the more reasons to believe in Cinder.

The epic battle scene near the end of the book is the beginning to the end. It's the cumulation of every event in this series and all characters have a particular role to play. So many fans have been waiting a long time to see what happens to these characters, and personally I wasn't disappointed. Marisa Meyer has succeeded in concluding her epic series in the most epic of ways. I'm very satisfied with this series and it's a must read for anyone who enjoys YA or sci-fi in general.

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by Tynga at Monday, November 30, 2015

 Feiwel amp; Friends, glamour, Macmillan, Marissa Meyer, Purchased, Retelling, Review, sci-fi, Science Fiction, spaceships, The Lunar Chronicles, werewolves, young adult  Leave your mark

✎

A Cold Legacy by Megan Shepherd

Warning!  A Cold Legacy is the finale to the Madman's Daughter trilogy.  If you haven't read The Madman's Daughter or Her Dark Curiosity, you can check out my reviews by clicking on the titles.

Just as in the first two books, A Cold Legacy leans heavily on a classic horror story.  This time, it's Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.  I continue to be super impressed with Megan Shepherd, as she manages to work these classic tales into entirely new stories with new characters.  


Even though this novel is based on a different classic than Her Dark Curiosity, the characters remain the same.  The second book closed with a very narrow escape for Juliet, Montgomery, Edward, Lucy, and Balthazar, and A Cold Legacy opens on the very same scene, with the characters still on the run.  They have directions from Elizabeth, to reach her secluded manor on the moor.  She has just revealed to the group (at the end of the second book) that her family's last name used to be Frankenstein.... so what will await them at the manor?

Action!  Fright!  Dangerous things!  <--what awaits them at the manor

But if you've been reading this trilogy from the start, that is what you'd expect.  This trilogy definitely does NOT tire in it's finale!  I would even venture to say that A Cold Legacy is more exciting and gripping than The Madman's Daughter.  There wasn't every more than half a page of rest between reveals and surprises and action.  This book was definitely chilling:  Megan Shepherd doesn't hold back at all when describing medical conditions.  (Elizabeth, remember, is a skilled surgeon; and Juliet is self-taught at medicine.)  I hold to what I said in my review of The Madman's Daughter:  this trilogy is like Stephen King for the YA set.  The lines between right and wrong seem very wide and very gray.  I've never loved a character so much while hating her decisions so much as I have Juliet.  All of the characters are so very complex and imperfect; you may find your loyalties changing chapter to chapter.

The only slight bump in the book came near the end, when Juliet is performing a surgery... she manages to do a procedure in a few minutes that I really feel should have taken a few hours.  (I'm not a doctor; I just watch medical dramas on TV.  But when you get to that scene you'll probably agree with me.)  And then the patient recovers much more quickly than I felt was realistic.  This particular procedure played a large enough part in the plot that it kind of bothered me.  But by the time I reached that scene I was hopelessly hooked, and the action does return to closer to realistic soon after.

I can't underscore that last sentence enough:  I was hooked.  In fact, I sat down to read in the early afternoon and didn't put it down until after sunset, until I'd read the last page.  Now I'm a little sad that the trilogy has ended.  I recommend this series at work all the time, and I recommend it to you too!

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by Tynga at Thursday, April 02, 2015

 Balzer + Bray, Gothic, horror, Love amp; Romance, Madman's Daughter, megan shepherd, Purchased, Retelling, Review  1 Person left their mark

✎

The Stepsister's Tale by Tracy Barrett

Fairytale retellings are possibly the trickiest books for me as a reader because I am a total fairy-tale junkie and hate when my favorite stories are trifled with.  How does an author reinvent a story while maintaining its integrity? It's a difficult task to write a successful retelling, but The Stepsister's Tale is quite possibly one of the best retellings I've ever read. Tracy Barrett has taken everything I love about the Cinderella story and twisted it into an extremely compelling and surprising tale. This isn't the Cinderella you grew up with, this is a much grittier and bolder version of the classic tale.

Once upon a time, there was a not-so-wicked stepmother and her two daughters named Jane and Maude. Their family was once highly esteemed and wealthy, but a series of unfortunate events led to the family losing their fortune and their estate becoming decrepit. In an effort to regain their high standing in society, their stepmother remarries a noble and the noble moves in with his daughter named Ella. Soon everything turns into a mess when this noble dies and Jane and her family is left to take care of Ella.

In the original versions of Cinderella, readers only felt contempt towards Cinderella's step-mothers and step-sisters. In this tale, the stepsisters and mother are in a terrible situation and are falsely viewed as maligned and despicable. I loved how Barrett allowed readers to easily empathize with Jane and her sister by allowing readers to see their side of the story. Characters that were merely caricatures in the original are given expanded roles and are shown in an entirely new light.

I love how this version of the tale has a feminist spin on it and how there's messages of female empowerment throughout this novel. I really enjoyed seeing how the sisterly bond between Maude and Jane developed throughout the novel; a lot of books seem to skip over familial relationships, but I loved how integral family was to this novel. Though there is a romance in this novel, it never detracts from the special sisterly bond that Maude and Jane share and it doesn't distract the reader from the plot at all.

Barrett cleverly ties aspects of the original tale into this novel in such a subtle way that readers might not notice these intricate details upon initially reading this novel. Readers who think that they'll be able to predict the outcome in this novel couldn't be more wrong. Though the basic infrastructure of the Cinderella story is here, so many of the tale's basic plot elements are turned inside out. Nothing happens quite the way that readers will expect it to happen and they will applaud Barrett for updating a classic tale in such an intelligent manner.

The Stepsister's Tale is an extremely clever, refreshing update on the Cinderella tale that I absolutely loved. You'll never look at Cinderella or her Prince Charming in quite the same way, Barrett doesn't give readers quite the happily ever after that readers have come to expect. I truly hope that Barrett reinvents another one of my classic fairytales soon because I loved The Stepsister's Tale.

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by Tynga at Wednesday, July 02, 2014

 fairytale retelling, Fantasy, Harlequin, Harlequin Teen, Magic, Retelling, Tracy Barrett, young adult  2 People left their mark

✎

The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy by Nikki Loftin

I picked this book up because I wanted a cute, refreshing retelling. I went into it knowing it would be for younger audiences, however I thought that all ages could read it. My mind immediately compared it to the Percy Jackson series that can be enjoyed by all ages. And while I have to admit that THE SINISTER SWEETNESS OF SPLENDID ACADEMY was slightly too young for me. For example, I loved that there were pictures in this book. They were adorable! But the rational part of my brain was telling me that there were pictures in this book and that may be the cause of why I was rolling my eyes every now and then. This book is truly meant for younger audiences. It's a good read to share between mother and daughter.

As far as the plot goes, it was definitely cute. I think it could be more appreciated by younger audiences, but I recognize the potential. Our main character is a smart girl, but she wouldn't have come to half of the conclusions she eventually came to if not for Andrew, the overweight classmate that most people made fun of. She harbors a huge amount of guilt because her mother passed away from cancer earlier and she felt she helped accelerate the process of her death. Why she believes this is something that you'll have to discover for yourself, but there is a surprising amount of depth to this tale. It's about forgiving oneself and realizing that because you do something wrong, you're not an evil person.

All plot issues aside, the retelling nerd inside me is extremely satisfied. This is a really unique twist on the HANSEL AND GRETEL fairytale. Essentially, these witches opened up a school where there are no rules and snacking on candy is encouraged. The bowls fill themselves and lunch is an infinite helping of deliciousness. There's several snack times a day and if you're not eating, the teachers get mad. See, they've got to fatten up the kids one way or another. This is their house of candy that attracts the children where they can slowly fatten up to prepare for their magnificent feast. I absolutely adore this entire idea. And I can't complain about execution because I know that, in the end, the age level chosen for this novel was what the novel demanded.

I can't complain about the novel because I went in thinking that, as a middle grade lover, it would be a level I could read. I didn't realize it was for younger middle grade readers, but I still found the overall tale to be adorable. Some characters are extremely frustrating, like the evil step-mother that didn't have to be evil but was made evil for the purpose of the retelling. Even our main character is slow to catch onto things at time. But, in the end, this novel was satisfactory. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. It is simply okay.

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by Tynga at Thursday, June 26, 2014

 fairytale, Fantasy amp; Magic, Gifted, nikki loftin, Penguin, Razorbill, Retelling, Review, young adult  2 People left their mark

✎

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

DOROTHY MUST DIE. Obviously a very catchy title for a Wizard of Oz retelling/sequel and it’s the main reason I purchased this book when it came out a few months back. To be honest, I've never been a huge fan of the famous movie and I've never even read the books. But knowing the general story line, I can honestly say, DOROTHY MUST DIE is definitely not like the classic and we’re definitely not in Kansas anymore.

I was pleasantly surprised on how much I enjoyed this book. Full of gore, angst, sarcasm, and dramatic scenes, it’s a bold undertaking to continue a story so many people know. This author’s debut is courageous because there’s always the risk of insulting the true fans of the classic story. Personally, I think the continuation of The Wizard of Oz couldn't have come at a better moment because one, retellings seem to be a fad at the moment, and two, the 75^th anniversary of the movie definitely encourages readers to pick up this book about the newly imagined world of Oz.

The world of Oz is completely different now that Dorothy is one of its princesses. Actually nothing is going right for its citizens because while Dorothy believes what’s she’s doing is spreading happiness across Oz, she is in fact literally sucking the magic out of the ground and being cruel to everyone that’s not on her side. Killing and unfair punishment seems to be the norm of her rule and every citizen is trying to avoid the wrath of Dorothy in fear of being found guilty of very stupid crimes like sass or fictitious treason. Amy Gumm is Dorothy’s latest target because, like Dorothy, Amy was swept into Oz from Kansas via a tornado. The only major difference is, instead of a farmhouse, Amy arrived in a trailer, as in a motorized home on blocks. Dorothy, wanting to be the only one that’s “special,” is jealous of Amy and will stop at nothing to see Amy gone. The battle between the two Kansas girls is riveting and I love how the protagonist of the classic becomes the antagonist of this newly imagined story. Dorothy, power hungry and obviously a little mad with magic, must die in order to return Oz to its original glory, and Amy is believed to be the only one that can kill her. Trained by The Revolutionary Order of the Wicked and entrusted with this task, Amy isn't really sure she can actually kill someone...

In a world where Good doesn't really mean doing the right thing and where the Wicked might just mean fighting for the right reasons, everything is turned upside down. Personally I’m really glad so many of the original characters made an appearance but I’m even more ecstatic about the huge amount of new characters. I haven’t read the prequel NO PLACE LIKE OZ yet, and even if I really believe it’s not necessary to do so in order to understand this first full-length novel of the series, it might just explain why Dorothy is the way she is. Jon was a little bit disappointed with the prequel novella and called it "overly ambitious."

I can honestly say I loved DOROTHY MUST DIE. The humour in the book is so similar to mine, the writing is easy to follow and the story itself truly engaging. However I’m a little bit disappointed that I purchased this book on a whim because of this. It’s the only reason I hesitate to recommend the book. Individual boycotting doesn't usually make a huge difference, but if everyone does it, then it can have a huge impact. It’s sad that such a great, new and upcoming author is associated with such a bad name.

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by Tynga at Sunday, June 08, 2014

 Danielle Paige, Dorothy Must Die, Fables, Harper Collins, Legends, Magic, Myths, Purchased, Retelling, Review, Wizard of Oz, young adult  4 People left their mark

✎

Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay

Juliet Immortal holds no punches and right from the start, Stacey Jay shows the reader that she means business. This isn't the Romeo & Juliet you read in High School, no sirree. Stacey Jay has taken "the greatest love story ever told" and has made some bold changes. Personally, I never believed Romeo & Juliet was a love story and it was an absolute delight to read a much darker, more brutal version of the Shakespearean tale. Despite the fact that Jay has taken liberties with her retelling, I loved the way that Juliet Immortal maintained some of the core essentials of the play.

Don't be fooled by the publisher's blurb. This is nothing like Shiver or Hush, Hush at all and marketing it as such is an injustice to Stacey Jay's novel. Juliet Immortal thrives on intense action scenes, pitch-perfect character development and shocking plot twists. I never thought I'd say this, but I loved the teenage drama and angst in Juliet Immortal. I can't believe that I just described teenage angst as a high point of a novel, but seriously I savored all of the high-school drama.

I loved Juliet, she was such a strong-willed and intense character that I couldn't help but gloat over. I felt for Juliet and I was absolutely enthralled by her battle against the devious Romeo. Romeo was a such finely crafted villain and he was equally alluring as he was dangerous. I really look forward to seeing more of Romeo in Romeo Redeemed! The rest of the characters in Juliet Immortal are just as beautifully written and I loved watching each character's arc unfold.

I still can't get over all of the plot twists that Jay inserted in Juliet Immortal. I'm usually the type of reader that can detect what direction a plot is moving early on, but I was so surprised with all of the twists and turn in this novel. This is the type of book that is so compulsively read-able that once you start a chapter, you can't stop midway. I loved the ending of this book and it was so fitting, but a part of me wishes that this was a stand-alone. Everything is so perfectly wrapped up that I'm not sure a sequel is necessary, but I will definitely be reading Romeo Redeemed.

Juliet Immortal is a wonderfully dark retelling with an engaging plot and characters you will obsess over. This is definitely one of the best retelling out there and I am so happy that this lived up to my expectations. Between Of Beauty And Beast and Juliet Immortal, Jay is proving herself to be the master of retellings. I'm beyond ecstatic to read more of Jay's books, especially Princess Of Thorns, her take on Sleeping Beauty!

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by Tynga at Wednesday, January 29, 2014

 Delacorte, Juliet Immortal, Library, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Random House, Retelling, Review, Romance, Stacey Jay, young adult  4 People left their mark

✎

Grim Edited by Christine Johnson

I usually don't enjoy anthologies because they almost always consist of a few notable short stories and the rest are filler. There are just so many entertaining stories in Grim, thanks to the large ensemble of talented authors that contributed to this anthology. The 17 co-authors of Grim should be applauded for compiling such superb short stories and for retelling fairy-tales in unique, unconventional ways. As much I would love to discuss each short story, I have decided to review the most memorable short stories:

• The Key by Rachel Hawkins is the first story in the Grim anthology and it sets a wonderfully creepy atmosphere for this anthology. I loved Hawkins's trademark humor and it was a delight to read a short story by one of my favorite authors. I really wished this story was a bit longer because it was so good and by the end, I was practically begging for more!


• Figment by Jeri-Smith Ready - I wasn't sure what to expect from Ready because I've never read anything by her before. After reading Figment, I've added Shades to my "to-read" list because I really want to check out more of Jeri Smith-Ready's books. Figment was unexpectedly haunting and creepy with an unexpected twist at the end that I didn't see coming at all!


• The Twelfth Girl by Malinda Lo - I loved the way Lo executed this story and it was absolutely thrilling! The LBQT romance angle was a nice touch to an incredible short story, I truly can't believe that I haven't read any of Lo's novels yet.


• The Raven Princess by Jon Skovron - There's nothing I love more than a fairy-tale that has a classic feel to it. The Raven Princess is based off of a Grimm fairy tale called The Raven and it captures all of the delightfully strange spirit of a Grimm fairytale. I believe that this was one of the more lengthy short stories, but I really devoured The Raven Princess hastily.


• Beast / Beast by Tessa Gratton - At first, Tessa Gratton's Beast / Beast appeared to be just another regurgitation of the classic love story, but the more I read, it became obvious that I was completely mistaken.  For starters, Tessa Gratton has an absolutely lovely writing style that is both lyrical and simply beautiful. I was completely caught off guard and intrigued by the shocking plot twist towards the ending, not to mention the fact that I quickly start to root for this unlikely couple.


• Light It Up by Kimberly Derting - Imagine a modern interpretation of Hansel and Gretel where Greta is a teenager who is obsessed with smoking... I loved the way Derting recreated such an iconic story for a modern audience, without losing any of the terror and tension associated with the tale. This story was wonderful and my only qualm is that there wasn't any Gingerbread / Candy House.


• A Real Boy by Claudia Gray - This story was wonderfully bizarre and it involved a human-robot romance, which I surprisingly was a huge fan of. Even though, A Real Boy was sci-fi, it still filed me with child-like wonder that I normally associate with fairytales.


• Beauty And The Chad by Sarah Rees Brennan - Initially when I started this short story, I was a bit annoyed with the fact that there was another B+B retelling in this anthology because there are just so many fairy tales out there that deserve to be retold. I loved the GLBT romance angle of this story and it was an extremely interesting technique. Brennan's dialogue is extremely witty and this is one of the most intelligent retellings I've ever read. Period.

Grim is a beautiful, gothic anthology filled with so many lovely fairy tale retellings! I can't wait to get Grim in hardcover and it's a perfect addition to any fairy-tale lover's bookshelf! 

 

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by Tynga at Wednesday, January 08, 2014

 Anthology, Christine Johnson, fairy tale, Fantasy, Gothic, Harlequin, Harlequin Teen, Publisher, Retelling, Review, Science-Fiction, young adult  2 People left their mark

✎

Her Dark Curiosity by Megan Shepherd

"Genius or madness-- it all depends on who's telling the story."

       The Madman's Daughter was one of the most promising books of 2013, but it ultimately let me down. I hoped that Her Dark Curiosity would raise the bar and that it would be a vast improvement over it's predecessor. Much to my disappointment, Her Dark Curiosity takes almost everything I loved about The Madman's Daughter and sacrifices these elements for an extremely ridiculous and unnecessary love triangle. This is not a retelling of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde by any stretch of the imagination, it's merely an illogical romance that left me rolling my eyes.

Her Dark Curiosity is riddled with plot holes, there's so much left unanswered and Shepherd doesn't even attempt to answer any of my questions. How did both Edward and Montgomery end up in London? Juliet never gives a thought to the fact that both guys are supposed to be trapped on the island and have miraculously returned. What a coincidence! There are too many moments where things just magically seem to fall into order easily. Not to mention, the fact that there are blatant errors in terms of the biology that Shepherd is referencing in this book, the science in Her Dark Curiosity is faulty and illogical at best.

The plot in Her Dark Curiosity is majorly lacking and the romance is the only force that truly keeps the plot from reaching a stalemate. There is way too much emphasis on the romance and Shepherd unsuccessfully uses the romance to forward the plot. I don't care for Edward or Montgomery at all, I truly don't see anything appealing about either romantic interest. Both guys are extremely untrustworthy, duplicitous, and lack moral decency; both guys seem to act like they can control Juliet at times and this really bothered me. Juliet  kept on striving to create this facade where she was this strong-willed, powerful woman and yet, she let Montgomery and Edward push her around like a rag doll. Usually, I favor at least one character in a book's love triangle, but I couldn't care less about the romantic ventures of the trio in the slightest bit.

Megan Shepherd is extremely adept at creating a creepy, gothic atmosphere and compelling readers to continue reading about Juliet. Even though I wasn't interested in the plot of this book, I kept reading just for Shepherd's vivid, spooky imagery. Her Dark Curiosity really needed a big dose of creepy, macabre elements; I truly missed the peculiarities of Moreau's island and I yearned to read something that was idiosyncratic. Megan Shepherd is so talented at writing horror, both subtle and blatant, in the Madman's Daughter series and I really wish there was more of an emphasis on madness and other quirks of Juliet.

The last portion of the book is the most exciting part of the entire novel, but it is still rather dull. I really was curious to see what classic Shepherd would be retelling in book, but truthfully, it's so obvious what novel Shepherd was going to tackle from the get-go. I didn't see the conclusion coming at all, but then again, I was so disinterested in Her Dark Curiosity that it didn't leave an impression on me. I'm so over this series at this point and I can't really glean any excitement for book #3, but I have a feeling my dark curiosity will get the best of me and I will end up reading it.

Her Dark Curiosity is one of the most disappointing sequels I've read to date and it failed to deliver. I really wish The Madman's Daughter had been a stand-alone because as a series, it is extremely ineffective and frivolous. I could care less about the wretched love triangle and I'll be reading the 3rd novel just to see how this series ends. I have really high hopes for Shepherd's upcoming series, The Cage and I really hope that I enjoy more than Her Dark Curiosity.

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by Tynga at Wednesday, December 11, 2013

 Balzer amp; Bray, Edelweiss, Gothic, Harper Collins, Historical, historical fiction, horror, megan shepherd, Mystery, Paranormal Romance, Publisher, Retelling, Review, The Madman's Daughter  1 Person left their mark

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Snow White Blood Red by Cameron Jace

Snow White Blood Red by Cameron Jace is the first of several e-novella prequels to The Grimm Diaries. I was hesitating to read this book because I don't read self-published novels.  Despite my hesitation, I decided to go against my gut because this series is so popular and Amazon kept on recommending it to me.  I wasn't overly impressed with this novella, but I was definitely entertained!

My main concern with Snow White Blood Red is the narration because it's extremely inconsistent and a bit too choppy. In just 25 pages, this novella is written in both 1st and 2nd person perspectives, which was too distracting for me as a reader. Both perspectives don't mesh well together and it made Jace's writing style feel extremely awkward and illogical. This novella definitely could have used an editor to make this novel more concise.

I love the idea of The Grimm Diaries, who wouldn't want to read about a vampire Snow White? This novella didn't have much of a plot and it was mostly exposition for Snow White Sorrow. I'm definitely intrigued by the series' concept and I'm curious to see what direction this series will take.

I wasn't a huge fan of Snow White Blood Red, but I'll definitely check out the subsequent installments just because I already purchased them. I'm still questioning whether or not Snow White Blood Red is worth the 99 cents that it costs on the Kindle Store! Snow White Blood Red lacked development, but I have high hopes that this series will redeem itself in book #2.

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by Tynga at Wednesday, November 27, 2013

 Cameron Jace, fairy tale, Fantasy, novella, Novella November, Purchased, Retelling, Review, Self Published, Snow White, The Grimm Diaries, young adult  Leave your mark

✎

No Place Like Oz by Danielle Paige

No Place Like Oz is the ambitious prequel to Dorothy Must Die, which is one of my anticipated books of 2014 by far. I think readers should definitely pick up No Place Like Oz before reading Dorothy Must Die because it's a quick read and it readers a good taste of what Dorothy Must Die will be like. After reading No Place Like Oz, I'm definitely not as excited for Dorothy Must Die as I was when I had initially heard about it on Epic Reads' Tea Time. No Place Like Oz is overly ambitious and it didn't quite fill me with wonder like the 1939 movie and the original novels did.

The Dorothy that Danielle Paige has created in this novella is extremely petulant and she was constantly on my nerves. I understand that's she fed up with regular life and she craves something more, but that doesn't give her the right to act nasty and obnoxious towards Uncle Henry and Auntie Em. Dorothy doesn't want to be a farmgirl, she wants to live in Oz, she wants to live in a world with magic and adventure. I really understand how Dorothy feels, the feeling that you want more than this from life, but Dorothy truly needs to get over herself. There becomes a point where being cranky, throwing tantrums, and thinking you know best for everyone else is enough. I seriously applaud Aunt Em and Uncle Henry because I really don't know how they manage to deal with Dorothy because nothing they do for her is ever enough.

No Place Like Oz is pretty predictable and I wasn't all that eager to find out what happened next. I really wish there was  more cameos from my favorite Ozian characters, I think readers of Baum's original novels will appreciate this e-Novella the most due to the appearance of Ozma, the renowned ruler of Oz.  Besides the appearance of Ozma who I loved in this book, No Place Like Oz isn't all that interesting, it merely sets up Dorothy Must Die. Honestly, if you don't read this novella, you're not missing out on much because barely anything happens throughout the course of this novella.

While I'm not overly enthusiastic about No Place Like Oz, it was entertaining and a nice change of pace from all of the dystopian books I've been reading. No Place Like Oz isn't what one would expect from a Wizard Of Oz "sequel/retelling" , it's way more angsty and unappealing. Hopefully, Dorothy Must Die is stronger in plot and development than No Place Like Oz was.

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by Tynga at Tuesday, November 05, 2013

 Danielle Paige, Dorothy Must Die, fairy tale, Fantasy, Harper Collins, Magic, Novella November, Publisher, Retelling, Witch, young adult  Leave your mark

✎