Still Star-Crossed by Melinda Taub

Pages: 352

Genre: Retelling/Historical

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Release Date: July 9, 2013

Romeo and Juliet are gone. Will love live on? Despite the glooming peace that's settled on Verona after the recent tragedy, Montagues and Capulets are brawling in the streets. Faced with more bloody battles, Prince Escalus concludes that the only way to truly marry the fortunes of these two families is to literally marry them together. Everyone is skeptical, but none more so than the pair selected, for the most eligible Montague bachelor is Benvolio, Romeo's best friend, still anguished by the loss of his companions, and the chosen Capulet maid is Juliet's older cousin Rosaline, the girl Romeo first loved and whose refusal of Romeo's affection paved the way for bloodshed. Contrary to their late cousins, there's no love lost between Benvolio and Rosaline, yet they forge a bond to end the renewed feud not only to escape their forced betrothal, but to save their lives and the city of Verona itself. 

STILL STARCROSSED STILL STARCROSSED, OR WHEREFORE ART THOU OTHER .5 STARS.

I'm sorry I couldn't help myself. How else better to start out a review for a book based on the famous Romeo and Juliet? Or, rather, the continuation for this tragic love story. Because that's what this is, and that's what made Still Star-crossed such a fascinating read.

So I did ask where the other .5 stars went. And here I will share my only complaint about this book: the romance. I know, I know, it's a pretty big part of the book (or so you think), but really I only had a problem with who she ended up with. I suppose it was pretty obvious, but I just couldn't believe their relationship. It seemed so fake and rushed. I honestly felt like she could've done better with Option #1. But the story goes where the story goes right?

But other than that, oh my, this book was so close to perfect. I have to admire Melinda Taub for writing in Shakespearean, complete with thees and thous and didsts. She did a wonderful job with sticking to it, but sometimes a few modern terms slipped through the book. But I didn't mind! Or rather, I didn't notice. The book just enthralled me and had me mesmerized from Chapter One. While I was a bit wary about it at first, there's something about the writing that just draws you in and enchants you. I never was a fan of Shakespearean talk, but like this? I rather love it!

The characters were beautifully written, something that sort of surprised me. It's hard to shape characters when they've been created by someone else, but again Taub passes the test! They're thought out characters that have likes and dislikes, pet peeves and desires, and we get to learn almost all of them. I started to care for these characters--strange because it was written in third person omniscient, but somehow it worked. I really feel like Rosalie and I would've been best friends--she's just that amazing of a character!

And then we have the plot that surprised me time and time again. While it's been a while since I've read Romeo and Juliet, I think this story stays true to the original, and it really is a great continuation! But, contrast to Romeo and Juliet, this story is far from just a romance. There's a conspiracy that I honestly did not see coming--involving some people I never would've imagined. With a surprising mystery, with surprising twists, Still Star-crossed is more of a mystery than anything else! And a thrilling one at that.

Still Star-crossed is truly a brilliant novel that I have to recommend to anyone who's even heard of Romeo and Juliet (so basically, everyone.) A well written continuation of a star-crossed love gone horribly wrong, mixed with shocking twists, a murder mystery, and a few romantic gestures, this is a book that I think most people will adore--if not fall madly in love with it to the point of death.

Or not.

(P.S. I was tempted to write this entire thing in Shakespearean talk)

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Mirk and Midnight by Jane Nickerson

Pages: 384

Genre: Gothic Literature/Retelling

Series: Strands #2
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Release Date: Mar 11, 2014

Seventeen-year-old Violet Dancey has been left at home in Mississippi with a laudanum-addicted stepmother and love-crazed stepsister while her father fights in the war—a war that has already claimed her twin brother. When she comes across a severely injured Union soldier lying in an abandoned lodge deep in the woods, things begin to change. Thomas is the enemy—one of the men who might have killed her own brother—and yet she's drawn to him. But Violet isn't Thomas's only visitor; someone has been tending to his wounds—keeping him alive—and it becomes chillingly clear that this care hasn't been out of compassion. Against the dangers of war and ominous powers of voodoo, Violet must fight to protect her home and the people she loves.

While I hadn't read Strands of Bronze and Gold prior to this, the synopsis had me wanting and, I mean, it was a companion novel. So I could read it right? And who can pass up a Tam Lin retelling, anyways?

This story takes place during the Civil War, something that fascinated me, especially since it was a retelling of Tam Lin, a story of fairies and magic--what place did the Civil War have in this?
As it turns out, the main plot for most of the story didn't really have much to do with Tam Lin (or Thomas, in this case) as I'd expected. The retelling bit of the book was in maybe the last quarter of the book and we don't even really meet Thomas until halfway into the book. But that didn't really matter to me, by the time I was in that deep.

The story, even without meeting Thomas yet, is exciting or, at the very least, intriguing. It was slow at times and it definitely resembled a plain old historical fiction at times, but it was so much more than that. While I do wish it was more like the last bit of the book, I have to admit, the story was still interesting especially with Violet's rather...well, with all the changes that Violet's family is going through. Sunny and Emily were such contrasting characters and it was interesting to see their personalities start to grow a bit more complex, especially Sunny's. My favorite characters have to be, by far, Miss Ruby (Oliver?), Laney, and Seeley. Nickerson has a knack for secondary characters and I couldn't help but just grow attached to all of them!

The romance was quick and a bit insta lovey, I suppose, but it just seemed to fit the story and made me love it even more. The story really focused on Violet's independence as a woman in this time and how she dealt with all the terrible and wonderful things that were happening in her life at the same time. And I loved that.

There were definitely a few creep factors in this, especially with the voodoo mentioned in it. I definitely wish that there were more scenes like the last, but nevertheless, it was enjoyable and pretty spectacular, for lack of a better word!

The Mirk and Midnight Hour was a completely fascinating read that brought out the Gothic in Gothic Literature and I couldn't help but fall in love with the solemn atmosphere and the supernatural/voodoo forces that pushed the plot on. The historical feel just brought the story alive and the story stands out as something I'd call darkly enticing and hopelessly enchanting. 

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Anthology: Grim

Pages: 480

Genre: Horror/Thriller

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release Date: Feb 25, 2014

CLAIRE DE LUNE and NOCTURNE author Christine Johnson, ed.’s GRIM, an anthology of dark fairy tale retellings, featuring stories by New York Times bestselling authors Ellen Hopkins, Amanda Hocking, Claudia Gray, Rachel Hawkins, Julie Kagawa, and others, to Natashya Wilson at HarlequinTeen, in a nice deal, for publication in Winter 2014, by Caryn Wiseman at Andrea Brown Literary Agency (World).

So my first anthology review. This is actually going to be pretty short review (because there's no way I could write a review on each short story.)

The perfect thing about this is that I read it the week of Halloween. The spooky tales fit the mood, and retellings? Oh, I just absolutely adore those! (Who doesn't love fairy tales?)

Out of all the anthologies I've read, I just have to say--this is most definitely the best. I'm a fan of the majority of these authors and they definitely didn't let me down! From haunting and chilling to downright creepy and gruesome (with a sprinkle of humor and sci fi added of course!) these stories just brought to life the fairy tales of old. Something I actually liked was that they don't really tell you which fairy tales are being retold--and having gone through a fairy tale phase (still in that phase actually!) it was unbelievably fun matching fairytale to retelling. Not to mention how creative all the authors were in weaving in their own little twists to the originals.

Is that the end of my review? Guys, I thought you knew better! I always have things to say about fabulous books and, more specifically, retellings! 

I never realized how different writing styles to be, and that's definitely showcased here. And that's not bad at all! While there were some stories written like a true fairy tale or urban legend, some were written like a scene from a YA book while another was written in verse! All were gorgeous stories though that had me absolutely captivated!

Some were heartbreaking, some were hilarious, some were simply sad. But they all managed to just capture you like the fairy tales you grow up with and I definitely recommend this one for a rainy day read. There's a whirlwind of stories in here with fascinating characters, even if we only have them for a few thrilling pages!

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Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Pages: 352

Genre: Fantasy/Retelling

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Release Date: Jan 28, 2014

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.
With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.
But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.
As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

Oh God, the love I have for this book! As I'm writing this, I literally just finished reading it in one sitting at midnight, so excuse me as I collect my thoroughly gasted flabber off the floor and turn it back into a brain. I wasn't quite sure what I was expecting when I dove into Cruel Beauty, but I know it wasn't this. And for once, that's a good thing!

So I'm a giant fan of retellings. And when I say giant, I mean giant. Add in Beauty and the Beast? It just got better and better! The tale as old as time is one of my favorites and one of the more commonly retold stories--but it's so, so, so hard to get right. But I can say with absolute certainty that Rosamund Hodge is a genius author whose brilliance can not go unheeded.

Hodge is a wonder with words, something that you can easily see through her debut. I fell in love with the first chapter and couldn't let go after until I'd read everything and was clinging to my plush rabbit in agony. The most amazing part, I think, is the worldbuilding, which has it's feet set in the plot, the characters, and pretty much everything.
The world is a mix of high fantasy, paranormal, and Greek mythology, something I found extremely unusual, but undeniably enthralling. It was amazing seeing the world come to life in the pages and being told the world's history and background through snatches of folklore and tale and  absolutely fascinating, how the author pieces together bits of her fantasy world with that of Greece. Who knew demons and gods went together?

The plot, I realize, is actually rather slow, but you don't get bored at all. The tension between Nyx and Ignifex kept me laughing and giggling forever and you can't help but get sucked into the story once they meet. It's more than just the romance, of course. It's Nyx trying to defeat Ignifex, to avenger he mother's sacrifice, and to keep her promise. It's amazing how this goes about and there are still so many plot twists I can't accept. I refuse to accept.

Romance! There are hints of a love triangle, but I can't really say anything beyond the fact that, well, it's not really a love triangle and that I loved Ignifex from the moment we met him, with his snark and wit and charm about him!

Nyx is truly a badass character. She's not quite the assassin I was expecting, but she's tough, she's fierce, she's curious, but beyond all that, she's absolutely and brilliantly flawed. It's even stated in the book that her heart was threaded with darkness, and you can't help but relate to her sometimes. Not to her situations, of course (I don't know about you, but I don't know anyone engaged to a demon prince), but her feelings and her regrets. She's a broken character and it's just something you love about her.

The ending, I have to say, was absolutely perfect. And that's all I have to say about that.

So yes. Cruel Beauty is one of those books you can't help but fall in love with, and one of those books that'll automatically jump to your favorites list. It's gorgeously written with brilliant characters, a cutthroat plot, and a romance that'll set you on fire. It's like reading a fairy tale--there's honestly no choice but to get enthralled. I honestly can't recommend this book enough! So seven out of five stars it is! 

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Unhinged by A.G. Howard

Pages: 384

Genre: High Fantasy/Gothic

Series: Splintered #2

Publisher: Amulet 

Release Date: Jan 7, 2014

Alyssa Gardner has been down the rabbit hole and faced the bandersnatch. She saved the life of Jeb, the guy she loves, and escaped the machinations of the disturbingly seductive Morpheus and the vindictive Queen Red. Now all she has to do is graduate high school and make it through prom so she can attend the prestigious art school in London she's always dreamed of.
That would be easier without her mother, freshly released from an asylum, acting overly protective and suspicious. And it would be much simpler if the mysterious Morpheus didn’t show up for school one day to tempt her with another dangerous quest in the dark, challenging Wonderland—where she (partly) belongs.
As prom and graduation creep closer, Alyssa juggles Morpheus’s unsettling presence in her real world with trying to tell Jeb the truth about a past he’s forgotten. Glimpses of Wonderland start to bleed through her art and into her world in very disturbing ways, and Morpheus warns that Queen Red won’t be far behind.
If Alyssa stays in the human realm, she could endanger Jeb, her parents, and everyone she loves. But if she steps through the rabbit hole again, she'll face a deadly battle that could cost more than just her head. 

After naming Splintered my favorite book of 2012, is it surprising that I've been dying for Unhinged ever since I heard it was a duology (and now a trilogy! Eep!)? No. No it isn't. So when I managed to get my hands on an early ARC, I was beyond thrilled. Because...MORPHEUS!

And Unhinged did not disappoint at all. Because with a guy like Morpheus on the cover, who can't love this book?
So I guess we should talk about love interests, since I've mentioned Morpheus a few times already. Of course I'm Team Moth so I'm both giddy and heartbroken at how Unhinged turned out. Morpheus definitely shows up in his old self again and I both wanted to strangle him (with all the love in the world of course) and cuddle him until Sisters One and Two pried me away from him. He's as arrogant as always, with that manipulative personality that's pure Netherling, and a sexy smirk that just makes you swoon. While he did have his weak points, he proved himself time and time again throughout the book. (And went to unbelievably great lengths for Alyssa. Alyssa, if you don't want him, can I?)
And...yes. Jeb's here too. Not that I like to admit it. I will admit, though, that he was...sweet...and kind...but he didn't really seem to pop up as much as Morpheus thanks to a mysterious art collector by the name of Ivy Raven. So his and Alyssa's relationship? A bit on the rocks...until the end.
The love triangle is sort of my favorite, since we're actually not quite sure who she'll end up with. It's really rare when that happens, but Howard manages to pull it off brilliantly. Like everything else of course!

Alyssa, our heroine, is definitely different from so many other typical YA heroines. She has her flaws (like not listening to Morpheus and not wanting to save her own kingdom--but both are decently understandable!), but she's kickass, fierce, and loyal to the end. The fact that we see her grow more into her Netherling nature made me love her all the more (because like Morpheus says--he and Wonderland are a package deal!) and when she unleashed her powers was definitely when I loved her most! Also--her gothic style. Love!

The worldbuilding. There must be some Wonderland blood in A.G. Howard for her to create such amazing creatures (read: creepy creatures) that still manage to tie in with the story. I seriously loved how she would use nonsensical words from Alice in Wonderland and twist them into magnificent and horrible creatures that roamed Wonderland. And we didn't even really visit the world! We see glimpses of the Wonderland that enraptured us in Splintered, but instead of bringing us to Wonderland...well, she sort of brings Wonderland to us.
We're introduced to a whole slew of new creatures that absolutely terrified me (I've never been afraid of wood until now) like "mome raths", toys and creatures back from AnyElsewhere (Exactly what is AnyElsewhere you ask? Read the book and discover the creepy.), and a stalkery clown doll. Literally. It follows her everywhere with a creepy blood red smile on its lips.

The plot. Oh my God. There are no ends to the twists and turns and the absolutely horrifying, heart breaking, gut wrenching things that happen to everyone around Alyssa. Unhinged is fast paced and it's a race against, not time (because there's never enough of that anyways) but a Queen hell bent on revenge. What can be more action packed?
And the ending. No. I can't. My mind can not comprehend it at all. Just...you'll see.

What's truly the best thing about this series is how the worldbuilding is so uniquely magnificent and so hauntingly gothic, you can't help but fall in love with it (or the guys.) The worldbuilding just hooks you in, the characters enrapture you, and then you just fall in love with the entire thing.
My two words to sum up the review? Read it. 

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Hero by Alethea Kontis

Goodreads Blurb

Rough and tumble Saturday Woodcutter thinks she's the only one of her sisters without any magic—until the day she accidentally conjures an ocean in the backyard. With her sword in tow, Saturday sets sail on a pirate ship, only to find herself kidnapped and whisked off to the top of the world. Is Saturday powerful enough to kill the mountain witch who holds her captive and save the world from sure destruction? And, as she wonders grumpily, "Did romance have to be part of the adventure?" As in Enchanted, readers will revel in the fragments of fairy tales that embellish this action-packed story of adventure and, yes, romance.

You know what surprised me the most about this book? How much I absolutely adored it. I haven't read Enchanted, but now I have to because I just love Alethea Kontis's writing so much!

I am a sucker for retellings guys, especially when they intersect with about a dozen more of my favorite fairy tales and when they're written in E.D Baker esque! I grew up with Tales of the Frog Princess series, so it's really no surprise how much I loved Hero, in hindsight. Actually, more than I did The Frog Princess!
Ten pages in and already we see intersecting fairy tales--it's absolutely genius how enchanting she makes the story and how deliciously magical the world is. The sisters are the base of basically all my freaking favorite fairytales. I have fallen in love with a new series. And now you guys have to too.

Because from what I've seen, all the sisters, all the characters, are pretty kick-ass. Some are fiery, independent, and headstrong, while others are more mellow, but just as smart and brilliant. Saturday...well you can rightly assume she's in the first bunch. She made me laugh out loud and want to cry at the same time, but mostly? I just wanted to hug her. She's sassy and stubborn and I loved her witty remarks. Saturday's made it to my list of Favorite Heroines with her adventurous nature and her hilarious personality.

I loved the romance which was so absolutely cute and silly! It's insta-love, but in a fairy tale story like this, it makes things all the better and all the more adorable. It really was sweet how much Peregrine loved Saturday and I just couldn't help but fall in love with these two just as quickly. They're endearing and their interactions just made me giggle with glee.

The adventure was pretty action packed and just as exciting as the rest of the book. Saturday's destiny is to defeat the lorelei (water witch) while pretending to be her older brother and discovering a way to do so--without killing everyone on The Top of the World, including herself. You can bet that's going to be a bit hard. And absolutely fun to read. The plot is fun and definitely exciting and I can't wait for the sequel!

Absolutely enchanting, Hero was a fabulous read from a great author I can't wait to read more from! I loved every aspect of this story and definitely recommend this to everyone!

Pages: 301

Genre: Retelling/Fantasy

Series: Woodcutter Sisters #2

Publisher: Harcourt Books

Release Date: Oct 1, 2013

Rating: 5 stars

Hideous Love by Stephanie Hemphill

Goodreads Blurb

An all-consuming love affair.
A family torn apart by scandal.
A young author on the brink of greatness.
Hideous Love is the fascinating story of Gothic novelist Mary Shelley, who as a teen girl fled her restrictive home only to find herself in the shadow of a brilliant but moody boyfriend, famed poet Percy Shelley. It is the story of the mastermind behind one of the most iconic figures in all of literature: a monster constructed out of dead bodies and brought to life by the tragic Dr. Frankenstein.
Mary wrote Frankenstein at the age of nineteen, but inspiration for the monster came from her life-the atmospheric European settings she visited, the dramas swirling around her, and the stimulating philosophical discussions with the greatest minds of the period, like her close friend, Lord Byron.
This luminous verse novel from award-winning author Stephanie Hemphill reveals how Mary Shelley became one of the most celebrated authors in history.

There were a lot of things about Hideous Love I didn't quite expect, and I can't quite say that's a good thing.

Hideous Love was written in verse, something that surprised me, but pleased me. At first. But as I read on, it wasn't as well written as I'd hoped. Verse isn't something you can pull off easily, and I'm afraid Hemphill didn't manage to reach that level yet. While the writing was quite gorgeous and poetic (as it should be. Since--Mary Shelley!) and amazing, the characters came off as flat and it was a tad confusing. And, no matter how beautiful the writing, it couldn't really make the rest of the book interesting.

I really admire how Hemphill tried to make her life seem fascinating and interesting, but it just didn't really stand out to me. It was, essentially, an autobiography written in verse--and I'm not generally a fan of biographies. There wasn't enough to really keep me enthralled. She had a love affair, she had kids, she had money problems, family problems. But they were all just glossed over, the book written like it was. It may have been more interesting written in prose, maybe, but instead it came out as dull and boring.

And then the characters. That's another thing about writing in verse--it's hard to get a feel for the characters, and that's exactly what happened here. While Mary Shelley wasn't exactly a flat character, she was hypocritical, catty, and possessive, making her a distinctly unlikable character. While I did empathize with her at times, it still irritated me and I couldn't really get over that feeling.

But the main reason I disliked her, really was the romance. Twenty five pages in, the words "I love you" are pretty much spoken, and that's fast--even for insta-love. We didn't get to see the progression as they fell in love. It took maybe two poems for them to fall in love. Add to that the fact that he happens to married at the time...and, well, we get a jumble of hot mess.

It's an outstanding premise, really, but the book just doesn't have the same allure after a few chapters. It wore me down until I honestly didn't want to open the book. Something that really disappoints me, since I was so excited to start!

So while it does sound amazing, I wouldn't recommend this, though I will admit--it'd be a lot cooler to read as "research" since it does stick to the facts and is written in quite beautiful verse!

Pages: 320

Genre: Retelling/Historical

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Release Date: Oct 1, 2013

Rating: 1.5 stars

Mini Freak Out: Ashes on the Waves by Mary Lindsey

Mini FREAK OUT!

Goodreads Blurb

Liam MacGregor is cursed. Haunted by the wails of fantastical Bean Sidhes and labeled a demon by the villagers of Dòchas, Liam has accepted that things will never get better for him—until a wealthy heiress named Annabel Leighton arrives on the island and Liam’s fate is changed forever.
With Anna, Liam finally finds the happiness he has always been denied; but, the violent, mythical Otherworlders, who inhabit the island and the sea around it, have other plans. They make awager on the couple’s love, testing its strength through a series of cruel obstacles. But the tragedies draw Liam and Anna even closer. Frustrated, the creatures put the couple through one last trial—and this time it’s not only their love that’s in danger of being destroyed.

There is, by the way, cussing.
For those of you who don't know, Mini Freak Outs are where while reading, I scribble down my reactions and post them along with a 2-3 paragraph review.

1: Chills. I have chills.
5: Oh my God what is this.
17: Liam is sort of adorable. I LOVE HIM ALREADY
39: I want to be all IN YOUR FACE to Miss Ronan right now
40: I sort of don't know WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED but kudos to Anna for not freaking out
44: I LOVE ANNA SO MUCH RIGHT NOW OMG. SHE ISTHE BEST
59: Oh my GAWD. FINALLY
65:OMG IF THIS THING HAS SELKIES IN IT I'M GOING TO PEE MY PANTS WITH EXCITEMENT
67: YES.
77: I love their relationship!!!
90: I think my heart hurts.
98: Giggles. I have giggles. OH LIAM. *giggles*.
100: CREEPINESS
107: OMG SOMETHING'S HAPPENING I JUST KNOW IT
110: Oh my freaking GAWD what the hell just happened?! READING THIS AT 1 AM WAS A BAD BAD IDEA
119: Would I have Anna's reaction or would I be freaked out by a dozen paintings of me?
121: WOAH WOAH WTH. OH GOD
127: THANK YOU, PA. I AM UNBELIEVABLY RELIEVED
133: LIAM YOU STUPID STUPID BOY. DON'T BE SO SUPERSTITIOUS AND DO YOU REALLY THINK ANNA OF ALL PEOPLE WOULD LISTEN TO YOU.
139: EFF OFF NICK. NO. I AM DUBBING YOU DICK. FUCK OFF DICK. OR I SWEAR TO THE GODS IN THIS BOOK I WILL MURDER YOU MYSELF.
149: Anna you are simply the best.
153: Anna rocks.i
156: This book is killing me. In a good way.
167: I am getting increasingly worried. Oh God.
172: LIES. SHUT UP YOU NA FIR GHORM
173: Oh CRAPTASTIC SHIZZLER TWIZZLERS
177: I DENY THAT STATEMENT YOU BLUE SKINNED FISHBALL
182: Oh my God
193: THEY ARE ADORABLE
198: BECAUSE THEY ARE YOU NINCOMPOOP
209: I LIKE YOU BEAN SIDHES
216: I AM CREEPED OUT
220: CRAP. I FEEL SUSPICIOUS.
225: CRAP. OMG. SHIT. OH CRAP. OMG. YGYSEDYUHOKPL WHAT IS SHE COUNTING...
227: She knows...everything.
229-231: Oh effing crap.  THIS BOOK JUST. OH GOD
241: SCREW THIS TOWN AND 98% OF ITS PEOPLE
245: Oh screw you effing blue fishball. DON'T YOU DARE HURT MY BABIES. *cuddles Anna and Liam*
253: Crap. Sticks.
262: I love you Francine, but I feel bad for Muireann
268: LIES ALL OF IT. I CALL BS
292: I love them. Have I mentioned that?
297: Poor Anna, so confuzzled!
300:  I HATE YOU
316: Blue fish balls? DIE YOU EFFING BASTARDS
325: I. Am. Dying.
344: Oh my fucking God
350-351: What the fucking hell just HAPPENED OH MY GOD. CHILLS.
360: J,GRSRSYVIL,L,LK,PKHYSEAWARDYVPMPKBJUGCRYTREATYVIH UNNIPNPNOVUGXGFX
363: THAT BITCH
373: WOAH WOAH WOAH WOAH WOAH. IS SHE....OR IS SHE...WHAT?! I die. I'm dead. Just. Don't talk to me. 

To sum this book up in two words, Ashes on the Waves was most definitely hauntingly unique. The Gothic atmosphere just leaves you utterly speechless and the love story leaves you simply breathless. I absolutely fell in love with the couple and with the world Lindsey has created with selkies (some of my favorite mythical creatures!), Na Fir Ghorm, Bean Sidhes, and more! I loved the Celtic lore mixed in with the Gothic feel, creating a truly original world with all the dark and twisted that an Edgar Allen Poe retelling needs.

You can call it insta-love, but this is, in the end, a tragic love story--more so than Romeo and Juliet for sure! It's beautiful and mournful and absolutely heartbreaking. The ending was as tragic as one would expect. Not the glowing HEA I was desperately hoping for, but perfect for the story and perfect for a Poe poem. My only complaint was that it was a bit predictable to me, but the romance was absolutely brilliant.

Pages: 387

Genre: Gothic/Romance

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Philomel

Release Date: June 27, 2013

Rating: 4 stars

Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay

Goodreads Blurb

In the beginning was the darkness, and in the darkness was a girl, and in the girl was a secret...
In the domed city of Yuan, the blind Princess Isra, a Smooth Skin, is raised to be a human sacrifice whose death will ensure her city’s vitality. In the desert outside Yuan, Gem, a mutant beast, fights to save his people, the Monstrous, from starvation. Neither dreams that together, they could return balance to both their worlds.
Isra wants to help the city’s Banished people, second-class citizens despised for possessing Monstrous traits. But after she enlists the aid of her prisoner, Gem, who has been captured while trying to steal Yuan’s enchanted roses, she begins to care for him, and to question everything she has been brought up to believe.
As secrets are revealed and Isra’s sight, which vanished during her childhood, returned, Isra will have to choose between duty to her people and the beast she has come to love.

Of Beauty and Beast was…wow. Just wow. I wasn’t quite expecting how much I would love this retelling! It does the story of Beauty and the Beast justice, enchanting me almost right away. I was captivated by the world and by the legends surrounding it. It has that fairy tale feeling to it, something I can’t really describe, but leaves you astonished all the same.

I absolutely loved Isra. It was easy to relate to her yearning for freedom and for her wish of something…more. She was independent when she needed to be, and gentle all the time. She’s a blind princess and tainted at that, so she knows what hurt feels like. She’s not like most heroines, but she’s quick, kind, and tries to avoid hurting people as much as possible. I loved her character and I’m pretty sure she’s my favorite princess-character I’ve read in a long time. My heart ached for her as she faced her impending sacrifice and I pitied her when we find out just how much she’d lost.

Gem was a great love interest, our “Beast.”  He’s fierce, has a vendetta against the Smooth Skins, and is disgusted by the people of Yuan, especially our lovely princess. He’s temperamental and can get violent, but he’s humane all the same. The way he slowly dropped his guard and how hard he tried to stay loyal to both his tribe and Isra at the same time almost broke my heart too.

But as much as I loved the characters, the writing is most definitely my favorite part. It’s fairytale esque and immediately transported me to Yuan, where roses thirst for blood, and citizens cheer for the death of their queen.  Sometimes the writing was awkward, but the majority was enchanting, drawing me right in. I loved the present tense writing, using “walk” instead of “walked” like so many other stories. That and the gorgeously bitter world Jay created made this an absolutely superb retelling, making my heart stop for several beats!

The worldbuilding? Splendid. While it bordered on cheesy and cliché at times with the Dark Heart and Pure Heart, it was still absolutely breathtaking. I loved reading about Yuan and the roses, how the sacrifice worked and how Monstrous, Banished, and Smooth Skins worked and what kind of people they were. While there were a few confusing points, I let it go since, you know, it reminded me so much of a real fairy tale. (I DON’T SEE YOU ASKING WHY THE ROSES WERE SO IMPORTANT IN THE ORIGINAL. Not the Disney by the way. And anyways, why a candlestick?)

The plot was absolutely shocking for me so many times through, especially near the end. Honestly, I had no idea what would happen. Especially when I asked myself: Is Isra really going to die? SPOILER: I’m not telling. Enjoy having your heart in your throat.

There’s no end to the amount of betrayals there are, some of them making me want to rip out a certain character’s throat. But, you know. All in good reading!

Of course, we have to talk about the romance. It was sweet, though filled with betrayals at first, but I loved how much Isra trusted Gem and how fiercely devoted Gem was to protecting Isra. The fact that it was a hate relationship at first helped a bit too. We don’t really get to see their relationship grow much except in passing, and I wished that we had so we could see Isra’s feelings grow. I wasn’t really quite sure what caused her to fall in love with him when she knew he hated her at the time.

Of Beauty and Beast is a compelling read that left me absolutely breathless at the end. It’s a fairy tale that’s more than a simple story and enthralled me from the first sentence. It’s written in a fairy tale fashion, giving us that “tale as old as time” feeling—of course, perfect for a story such as Beauty and the Beast.

Pages: 400

Genre: Retelling/High Fantasy

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Release Date: July 23, 2013

Rating: 4.5-->5 stars

Nameless by Lili St. Crow

Goodreads Blurb

When Camille was six years old, she was discovered alone in the snow by Enrico Vultusino, godfather of the Seven—the powerful Families that rule magic-ridden New Haven. Papa Vultusino adopted the mute, scarred child, naming her after his dead wife and raising her in luxury on Haven Hill alongside his own son, Nico.
Now Cami is turning sixteen. She’s no longer mute, though she keeps her faded scars hidden under her school uniform, and though she opens up only to her two best friends, Ruby and Ellie, and to Nico, who has become more than a brother to her. But even though Cami is a pampered Vultusino heiress, she knows that she is not really Family. Unlike them, she is a mortal with a past that lies buried in trauma. And it’s not until she meets the mysterious Tor, who reveals scars of his own, that Cami begins to uncover the secrets of her birth…to find out where she comes from and why her past is threatening her now.
New York Times bestselling author Lili St. Crow thrilled legions of fans with her dark paranormal series Strange Angels. Now she has crafted an evocative update of Snow White, set in a vividly imagined world and populated by unforgettable new characters.

Nameless was so disappointing for me. It sounded absolutely fascinating and I imagined a stunning world filled with intrigue and danger. What I got was actually a pretty typical YA world with shoddy worldbuilding and not much originality. And that was actually one of the better parts.

The writing was super confusing and just horrible. It was all over the place and I was always confused as to what the HECK was going on. The sentences were awkward and choppy at best sometimes and I just wanted to take a red pen to the entire thing. The fact that it was written in third person made it even harder to connect to the story and the character. Then there are several elements mentioned, but we never really understand exactly what the Waste is, what Potential was and why it could be described, etc. We also never really learned much about the world.

Nameless was so slow too. I couldn't get into it at all and it was, as much as I hate to insult, pure willpower that made me finish the book. It didn't get interesting until at least 75% in and I also had only a vague understanding of what was going on.  The last 25% was rather enrapturing, but it didn't make up half of the negative stuff. It was also rather predictable.

Cami was a pretty emotionless character for me, but whiny and not that smart otherwise. She did the most stupid things sometimes and I wanted to whack her over the head. Our other characters weren't so good either, but her friends Ruby and Ellie definitely had more defined personalities than Cami. I also loved how Ruby was the Red Riding Hood in the story and Ellie was Cinderella. Well, I guess we know what the companion novels will be about (I think.)

The romance...was...I'm confused as to whether or not ___ had a romantic attraction because then it'd be incest, but I'm still unsure whether it was romantic or familial. Heh. 

Anyways, I'm on Team Nico (love triangle, yep. Annoying one too) because Tor was just so random. Cami just couldn't stop thinking about Tor, Tor showed up in the most random of places...it was all typical YA. Not to mention a betrayal. somewhere in the love triangle. A predictable one.

Also, what did the apples represent besides the fact that it was a Snow White retelling?

Pages: 304

Genre: Retelling/Fantasy

Series: A Tale of Beauty and Madness #1

Publisher: Razorbill 

Release Date: April 4, 2013

Rating: 1.5--->1

Persephone by Kaitlin Bevis

Goodreads Blurb

There are worse things than death, worse people too
The “talk” was bad enough, but how many teens get told that they’re a goddess? When her mom tells her, Persephone is sure her mother has lost her mind. It isn’t until Boreas, the god of winter, tries to abduct her that she realizes her mother was telling the truth. Hades rescues her, and in order to safely bring Persephone to the Underworld he marks her as his bride. But Boreas will stop at nothing to get Persephone. Despite her growing feelings for Hades, Persephone wants to return to the living realm. Persephone must find a way to defeat Boreas and reclaim her life.

Oooh I loved this. Sort of. Kind of? Of course, I, and everyone else, knows how many Persephone retellings there are in the YA world, but I hadn't read one in a LONG time, so I decided why not? I'm so glad I read this! It's possibly one of my favorite Persephone retellings (at least, the ones where they actually include the Greek gods!)

So I honestly think that what I mainly loved about Persephone (not the person) was the world and how the Greek gods were portrayed. There were a specific set of rules, powers, and all those things, and it was like watching mythology come to life! I loved how everything they could and couldn't do made some kind of sense in the world and how vivid the Underworld really was in this book. I'm probably not desciribing how great the world building was, but trust me, it was definitely something that I noticed throughout the book!

What I did find curious, however, was that while the Greek gods were famous as myths in the world, the actual myths hadn't happened. Sure, everyone knew all about Zeus, Hades, Demeter, Cassandra, but Orpheus and Euridyce hadn't happened yet, obviously Persephone and Hades hadn't, but somehow Helen of Troy did? And if there was a class on Greek mythology, how come Persephone didn't know about Cassandra and how she was cursed? These were the little things that I wish were less...conflicting.

The plot was completely fabulous though! I loved how Persephone slipped into her role as the Queen of the Underworld, how she dealt with everything, and I loved seeing how she reacted to everything--being a goddess, getting into her powers, and so much more. I honestly could predict most of the book and twists, so while it wasn't shocking in the least, Persephone was an enjoyable read!

As for characters, I absolutely loved all the characters to the core! Except for Persephone herself. It seems that lately, almost all the books I read have annoying main characters. She kept putting herself in danger and throughout the entire thing, I really just wanted to shove her.She was annoying to the max and I'm not kidding or exaggerating when I say she's a diva.

Persephone was a great read and definitely one of my favorite retellings although it would've been better if Persephone herself was a better character who had more depth to her than she did!

Pages: 237
Series: Persephone #1
Genre: Fantasy/Romance/Retelling
Publisher: Musa publishing
Release Date: July 6, 2012
Rating: 3.5--->4

Splintered by A.G. Howard

Goodreads Blurb

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

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

(When I use the word mad in this review, I mean mad as in crazy. Not anger. I repeat, crazy, not anger)

Splintered is a gorgeous retelling of one of my favorite classics, Alice in Wonderland, and I'm thrilled to say, it did not disappoint!  

I can't think of one other Alice retelling (Apparently, Alice in Zombieland is less Alice and more Zombieland!), so when I heard about a debut novel that was focused on Alice in Wonderland, I was both excited and wary! Most retellings I've read haven't done the original justice, but when the Splintered cover was release? I was a goner. It was just gorgeous and has that mad look about it and fits the books so wonderfully! So I decided to let go of doubts and requested!

Thank God I did! Once I started, I was hooked! While the beginning was a little slow, once the crazy things started happening, you'll become simply mad. Splintered was, in a word, stunning. I hate it when retellings erase parts of the original story to fit their plot, pretending like that original was never written. Seeing a book that used the original as a platform? Psh, there's one star already! I loved that A.G. Howard made our main character the daughter of Alice (she is, isn't she?) to explain the craziness and curse that seems to run through her family. 

I loved the "misinterpretations" of the original Alice story! Of course they wouldn't be entirely accurate. After all, Alice was just a kid when she went back home, right? Kids wouldn't want to remember all the dark and twisted things. So the "mistakes" weren't very far fetched, one of those "passed through generations" things that's getting a bit old. That was definitely some imagination on the author's part!

And of course, A.G. Howard had to have a lot of imagination. From the White Rabbit (My mistake! I meant, RABID WHITE.) to Twiddledee and Twilldum (Or rather, Sister Two and Sister One) to the seriously creeptastic flowers. That eat aphids. And humans. And somehow, A.G. manages to make them all seem madly sane and fitting the story so perfectly. Suddenly, this classic book isn't a fictional story: it's a guide. And that? That was just MAD.

As for the love interests, I can't decide who's team I'm on? Leaning towards Morpheus, the sneaky boy who lures Alyssa to wonderland, but loving Jeb, Alyssa's real world crush. They're both such amazing guys, this is possiblythe only time I couldn't decide who's team I was on! Morpheus was just sneaky and smirky with too many dark secrets to hide, but he was just torn apart on the inside. Basically, my favorite kind of fictional guy! Jeb was just...he was just adorable. He gave up so much for Alyssa and I just wanted to cuddle him throughout the book! Except, the end. The end, I wanted to knock him over with a giant flamingo-mallet and shove Alyssa towards Morpheus. But anyways.

one of the best things about Splintered was seeing our old friends: the Cheshire Cat, the *cough* Wise Caterpillar, the Twiddle Twins, and so many more! This one definitely met my expectations and I can't wait to grab a sequel! Because I'm telling you, there had BETTER be a sequel!

Splintered was imaginative and creative and was an absolutely stunning retelling of Alice in Wonderland and a mind blowing debut. With vivid worldbuilding, gorgeously written characters, and a plot as twisted as Wonderland itself, Howard brings to life a world that already haunted our imaginations! 

Pages: 384

Series: Standalone (NOT FOR LONG I hope!)

Genre: Retelling/Fantasy/Romance

Publisher: Amulet Books

Release Date: January 1, 2013

Rating: 10/5 stars

Princess of the Silver Woods by Jessica Day George

Goodreads Blurb

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.

I was...a bit disappointed by Princess of the Silver Woods. Not to say it wasn't good! Just...not what I expected and not in a good way.

I was just blown away by the other two books in the series: Princess of Glass and Princess of the Midnight Ball, so I had high hopes for this one! But then...it fell flat, and I just didn't love it the way I loved the other two. I'm not sure if it was simply because I haven't read the other two in a while, so my impression faded, or it just wasn't written as well, or what. But there were a few disappointing things, though there were TONS of things I still loved!

The character's (or rather, Oliver and Petunia) personalities irked me a bit. Petunia wasn't as likeable (in my opinion) as Rose or Poppy. She didn't really had her own distinguished personality, but acted more like Poppy, then a little bit of Rose. I think I would've liked it more if Petunia was...less her sisters and more her, although I get that she had to be a strong heroine or we'd be complaining about her damsel-in-distress -ness.

Oliver...well, this is an interesting case. I had a pretty love/hate relationship and this was one of the things I was a bit let down by. I thought Oliver would be fierce or have one of those cold/smug attitudes. Actually, I was hoping for that. It would've fit the Red Riding Hood story and the Robin Hood story as well, in my opinion. 

I also felt as if the characters hadn't been very well developed. And while I get it, I mean duh. 12 princesses and their husbands/beaus? But Petunia and Oliver...well, even with my complaints about them, they weren't very well developed, I'm afraid.

The plot was...twisty at times, predictable at others, and a tad redundant. (the redundance being the "Oh! She's one of the Nine Princesses of Rashka (that's the name right)). There were so many things I didn't expect, others I did. I knew something was wrong with the Grand Duchess and her son (it even hints so in the synopsis), but I didn't know what would happen. And that was one of the most surprising things. 

And that ending? Definitely the best part of the entire book. It was basically where you were at the edge of your seat, wanting to know what happened, your eyes scanning the page quickly. So the plot definitely earns some points!

The romance was...too insta-lovey for my tastes. So Petunia and Oliver met when Oliver attacks Petunia's carriage, and Petunia holds a gun to his face. And then they fall in love? It was just out of the blue and too sudden. 

Not to mention, I kept wanting Petunia to end up with one of the antagonists, her own prince, Kistalin (heh. Probably got the wrong name!). I've always actually liked the princes. ALL OF THEM, except whoever's currently King Under Stone. Because, seriously. Having that title is like a drug. It sucks the life out of you. So while I knew it wasn't going to happen, I kept rooting for Petunia to fall in love with her (literally) prince, even if he was evil. And couldn't go in the sun. And tried to capture her forever and ever. 

The world building is always my favorite thing in Jessica Day George's books! It's so vivid and fresh and I loved being back in Under Stone (I have no idea if that's what it's called? I forgot! But I dub thee Under Stone if it isn't already). I love how George can seamlessly weave two very different faery tales into one, and still have it all make sense, in the way that makes you think "OF COURSE!". And I love the worldbuilding and storytelling because the world matches the original's descriptions, just giving the items/places different meanings and the storytelling really just merges two fairy tales and, like I said, pretty much makes you feel stupid for not seeing the connection before!

P.S. I have written this at 1 A.M. so if there are any redundant phrases, confusing sentences, or just weirdness, I'm sorry!

Pages: 336

Series: Princess #3

Genre: Retelling/Romance/Fantasy

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books

Release Date: December 11, 2012

Rating: 3 stars