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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The Loop by Shandy Lawson

Goodreads Blurb

Ben and Maggie have met, fallen in love, and died together countless times. Over the course of two pivotal days—both the best and worst of their lives—they struggle again and again to resist the pull of fate and the force of time itself. With each failure, they return to the beginning of their end, a wild road trip that brings them to the scene of their own murders and into the hands of the man destined to kill them.
As time circles back on itself, events become more deeply ingrained, more inescapable for the two kids trapped inside the loop. The closer they come to breaking out, the tighter fate’s clutches seem to grip them. They devise a desperate plan to break free and survive the days ahead, but what if Ben and Maggie’s only shot at not dying is surviving apart?

Well, this was a different, interesting, slightly awkward read. Good. But slightly awkward.

So, the beginning. The Loop immediately starts off with the action. Two pages in, you already knows what's going on, four pages he meets the love interest, and six pages in he's running away from a murder. I'd say that was pretty quick, but it definitely fit the story,

Right of the bat, Ben meets Steve who explains to him what a Loop is, a circle of time where something interrupts the "flow of time" as it would be, and he tells Ben that both he and Ben are stuck in two separate loops and that Ben's going to meet a girl named Maggie who's in his Loop...

He meets here just a couple of pages later. And what does she do? Tell him to run, shoots Roy (the guy who's killed them in each Loop), and disguises themselves. Next stop? Shreveport, the place we're fate pushes them, and the place where they die each Loop.

Interesting, right? I thought so too. 

Everything I'd normally complain about, they had pretty good excuses. The romance, while definitely insta-love, couldn't really be labeled that because of the Loop. Ben and Maggie have met hundreds (thousands?) of times and while Ben doesn't remember all of it, he does remember some things, and I don't think feelings go away...So I can't complain on romance, except that it was weird. It was like they were only allies, then snap. They were in love. 

The plot was, without a doubt, action packed. When you're trying to bend Fate, avoid destiny, kill your murderer, and fall in love all in two days, the book is going to have to be pretty rushed. Strangely, it wasn't really. I didn't even realize it was only two days until Maggie mentioned it and I was pretty surprised to remember that. All this stuff happens, and it doesn't seem possible that it only happens in two days--but it does. And honestly? I'm unsure whether that's a good thing, or a bad thing. But it seems like a good thing at the moment!

The only thing I have to complain about is that I sort of wish we could have a prologue or an introduction before we're thrown into the action. It was honestly sudden and REALLY surprising! And character development too, of course. Throughout the book, we don't really get to see the personality of Ben or Maggie. They were like emotionless puppets, I guess, just there to advance the story. I would've liked to see more into Ben and Maggie's past lives and maybe more on world building? Why them? What pulls these certain people into the Loop? How does one get out of a Loop? So many questions, so little answers!

There were a lot of unanswered questions for a standalone, so I was a bit disappointed in that area. the rest? LOVED. The premise was exciting, the plot was action packed, and so much more! Even with my iffiness, I'd still say give it a try! 

Pages: 208

Series: Standalone

Genre: Sci-fi(?)/Romance

Publisher: Hyperion

Release Date: April, 2013 (sorry I reviewed this so early, guys!)

Rating: 2.5---> 3 stars