Review: MIRRORED by Alex Flinn

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publish Date: September 15, 2015

Genre: YA Retelling, Fairy Tale

Source: Print Arc

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1NZOJay

Blurb:

A modern, multi-generational tale of Kendra, the witch from "Snow White," who trains Violet, an ugly, lonely, and heartbroken girl in the 1980s who transforms herself into "the fairest one of all" but still cannot win Greg's heart, and Celine, Greg's daughter with Violet's high school rival, Jennifer.

Review:

Mirrored is a book that was high on my to be read reading list - well more like one of my top books to be read this year. It didn't disappoint. This is the story about the wicked stepmother/witch from Snow White. The first half of the story follows her when she was a little girl. No one liked her because she wasn't 'beautiful' like them. It began an obsession; to be flawlessly beautiful. 

Of course what type of story would it be without our beloved Kendra! Violet only wants to fit in and be beautiful, and with the help of Kendra she can make that happen. She does all this not just for beauty but to win the heart of the boy she's desperately in love with. Only, he doesn't want her, even when she's insanely pretty.

 The story then delves into a second part - Snow White's part. She's the daughter of the man Violet is in love (obsessed) with. When Celine's mother tragically dies from an animal attack, Violet sweeps in and it no time becomes stepmother. But the closer Celine comes of age, the more and more Violet begins to loathe her. Celine is beautiful and may even be the "most beautiful girl in all the land". Violet can't have that, she she sabotages Celine in different ways. When tragedy strikes Celine again, she's in deep trouble. With the help of Kendra, can these two stop Violet from herself? 

I felt for Violet and I seriously loved her innocent character in the beginning of the story. Then we get to that second part and j couldn't help but hate her with a passion! She was so jealous and so manipulative; I just couldn't help but mourn the sweet and lonely little girl. Alas, she was in fact an evil witch. All in the name of love and looks. 

I feel like I need to mention the freaking amazing characters. Most notably Goose. I really enjoyed him; he was quirky and super fun to read about. Celine was a cool character even though her constant complaining about how beautiful she was, was definitely annoying. But for the most part I really did like her. The ending had a cool twist that I enjoyed and I know readers will love it too! 

If you're looking for a different take on a classic fairy tale I highly recommend this one! It was great seeing the stepmother from Snow White so vulnerable; she almost seemed human. Almost. It's sad and you may want to pity this woman (witch) but her actions do make it so hard to love her. 

Random thought: everyone in the beginning of the book were assholes. No joke. Plus Violet's love interest, Greg, was kind of a dud. I had NO idea why she had to be so obsessed with him. 

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Buy Link:

Amazon- http://amzn.to/1gtd7pW

Amazon UK- http://amzn.to/1gtdgtz

About the Author:

I was born in a log cabin in the Big Woods of . . . okay, maybe not. I was born on Long Island, New York. When I was five years old, my mom said that I should be an author. I guess I must have nodded or something because, from that point on, every poem I ever wrote in school was submitted to Highlights or Cricket magazine. I was collecting rejection slips at age seven!

I learned to read early. But I compensated for this early proficiency by absolutely refusing to read the programmed readers required by the school system -- workbooks where you read the story, then answered the questions. When the other kids were on Book 20, I was on Book 1! My teacher, Mrs. Zeiser, told my mother, "Alexandra marches to her own drummer." I don't think that was supposed to be a good thing. Now, when my daughter, Katie, brings home FCAT prep materials where you are supposed to read a passage and answer questions, I want to ask the teacher, "Does she really need to do this? She can read!!!"

My family moved to Miami when I was in middle school. I had a really hard time making friends, so I spent a lot of time reading and writing then. But unlike Christopher Paolini or Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, I never finished writing a novel. That was also when I learned to be a keen observer. By high school, I'd made some friends and gotten involved in various "gifted and talented" performing arts programs. I studied opera in college (I'm a coloratura -- the really loud, high-pitched sopranos.) and then went to law school.

It was law school that probably helped with my first novel. Breathing Underwater deals with the serious and all-too-common problem of dating violence. I based the book on my experiences interning with the State Attorney's Office and volunteering with battered women. I thought this was a really important topic, as 27 percent of teenage girls surveyed have been hit by a boyfriend. I'm happy that the book is so popular, and if you are reading this bio because the book was assigned for school, I'm happy about that too.

I started writing an early (and laughable) version of Breathing Underwater in college (I was really bored on a car trip with my parents). I didn't get back to it until I had my first daughter, Katie. I'm self-taught. I went to the library and took out books on writing. Then, I read a lot of young-adult novels by writers I admired, particularly Richard Peck. Reading his books is like listening to Mozart -- you learn the right way to write a novel. Then, you fill in your own style. I actually got to meet Richard Peck in person at a workshop of the Key West Literary Seminar. Lots of writers have been really helpful to me, especially Richard and fellow YA author, Joyce Sweeney.

I think I write for young-adults because I never quite got over being one. In my mind, I am still 13-years-old, running laps on the athletic field, wearing this really baggy white gymsuit. I'm continually amazed at the idea that I have a checking account and a mortgage. So I try to write books that gymsuit girl might enjoy. It's a way of going back to being 13...knowing what I know now.
Right now, I live half a mile away from my old middle school, in Palmetto Bay, a suburb of Miami, with my husband, Gene, and daughters, Katie and Meredith. 

Book Review: ALIAS HOOK by Lisa Jensen

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books

Publication Date: July 8, 2014

Genre: Adult Fairy Tale Retelling

Source: Print ARC

Stars: 4

About the Book:

"Every child knows how the story ends. The wicked pirate captain is flung overboard, caught in the jaws of the monster crocodile who drags him down to a watery grave. But it was not yet my time to die. It's my fate to be trapped here forever, in a nightmare of childhood fancy, with that infernal, eternal boy."

Meet Captain James Benjamin Hook, a witty, educated Restoration-era privateer cursed to play villain to a pack of malicious little boys in a pointless war that never ends. But everything changes when Stella Parrish, a forbidden grown woman, dreams her way to the Neverland in defiance of Pan’s rules. From the glamour of the Fairy Revels, to the secret ceremonies of the First Tribes, to the mysterious underwater temple beneath the Mermaid Lagoon, the magical forces of the Neverland open up for Stella as they never have for Hook. And in the pirate captain himself, she begins to see someone far more complex than the storybook villain.

With Stella’s knowledge of folk and fairy tales, she might be Hook’s last chance for redemption and release if they can break his curse before Pan and his warrior boys hunt her down and drag Hook back to their neverending game. Alias Hook by Lisa Jensen is a beautifully and romantically written adult fairy tale.

Add to GOODREADS: http://bit.ly/1zRoMYj

Review:

We all know and love the tale of Peter Pan, the boy who never wanted to grow up. We rooted for him through it all, especially when he was facing his nemesis, Captain Hook. Well, I want you to wipe that slate clean and go into Alias Hook with the knowledge that it will be him that we root for. Jensen has crafted a beautifully written story about the pirate with a hand for a hook. We get to take a peek at his life before and after; a life that shows a lot of vulnerability but strength as well. I've only read one other Peter Pan rebelling and it was told from the pov of Tiger Lily. I really enjoyed it. But in this story Peter isn't painted as a nice little boy. 

The book takes place in the early 18th century, and Hook isn't a pirate. He's a regular guy that goes by the name James Benjamin Hookbridge. We go through his story and find out why it is he turned to piracy. The result in all this is being led to a place that only exist in dreams; Neverland. It's there he meets Pan and his gang, the Lost Boys. Time and time again Hook is cursed with dying and then being brought back to life just to die again. For someone who has lived for around two hundred years, all he wants to do is die for real. Can you blame him? While in Neverland, he has the fortune( or misfortune depending on how you look at it) of meeting a woman, Stella. It's almost unheard of. A woman in Neverland? Is she part of Pan's group? How and why would she be in Neverland?

Alias Hook was magical, wonderful, and full of beautiful descriptions of such a classic tale we grew up reading. Jensen has taken a childhood story and turned it into her own with a very flawed character that isn't at all what he seems. It's Captain Hook for crying out loud! He's evil and ruthless! Right? Wrong. Pan is the little demon child who gets way too much credit. I liked Stella and the personality she brought to the story. I was interested in what and how the book would end. 

How many times as an adult have you thought, "man what I would do to be a child again!". No responsibilities, no bills, no having to do no fun, grown up things. Come on. We've all thought it at one point in our lives. But then you truly think about it and realize that yeah, you may not have any sort of responsibility but you also don't have the freedom as an adult does. That's sort of what I thought about reading Alias Hook. Hook is immortal, never getting an older or younger. Just stuck as is. How terrible would that be? Now I ask you, would you truly ever want to stay young forever? 

Overall, I enjoyed this book because let's face it, Hook was kind of hot. I kept picturing a cross between Captain Jack Sparrow and Captain Hook from Once Upon a Time. Can't go wrong with those pirates! I also enjoyed and appreciated the entirety of the book. It was nice seeing the POV
from the "villain" for once. 

*Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC for an honest review. 

But Links:

Amazon- http://amzn.to/1zRoAbt

Amazon UK- http://amzn.to/1zRoDUw

About the Author:

I might have been a pirate in a previous life, or else I watched too many old Errol Flynn movies on TV in my formative years.

My historical/fantasy "Alias Hook," presents the flip side of the Neverland from the caustic perspective of its prisoner, Captain Hook. It will be published by Thomas Dunne Books in July, 2014. Read more about "Alias Hook" on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alias-...

My historical pirate novel, "The Witch From the Sea," published in 2001, is the first book in a planned trilogy.

In real life, I'm a film critic for an alternative weekly in Santa Cruz, CA, a position I've held since dinosaurs roamed the earth. I also reviewed books for the San Francisco Chronicle for 13 years, where my specialty was (surprise!) historical fiction, and women's fiction.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my review of the book! To keep up to date  with the newest reviews, make sure you follow the blog via GFC or email! Much appreciated <3

Blog Tour Review feat Giveaway: Hemlock Veils by Jennie Davemport

Hemlock Veils

by Jennie Davenport 

Release Date: 11/25/14

Swoon Romance

Summary from Goodreads:

When Elizabeth Ashton escapes her damaging city life and finds herself in the remote town of Hemlock Veils, Oregon, she is smitten by its quaint mystery; but the surrounding forest holds an enchantment she didn’t think existed, and worse, a most terrifying monster. The town claims it vicious and evil, but Elizabeth suspects something is amiss. Even with its enormous, hairy frame, gruesome claws, and knifelike teeth, the monster’s eyes speak to her: wolf-like and ringed with gold, yet holding an awareness that can only be human. That’s when Elizabeth knows she is the only one who can see the struggling soul trapped inside, the soul to which she is moved.

Secretly, Elizabeth befriends the beast at night, discovering there’s more to his story and that the rising of the sun transforms him into a human more complex than his beastly self. Elizabeth eventually learns that his curse is unlike any other and that a single murderous act is all that stands between him and his freedom. Though love is not enough to break his curse, it may be the only means by which the unimaginable can be done: sacrifice a beauty for the beast.

Add to Goodreads

Review:

A retelling of Beauty and the Beast? Um, you bet I'm going to be first in line to read it! And boy did it deliver. I think Hemlock Veils has the tone of a small town, filled with a fairy tale creature down to a T. At times it felt eerie but I loved every second of it.

Ever since Beth was a young girl, her father told her fairy tale stories but Beth always took the stories for what they were. Stories and nothing else. They couldn't possibly be real. When her car breaks down beside some woods, she meets Eustace. He's trying to track and kill a beast running free in the woods.

He then takes her to his mysterious home town, Hemlock Veils. And mysterious it truly is. The town is run by Mr. Clayton.

Beth soon discovers there's more to the little town than meets the eye. I'm trying to make way in her new life; she befriends that "beast" that Eustace was trying to kill. There's just something very human about him. And Beth wants nothing more than to find out more about her new friend. She then discovers a secret that could change everything, especially the way she thought about fairy tales. Are they truly real or are they really just fiction?

There's only one way to find out! To say I loved this is an understatement. I loved every single character and thought they all made the story unforgettable. A modern day tale of a story we all know and love; it's hard not to read it as fast as you can. For all you fairy tale fans, you don't want to miss this!

Buy Links:

Amazon

About the Author

Though Jennie Davenport was raised throughout the Midwest, she now lives in the little desert mining town of Bagdad, Arizona, where six guys beg for her constant attention: a husband, three young, blond sons, a German shepherd with a name much mightier than his disposition (Zeus), and a black cat named Mouse. When she isn’t trying to run her home with as little casualties as possible, Jennie loves snuggling with her family, laughing with her friends, delving into brilliant entertainment of any vein, and playing outside. Despite the way being a writer is in her blood, and the wheels of her writerly mind are constantly turning, Jennie likes to think that in another life, she would have been a Broadway star. Or an American Idol finalist.

Jennie lives for the fall, and not just because of her adoration for the NFL (Go Broncos!). In her perfect world, she would have the springs, summers, and falls of Colorado, and the winters of Arizona—someplace where the climate and weather would allow her to go on a trail run all year round. But even though she prefers the pines and mountains, she is a devoted fan of all nature, from sandy beaches to woodsy cabins, and all are her greatest inspiration. She believes nature is one of the best healing remedies, with a magic all its own.

Jennie’s passion for writing is the way she survives, and is as vital to her sanity as oxygen, caffeine, food, and music. Even before she began writing it, well-told, original, and character-driven romance was always her weak spot. Add the paranormal or magical realism element and she may never make it back to reality. 

Author Links:

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Review: Death of the Mad Hatter by Sarah J Pepper

Synopsis:

The Jack prophesied: If the king loses his head, then the Queen with a Bleeding Heart would rule the Red Court until Time ceased to move forward. When a second carried on for infinity, every creature in Wonderland would tip their Hat to the misfit girl with a Boy’s name (or was it a boy with a Girl’s name?) who’d end the Reign of Terror. However, it all hinged on the One-Eyed Hare being able to convince an uninspirable Heir that the impossible was indeed possible—like stopping time—and that Love was worth a Beheading.

Heads would Roll…
Hearts would Break…
In the end, would it matter who Reigned?

Review:

I've never been much of an Alice in Wonderland fan surprisingly. Never seen the cartoon but I do know the gist. I also think I know enough to point out that Death of the Mad Hatter is a story all in its own. It's quirky and fun and very imaginative. 

The story shifts between both Ryley and Alice Mae. Ryley is a somewhat popular boy who is trying to win the affections of "the hottest redhead in the school". 

But Alice Mae somehow weaves her way into the picture and of course Ryley can't help but be infatuated. Even though he doesn't want to be. 

Alice has a plan though. The Queen of Hearts wants Ryley in Wonderland, and Alice is just the one to do it. Here's the thing though, she has to make him fall in love with her!

A story that is as magical as it is romantic, I fell in love with the world along with the characters. I might even go and read the original, hah!

I recommend to all readers who enjoy fairy tale retellings and funny characters that make you laugh out loud. 

Oh and that cover is so beautiful and unique!! I loveeeee it. 

4.5 stars

 It will be on Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble as well. Here's the link!  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/363029

Amazon pre-order: http://www.amazon.com/Death-Mad-Hatter-Sarah-Pepper/dp/1492823910/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381440205&sr=8-1&keywords=death+of+the+mad+hatter

Rafflecopter signed book giveaway: http://www.peppersreadingcorner.com/?p=1139

LINKS: @sarahjpepper

Youtube save the date: (official trailer yet to come) http://youtu.be/rUFVP3l4OFk

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5762464.Sarah_J_Pepper

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BIO: I specialize in dark, paranormal romance – think “happy ever after” but with a twisted, dark chocolate center. Real-life romance isn't only filled with hugs, kisses, unicorns, and rainbows. True-love can be more thoroughly described in times of darkness and tribulation. It’s in those harsh moments where you see what a person is truly capable of – both the good and bad. Sometimes prince-charming isn't always on time, and the glass slipper is a little snug. However, it doesn't mean Charming is not Mr. Right, and who says every shoe is the perfect fit?