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rebascool18's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
It may be my own dumb thinking but I thought this was an adult book. Imagine my surprise when I realized really early on that it was young adult. Sadly that wasn't my only issue with this book. I will say I really liked the audiobook and how it was read. I think that really saved it for me. It took me a day to listen to this. So I did care a bit about the characters. With that being said my issues are as follows. First the instalove in this was just ridiculous. Like so much so that when I say it was immediately. The moment the MC met anyone. I was going to let that go because young adult books tend to do that but when it happened with like 3 other characters I was just annoyed. I thought the plot and the world building had so much potential. I wanted more of that. I wanted to learn so much about this world because it was so cool but no I didn't get that. Some parts read like it was YA and some parts didn't. I am still deciding on reading the next book in the series. I enjoyed the writing so I may.
kaytee_murphy's review against another edition
4.0
This book isn't what I was expecting when I picked it up from the library. Not that i didn't like it, because I did! Kill Me Softly is a bit of a dark twist on classic fairy tales. These definitely aren't the Disney versions of fairy tales. They are full on Grimm type fairy tales. They were many times I found myself feeling creeped-out!
There were so many fairy tale references thrown into this book. Sarah Cross did a wonderful job of mixing them together so well! Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, and so many more! She even came up with her own random curses as well, like poor Jewel!
I loved the supporting characters! It was so much fun to read about a character and realize what fairy tale they belonged to! Viv (Snow White) was clear from her black hair, ruby lips, and obvious hatred for apples. Layla and Rafe (Beauty & The Beast) were hilarious! Freddie (Prince Phillip from Sleeping Beauty, if going by Disney) was absolutely adorable! Caspian (Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid) was cute too!
Now, the main characters. Honestly, I didn't too much care about the main characters much. Mira kind of got on my nerves. The whole, "I just met you and I love you 5 minutes later" reminds me of Doug from Up.
I'm also really unnerved by the fact that she just accepted what's going on around her without question, like a bunch of fairy tale characters in one place isn't weird.
I know it's a curse of Blue and Felix, but it just got annoying. I never really liked Felix from the beginning. Blue was a bit funny. He had some quotable moments. But I didn't find myself falling in love with him or anything.
The ending left me wanting more. The resolution with the antagonist just didn't happen, and it disappointed me. There are other things as well that requires, for me, that there is at least a sequel (more minor characters!!!!!)
Overall, it was a good book, and I have heard that there will definitely be sequels, so I'm kinda excited for that. I hope that the future books will focus more on the stories of the other characters than Mira and Blue.
There were so many fairy tale references thrown into this book. Sarah Cross did a wonderful job of mixing them together so well! Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, and so many more! She even came up with her own random curses as well, like poor Jewel!
I loved the supporting characters! It was so much fun to read about a character and realize what fairy tale they belonged to! Viv (Snow White) was clear from her black hair, ruby lips, and obvious hatred for apples. Layla and Rafe (Beauty & The Beast) were hilarious! Freddie (Prince Phillip from Sleeping Beauty, if going by Disney) was absolutely adorable! Caspian (Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid) was cute too!
Now, the main characters. Honestly, I didn't too much care about the main characters much. Mira kind of got on my nerves. The whole, "I just met you and I love you 5 minutes later" reminds me of Doug from Up.
I'm also really unnerved by the fact that she just accepted what's going on around her without question, like a bunch of fairy tale characters in one place isn't weird.
I know it's a curse of Blue and Felix, but it just got annoying. I never really liked Felix from the beginning. Blue was a bit funny. He had some quotable moments. But I didn't find myself falling in love with him or anything.
The ending left me wanting more. The resolution with the antagonist just didn't happen, and it disappointed me. There are other things as well that requires, for me, that there is at least a sequel (more minor characters!!!!!)
Overall, it was a good book, and I have heard that there will definitely be sequels, so I'm kinda excited for that. I hope that the future books will focus more on the stories of the other characters than Mira and Blue.
sparklingreader's review against another edition
4.0
Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross was an intriguing, and very different type of book. Before I get into my review of the story, I will say one thing about the cover - I'm sorry, but I don't like it. The visual is stark and relevant to the story, but the title is so lost in the background that it's hard to see.
The book tells the story of 15 year old Mirabelle (Mira)who has spent her life guarded by her overprotective but loving Godmothers. Her parents died when she was a baby. She has no real friends, has never been allowed to handle things with sharp edges, and never been allowed to visit the town where her parents are buried. A couple of weeks before her 16th birthday, she leaves a note and runs away, headed for Beau Rivage where she was born and her parents died. There she meets Felix, Blue, and a group of peculiar teens with strange characteristics. Not everything is as it seems in Beau Rivage, and Mirabelle has no idea what she's just walked into.
In this story, fairy tales come true, but not in the way you'd expect. The original Grimm tales were...grim. But the author made it work, and work well.
Things I liked:
The character of Blue! He was the best of the bunch.
The premise of the story - unique and interesting.
The world building - well done.
The ending - nicely done.
The mixtures of mystery, romance, fairy tale, and more.
Things I didn't like:
Mira - Though she was a strong character, she had a lot of stomach aches to the point of 'come on, again?' Plus her instant attraction to Felix (and yes, I know the reason), but it's a bit much.
The attitudes - all these adults around and nobody does anything to send a 15 yr old runaway back home or contact her guardians?
The dangling threads - is this part of a series? It certainly seems so.
This is a dark, mysterious, romantic tale that is a definite respite from the vampire/dystopian fare that seem the norm of YAs today. It is definitely recommended for those who enjoy a twist on the usual and fairy tales that are definitely not made by Disney.
The book tells the story of 15 year old Mirabelle (Mira)who has spent her life guarded by her overprotective but loving Godmothers. Her parents died when she was a baby. She has no real friends, has never been allowed to handle things with sharp edges, and never been allowed to visit the town where her parents are buried. A couple of weeks before her 16th birthday, she leaves a note and runs away, headed for Beau Rivage where she was born and her parents died. There she meets Felix, Blue, and a group of peculiar teens with strange characteristics. Not everything is as it seems in Beau Rivage, and Mirabelle has no idea what she's just walked into.
In this story, fairy tales come true, but not in the way you'd expect. The original Grimm tales were...grim. But the author made it work, and work well.
Things I liked:
The character of Blue! He was the best of the bunch.
The premise of the story - unique and interesting.
The world building - well done.
The ending - nicely done.
The mixtures of mystery, romance, fairy tale, and more.
Things I didn't like:
Mira - Though she was a strong character, she had a lot of stomach aches to the point of 'come on, again?' Plus her instant attraction to Felix (and yes, I know the reason), but it's a bit much.
The attitudes - all these adults around and nobody does anything to send a 15 yr old runaway back home or contact her guardians?
The dangling threads - is this part of a series? It certainly seems so.
This is a dark, mysterious, romantic tale that is a definite respite from the vampire/dystopian fare that seem the norm of YAs today. It is definitely recommended for those who enjoy a twist on the usual and fairy tales that are definitely not made by Disney.
dreamer885's review against another edition
3.0
Rating: 3
Summary (from Amazon):
her parents’ graves, hoping to find answers. The city and residents are not as they appear, and as mysteries and secrets unfold, so do revelations, including whether or not curses and fairy tales could be real and whether Mira is destined for happily ever after or a more sinister fate.
Review:
The overall concept of the book was really cool and fascinating. Being able to live in a literal fairytale world is such an interesting idea, and I do believe that Sarah Cross made realism in the setting present despite a totally fictional background. There were people from every fairytale, from Snow White to the stepsisters from Cinderella, everyone and every character was in the city. It was really cool to see how their lives played out and how each person carried their "curse" differently.
The biggest problem that I had with the book was the protagonist, Mira, herself. Since the beginning of the book, Mira was a pretty selfish character. She ran away from her godparents without even leaving a simple note. When she got to the city, she met a guy named Blue and his friend, Freddie. I really liked Blue. Blue, of course, falls for Mira for whatever reason considering Mira was such an a** to him the entire time. Really, she was rude, stubborn, and acted like a little child who couldn't get her way. It got pretty irritating to see my favorite character of the book falling for such a weak character. Even worse, Mira practically hated Blue because he kept telling her to stay away from his drop-dead gorgeous brother, Felix. Even though Mira obviously would rather get with Felix, Blue still has to keep himself from falling from her. There are so many things that could have done that on its own. I understand that Mira never lived her life with parents, and recently found out that there was a magical world of curses, but that doesn't mean you need to be stone-cold b**** to some people. Calm down, drink some hot chocolate, and don't need to get your panties in a bunch.
The writing flowed well, and the plot was really good, but the characters needed some definite work. The book contained suspense and action, which was much appreciated, but a lot of things were pretty predictable. I am slightly disappointed because I expected a strong, female character to play such an important role as Sleeping Beauty, but instead, I got a selfish, snobbish, and immature girl.
Oh, but I have to say, the cover is pretty darn awesome.
Summary (from Amazon):
her parents’ graves, hoping to find answers. The city and residents are not as they appear, and as mysteries and secrets unfold, so do revelations, including whether or not curses and fairy tales could be real and whether Mira is destined for happily ever after or a more sinister fate.
Review:
The overall concept of the book was really cool and fascinating. Being able to live in a literal fairytale world is such an interesting idea, and I do believe that Sarah Cross made realism in the setting present despite a totally fictional background. There were people from every fairytale, from Snow White to the stepsisters from Cinderella, everyone and every character was in the city. It was really cool to see how their lives played out and how each person carried their "curse" differently.
The biggest problem that I had with the book was the protagonist, Mira, herself. Since the beginning of the book, Mira was a pretty selfish character. She ran away from her godparents without even leaving a simple note. When she got to the city, she met a guy named Blue and his friend, Freddie. I really liked Blue. Blue, of course, falls for Mira for whatever reason considering Mira was such an a** to him the entire time. Really, she was rude, stubborn, and acted like a little child who couldn't get her way. It got pretty irritating to see my favorite character of the book falling for such a weak character. Even worse, Mira practically hated Blue because he kept telling her to stay away from his drop-dead gorgeous brother, Felix. Even though Mira obviously would rather get with Felix, Blue still has to keep himself from falling from her. There are so many things that could have done that on its own. I understand that Mira never lived her life with parents, and recently found out that there was a magical world of curses, but that doesn't mean you need to be stone-cold b**** to some people. Calm down, drink some hot chocolate, and don't need to get your panties in a bunch.
The writing flowed well, and the plot was really good, but the characters needed some definite work. The book contained suspense and action, which was much appreciated, but a lot of things were pretty predictable. I am slightly disappointed because I expected a strong, female character to play such an important role as Sleeping Beauty, but instead, I got a selfish, snobbish, and immature girl.
Oh, but I have to say, the cover is pretty darn awesome.
bmg20's review against another edition
Expected Publication Date: April 10th 2012
‘Kill Me Softly’ was kindly provided to me by Netgalley.
Interested in more of my reviews? Visit my blog!
I've been extremely interested in finding more fairy-tale retellings after I picked up 'A Long, Long Sleep' by Anna Sheehan and enjoyed it immensely. When I heard this one was coming out I pounced. I had huge problems with the main character and it really affected the story and how much I enjoyed it. I understand she's only 16 and therefore immaturity is bound to happen but her immaturity was bordering ridiculous.
'He'd brought sunglasses, which she thought was unfair, since the bright white of the sun was making her squint; and at the restaurant, she swiped them and put them on, propped her chin on her hands, and dared him to steal them back with her best impassive diva face.'
First is it just me or does that sentence have far too many commas? And two... diva face? You've got to be kidding me. Then on yet the same page:
'She drank so many iced coffees and looked at him so long her blood buzzed.'
Enough with this insta-love. Is romance dead and no one knows how to write a credible build-up prior to when two people fall in love? Sorry, but, it's not enough for this guy to be drop-dead gorgeous. Still doesn't justify the unnecessary amount of swooning and really does nothing except make the main character appear shallow.
Finding out what happened to her parents was the central point of this entire storyline; it's the reason she ran away from home and traveled all the way to Beau Rivage. But when insta-love gets so bad that it completely consumes the point of the story? Bad news.
"I don't believe in coincidence, Mira. I think there's a reason you had to travel here alone. Something you were meant to find."
Maybe it's you, she thought and then had the immediate urge to unthink it. She didn't want to be overeager, immature.
*face palm* Too late honey.
Once I got down to the meat of the story and the reason for the fairy-tale curses I decided to stop because I just wasn't as into it as I had hoped and I didn't see that changing anytime soon. If I had continued it may have gotten better but I wasn't invested enough in this to spend any additional time trying to make this work.
I can see the appeal with this one but it was definitely not for me.
‘Kill Me Softly’ was kindly provided to me by Netgalley.
Interested in more of my reviews? Visit my blog!
I've been extremely interested in finding more fairy-tale retellings after I picked up 'A Long, Long Sleep' by Anna Sheehan and enjoyed it immensely. When I heard this one was coming out I pounced. I had huge problems with the main character and it really affected the story and how much I enjoyed it. I understand she's only 16 and therefore immaturity is bound to happen but her immaturity was bordering ridiculous.
'He'd brought sunglasses, which she thought was unfair, since the bright white of the sun was making her squint; and at the restaurant, she swiped them and put them on, propped her chin on her hands, and dared him to steal them back with her best impassive diva face.'
First is it just me or does that sentence have far too many commas? And two... diva face? You've got to be kidding me. Then on yet the same page:
'She drank so many iced coffees and looked at him so long her blood buzzed.'
Enough with this insta-love. Is romance dead and no one knows how to write a credible build-up prior to when two people fall in love? Sorry, but, it's not enough for this guy to be drop-dead gorgeous. Still doesn't justify the unnecessary amount of swooning and really does nothing except make the main character appear shallow.
Finding out what happened to her parents was the central point of this entire storyline; it's the reason she ran away from home and traveled all the way to Beau Rivage. But when insta-love gets so bad that it completely consumes the point of the story? Bad news.
"I don't believe in coincidence, Mira. I think there's a reason you had to travel here alone. Something you were meant to find."
Maybe it's you, she thought and then had the immediate urge to unthink it. She didn't want to be overeager, immature.
*face palm* Too late honey.
Once I got down to the meat of the story and the reason for the fairy-tale curses I decided to stop because I just wasn't as into it as I had hoped and I didn't see that changing anytime soon. If I had continued it may have gotten better but I wasn't invested enough in this to spend any additional time trying to make this work.
I can see the appeal with this one but it was definitely not for me.
brandypainter's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed the concept of this story, which is a lot like [b:Ever After High: The Storybook of Legends|18053786|Ever After High The Storybook of Legends (Ever After High, #1)|Shannon Hale|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1377633526s/18053786.jpg|25338957] but with a more solid thought through world building behind it. It is a retelling of "Sleeping Beauty" and "Bluebeard" combined, which in itself is genius. Who would think to combine those two??? And I really wanted to love it, but I had too hard of a time liking the main character, Mira. When EVERYONE you meet is telling you that a guy is dangerous stay away, he runs a shady casino, and is a little too suave, maybe you should pay attention. Her stubbornness regarding this, particularly once she knew what was going on was more than I could buy into. Another thing that bothered me was the Felix plot thread left dangling at the end. Where was he? What was he planning? I did like Blue's character a lot, and the dialogue and interactions between him and Mira. The other supporting characters were also enjoyable and I would be happy to read more of their stories set in the town. Particularly Freddie's story now that is hero act is over and Layla's story because I love "Beauty and the Beast" and I loved her.
emromc's review against another edition
1.0
This book was hyped up a little at my local library, but when I read it I wasn't impressed. The writing was decent, but I felt that the characters lacked that special something that makes a good book great. The idea was fun but not executed as tightly as I would have liked...it took an effort to suspend my disbelief, and I don't like having to work to believe what I'm reading. The genre (fairy tales in the real world, fractured fairy tales, etc) is hugely popular right now, but this one is not on the list of books I'd recommend.
The other thing that bothered me about it was that it is obviously geared towards teens--we have a fifteen-year-old narrator with friends her age as the protagonists, and yet the book is full of content more suited for a mature audience. The language was severe and the sex content was way too mature for a young-teen audience. I wouldn't let my little sister read this book.
Overall, disappointed.
The other thing that bothered me about it was that it is obviously geared towards teens--we have a fifteen-year-old narrator with friends her age as the protagonists, and yet the book is full of content more suited for a mature audience. The language was severe and the sex content was way too mature for a young-teen audience. I wouldn't let my little sister read this book.
Overall, disappointed.
adorkable92's review against another edition
2.0
SPOILER ALERT!!!!
What can I say about this particular book.......
Nothing really that good.
I love the concept of the story and the layout of the characters. But the fact that this is a 15 year old girl... Venturing off on her own... Against her godmother's wishes... To find herself in a place she doesn't know.. is unsettling. She falls in love with a dangerous boy THREE DAYS after she gets there. AND.... among other things she shouldn't be doing, she finds out truths about her parents and blues mother, which is never resolved or mentioned. I would have like to see the ending of her meeting her parents, or blues mom returning, or him finding her now that he can love her properly. And I wish I couldn't have had an answer to Felix and what happened to him...
Over all... Not happy with this book.
It could have been done in a much better way.
What can I say about this particular book.......
Nothing really that good.
I love the concept of the story and the layout of the characters. But the fact that this is a 15 year old girl... Venturing off on her own... Against her godmother's wishes... To find herself in a place she doesn't know.. is unsettling. She falls in love with a dangerous boy THREE DAYS after she gets there. AND.... among other things she shouldn't be doing, she finds out truths about her parents and blues mother, which is never resolved or mentioned. I would have like to see the ending of her meeting her parents, or blues mom returning, or him finding her now that he can love her properly. And I wish I couldn't have had an answer to Felix and what happened to him...
Over all... Not happy with this book.
It could have been done in a much better way.
rapidlyrena's review against another edition
3.0
It's a great twist to the modern day fairytale.
I would honestly hate to have their fates, because they are sealed to it. No matter what they try to do to avoid it. I love how careless Viv (Snow White) is. She hates her stepmom with a burning passion.
I would honestly hate to have their fates, because they are sealed to it. No matter what they try to do to avoid it. I love how careless Viv (Snow White) is. She hates her stepmom with a burning passion.
bookishvice's review against another edition
4.0
Mirabelle is tired of her 'secret childhood,' she wants to return to the place where her parents died, the place of her birth, the place her godmothers have forbidden her from going. A week before the sixteenth birthday she runs away to Beau Rivage, where people are not what they seem and living a fairy tale life is a curse. Mira is part of it too, but she refuses to give up and simply accept her destiny. Curses, villains, knights, and damsels in distress, Kill Me Softly will enchant you with this very original twist to the original fairy tales we all know and love.
Sarah Cross brings to light the true dark nature of the original fairy tales. Her creativeness absolutely blew my mind, and I was immersed in a world where fairy tales do come true but you really wouldn't want them to. When Mirabelle runs away from home, the last thing she expects is to find out her life is a fairy tale and she's destined for something she doesn't really want. I liked Mira's attitude towards this. She declares that she won't just accept her fairy tale, and she actively looks for ways of changing her fate. However she was also very naïve about other things. Like she didn't think twice about accepting Felix's offer of staying at the Dreams Hotel for free, and silly enough she's in love with him the day after. I thought this could have been part of Felix's curse magic, but that made no sense because Mira resists Blue and he has the same curse. Also, later on, she also just sort of accepts the whole fairy tale curse thing easily. I was expecting either a freak out session or something, but she takes it in stride and that's it.
All the characters fit so well with the original fairy tales, yet they were unique at the same time. They lead these sort of tragic lives because they already know how their stories end, but they try to make the best of them. The idea of the curses and the categories for each one was very interesting. I can even see a guide being made about the different curses and categories, like the one in the novel. I was hoping though to see more of the curses fulfilled, not just presented. Blue's curse kept me on edge the entire book because we get these flashbacks to the thing he's done that he's hiding. The hiding bit is because of the curse, so be patient when things aren't being explained. It's not because they don't want to, it's because of the curse! It all just added to the mystery and kept me turning page after page. And then knowing the curse was even worse, because really of all the horrible curses out there, his is definitely the most terrible. Blue is so sweet, all the things he does for Mira, and the incredible self-control he has to have around her, made him one of my favorite characters. And the two of them together are just hilarious with their love/hate banter.
Kill Me Softly is definitely the perfect blend of fairy tales with an added touch of mystery, suspense, and romance. This is not the usual happily ever after! I tell you know, I stood up and started pacing at 3am while reading the ending because I could not just stay still while all of that happened! And really the entire novel kept me on my toes. This looks to be a standalone novel, but I really hope Sarah Cross writes more about this amazing world she's created and these wonderful characters she's brought to life!
Sarah Cross brings to light the true dark nature of the original fairy tales. Her creativeness absolutely blew my mind, and I was immersed in a world where fairy tales do come true but you really wouldn't want them to. When Mirabelle runs away from home, the last thing she expects is to find out her life is a fairy tale and she's destined for something she doesn't really want. I liked Mira's attitude towards this. She declares that she won't just accept her fairy tale, and she actively looks for ways of changing her fate. However she was also very naïve about other things. Like she didn't think twice about accepting Felix's offer of staying at the Dreams Hotel for free, and silly enough she's in love with him the day after. I thought this could have been part of Felix's curse magic, but that made no sense because Mira resists Blue and he has the same curse. Also, later on, she also just sort of accepts the whole fairy tale curse thing easily. I was expecting either a freak out session or something, but she takes it in stride and that's it.
All the characters fit so well with the original fairy tales, yet they were unique at the same time. They lead these sort of tragic lives because they already know how their stories end, but they try to make the best of them. The idea of the curses and the categories for each one was very interesting. I can even see a guide being made about the different curses and categories, like the one in the novel. I was hoping though to see more of the curses fulfilled, not just presented. Blue's curse kept me on edge the entire book because we get these flashbacks to the thing he's done that he's hiding. The hiding bit is because of the curse, so be patient when things aren't being explained. It's not because they don't want to, it's because of the curse! It all just added to the mystery and kept me turning page after page. And then knowing the curse was even worse, because really of all the horrible curses out there, his is definitely the most terrible. Blue is so sweet, all the things he does for Mira, and the incredible self-control he has to have around her, made him one of my favorite characters. And the two of them together are just hilarious with their love/hate banter.
Kill Me Softly is definitely the perfect blend of fairy tales with an added touch of mystery, suspense, and romance. This is not the usual happily ever after! I tell you know, I stood up and started pacing at 3am while reading the ending because I could not just stay still while all of that happened! And really the entire novel kept me on my toes. This looks to be a standalone novel, but I really hope Sarah Cross writes more about this amazing world she's created and these wonderful characters she's brought to life!