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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“Kill Me Softly” by Sarah Cross offers a unique twist on fairy tales with an intriguing concept and solid world-building. The story delves into the dark and unexpected aspects of familiar tales, providing a fresh perspective. However, the narrative style, which felt more like a summary than immersive storytelling, left me wanting more depth and emotional connection with the characters. The darker elements hinted at in the book could have been explored further, adding complexity to the plot. Despite its shortcomings, the book’s inventive approach might still prompt me to explore the rest of the series, hoping for a more immersive experience in the subsequent installments.
It’s got a really cool concept but it’s just really bad. And happens over like 4 days? It’s a bit much.
I was super excited to start reading Kill Me Softly and had heard a lot of good reviews. Despite the first few chapters which had me in doubts and the writing style which seemed more tell than show, Kill Me Softly did live up to the expectations I had for it: a nice, “lazy”, fairy-tale retelling.
Kill Me Softly features so many fairytales: Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, Little Mermaid, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and even Hansel and Gretel were thrown in for a bit. What made this even more unique than just a bunch of fairytales thrown into the book was the adaption of the Brother Grimm tales. In the lead up to the reveal (which happened a lot more quickly than I was expecting) of the intention and being of the town and other characters, we did get to see the “truth” behind these tales as they were originally written. As fascinating as this was, I’m so glad I got the Disney version. Some of them were really horrible and because I’m really morbid I actually went and read some of the Brother Grimm tales after finishing this.
I loved the majority of the characters in this book. There were some that I didn’t like, but I’m fairly sure we weren’t meant to like them. Having said that there were a tonne of characters in Kill Me Softly to cover so many fairytales it did mean not many other characters were as fully developed. I really wish we got more time to spend with the other characters, especially some that played a huge role in the end but we didn’t really get to know.
Romance played a huge part, too. This is where I felt like I was most disappointed. Mirabelle falls in love with Felix (Blue’s brother)—but I never felt this love. I didn’t even understand the fascination. Felix is never really there and when he is there isn’t much that stands out to me about him. His brother Blue got more page time than he ever did, even though I totally understand why and am thankful, it just meant that I lacked the understanding of Mirabelle’s actions when it came to Felix, as well as her emotions.
I mentioned about the writing style that seemed more tell than show—this was where I struggled in the first few chapters. We—the readers—were really being told everything about Mirabelle and her legal guardians (who only appeared at the beginning and the end) rather than allowing us to know them in other ways (flashbacks would have been a good way considering we did get third person narration from a different character throughout). But once we got to meet the characters of Blue, Felix and the entire gang (I am currently name blank) I didn’t seem to notice it so much (it died down), so I think the tell Vs show was done on purpose so we understood Mirabelle’s action. I really do wish it had been done a different way though because it did annoy me.
Overall, I really enjoyed Kill Me Softly. I think it was a really cute and fun read and definitely “lazy” in a Summer just-chilling kind of way. The writing and the romance between Mira and Felix let me down, but I don’t think it was too big of an issue to worry about when thinking of reading this.
3.5
Kill Me Softly features so many fairytales: Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, Little Mermaid, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and even Hansel and Gretel were thrown in for a bit. What made this even more unique than just a bunch of fairytales thrown into the book was the adaption of the Brother Grimm tales. In the lead up to the reveal (which happened a lot more quickly than I was expecting) of the intention and being of the town and other characters, we did get to see the “truth” behind these tales as they were originally written. As fascinating as this was, I’m so glad I got the Disney version. Some of them were really horrible and because I’m really morbid I actually went and read some of the Brother Grimm tales after finishing this.
I loved the majority of the characters in this book. There were some that I didn’t like, but I’m fairly sure we weren’t meant to like them. Having said that there were a tonne of characters in Kill Me Softly to cover so many fairytales it did mean not many other characters were as fully developed. I really wish we got more time to spend with the other characters, especially some that played a huge role in the end but we didn’t really get to know.
Romance played a huge part, too. This is where I felt like I was most disappointed. Mirabelle falls in love with Felix (Blue’s brother)—but I never felt this love. I didn’t even understand the fascination. Felix is never really there and when he is there isn’t much that stands out to me about him. His brother Blue got more page time than he ever did, even though I totally understand why and am thankful, it just meant that I lacked the understanding of Mirabelle’s actions when it came to Felix, as well as her emotions.
I mentioned about the writing style that seemed more tell than show—this was where I struggled in the first few chapters. We—the readers—were really being told everything about Mirabelle and her legal guardians (who only appeared at the beginning and the end) rather than allowing us to know them in other ways (flashbacks would have been a good way considering we did get third person narration from a different character throughout). But once we got to meet the characters of Blue, Felix and the entire gang (I am currently name blank) I didn’t seem to notice it so much (it died down), so I think the tell Vs show was done on purpose so we understood Mirabelle’s action. I really do wish it had been done a different way though because it did annoy me.
Overall, I really enjoyed Kill Me Softly. I think it was a really cute and fun read and definitely “lazy” in a Summer just-chilling kind of way. The writing and the romance between Mira and Felix let me down, but I don’t think it was too big of an issue to worry about when thinking of reading this.
3.5
Hmmm ... I couldn't put it down, but not necessarily because it was good. I think the term people keep using is Insta-Love, which is of course annoying and not believable. I never bought her feelings for Felix - there was ALWAYS more chemistry with Blue and yet she "loved" Felix - who was 21 to her not-quite-16! The age thing never stopped bothering me. I did love Blue though - I suppose the 3-star rating is for him.
I love fairy tales..anything to do with them period. Always have and probably always will.
This book could have been so much more. It has a good base for the story. Characters who aren't perfect (except for the main character of course) a cool setting (that could have been explained better) some unDisney tales involved, and an interesting concept.
But then...the flipping main character is 15 years old. That distracted me from the book. I have a 15 year old daughter. I would NOT want her slipping off and taking up with some "hot guys" in a hotel.
There is not really an adult presence in this book well except for the "hot guy" that takes in the little 15 year old girl and gropes her...it's OK. She's in lllloooooovvvee with him. Yek.
I want more people!! Write something with some damn sense in your head. This could have been an awesome book. It had good ideas. Why did you screw it up?? I'm giving the book a 3 star just because some ideas did exist.
I think I'm going to start writing fairy tales (not) but mine would go more like this.
This book could have been so much more. It has a good base for the story. Characters who aren't perfect (except for the main character of course) a cool setting (that could have been explained better) some unDisney tales involved, and an interesting concept.
But then...the flipping main character is 15 years old. That distracted me from the book. I have a 15 year old daughter. I would NOT want her slipping off and taking up with some "hot guys" in a hotel.
There is not really an adult presence in this book well except for the "hot guy" that takes in the little 15 year old girl and gropes her...it's OK. She's in lllloooooovvvee with him. Yek.
I want more people!! Write something with some damn sense in your head. This could have been an awesome book. It had good ideas. Why did you screw it up?? I'm giving the book a 3 star just because some ideas did exist.
I think I'm going to start writing fairy tales (not) but mine would go more like this.
One of the best book I've read so far this year 💖 I've read a lot of fairytale adaptation of Sleeping beauty but this book caught me completely off guard! It was sooo good and my words doesn't give it justice. It made me care about the characters so much. It made my heart race in anticipation, break in sorrow, and jump in joy! The story was written so beautifully that it kept me on the edge of my seat consistently. I can't wait to pick up the sequel and reread it all over again! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 💕💕
After being orphaned when she was a baby, Mira goes on a quest to find where her parents are buried and where they lived. While her godmothers forbid it, Mira sneaks away a week before her sixteenth birthday.
Beau Rivage, the place where she was born and her parents died, is different from your typical town. It is populated by the cursed. Many members of the town have been cursed by good and evil fairies, forcing them to complete their fairytale destiny. No matter how gruesome the tale and how hard a cursed person fights, they cannot overcome destiny.
Mira discovers that she and many of her new friends are cursed. She attempts to thwart the curses at every turn.
This is a standard fairy re-tell. It wasn't my favorite, but it wasn't terrible. Mira was confused throughout the novel, as was the reader. It just seemed like it took forever to get any real information about the plot. Not my cup of tea. I will not be reading the sequels.
Beau Rivage, the place where she was born and her parents died, is different from your typical town. It is populated by the cursed. Many members of the town have been cursed by good and evil fairies, forcing them to complete their fairytale destiny. No matter how gruesome the tale and how hard a cursed person fights, they cannot overcome destiny.
Mira discovers that she and many of her new friends are cursed. She attempts to thwart the curses at every turn.
This is a standard fairy re-tell. It wasn't my favorite, but it wasn't terrible. Mira was confused throughout the novel, as was the reader. It just seemed like it took forever to get any real information about the plot. Not my cup of tea. I will not be reading the sequels.
So the idea of this book was awesome. Fairy tales that come to life, and are played out again and again. Especially because fairy tales are rarely simple and don't always end in happily ever after.
However, this book was poorly executed. Mirabella was stupid. She hooks up with a 21 year old right off the bat and then doesn't see anything wrong with it. She is told to be careful and decides that is doesn't apply to her. She runs away from home for ridiculous reasons. The list goes on and on.
The plot had holes. The main reason the Mira runs away is to find her parents. But suddenly they aren't a priority and when she does figure out where they are, she doesn't do anything about it. What happens to Felix after everything goes down. He just disappears. Like freakin disappears from the room, the book. Also nobody cares that Felix is 21 and Mira 15, not her friends, not her godmothers.
So I chipped away at this book and finally finished it just because, but yeah it was not for me.
On a side not I would maybe interested in Rafe and Layla's story)
However, this book was poorly executed. Mirabella was stupid. She hooks up with a 21 year old right off the bat and then doesn't see anything wrong with it. She is told to be careful and decides that is doesn't apply to her. She runs away from home for ridiculous reasons. The list goes on and on.
The plot had holes. The main reason the Mira runs away is to find her parents. But suddenly they aren't a priority and when she does figure out where they are, she doesn't do anything about it. What happens to Felix after everything goes down. He just disappears. Like freakin disappears from the room, the book. Also nobody cares that Felix is 21 and Mira 15, not her friends, not her godmothers.
So I chipped away at this book and finally finished it just because, but yeah it was not for me.
On a side not I would maybe interested in Rafe and Layla's story)
Heroine not the smartest, but her flaws/bad decisions made sense given her personality, which is actually pretty rare for YA novels. Comments on abuse but should have done so more explicitly. Tbh the side characters (Freddie! Jewel!) were much more interesting than the standard YA Bad Boys of this narrative.
It was intriguing, if a little cliche and obvious at times. 3 instead of 4 stars because the ending was too easy. The world was unique, and I love the theme of writing your own story. The writing wasn't bad, I quite enjoyed it. But like I said, the ending was just too easy.