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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
Well to start out with, so many characters were brought in so fast that all I could think was “oh no, I’m going to be so lost I’m not going to know who’s doing what or who anyone is!” After my little freak out though, I continued on with the story and discovered that while there are a lot of characters brought into the story fairly quickly, they are easily discerned from one another as the story progresses. But because I was lost in the beginning, I knocked it down a half a star.
I could not stop snickering through the story though. Even when I was frustrated with the main characters not admitting to being in love with each other [which they so obviously were], they were funny about it. I think my fiancé actually got quite annoyed at me for constantly interrupting his own reading to tell him quotes from the story that were making me snicker. Hours passed while reading the story and I didn’t even noticed.
I had already read a book that day and the only reason I picked up Kill Me Softly was because my fiancé started reading a book of his own and I got bored waiting for him to finish. By the time he was done reading for the night and ready to turn the light off it was already 3:30 in the morning and I hadn’t even realized four hours had passed while I was reading. Then I picked it up almost the second I woke up in the morning dying to know what was going to happen. Was she going to keep falling in love with Felix? Was she finally going to admit to her love for Blue? Was Freddie going to somehow worm his way into her heart?
I was extremely pleased with the ending. Extremely pleased with the entire book. And I love the idea of fairy tales come to life. That was probably my favorite aspect of the story. Fairy tale personas coming to life and mingling with one another.
In the end, the only things that bothered me about this book were bringing so many characters in so fast, and Felix and Mira’s relationship. I have friends that are 21 and were in relationships with 16 year olds, but it still doesn’t rate very high on my ‘oh hey that’s awesome’ list of things to read about. Especially considering she didn’t turn 16 until nearly the end of the book.
Spoiler
The hole gory stuff with the rooms was a def surprise but it gives the story a depth that not all fairy tales are happy. Also the fairy the owns the bar I had maybe a suspicion that it was that fairy that maybe cursed Mirabelle (??)Over all I give it a 3.5
+ Why didn't Mira try researching fairy tales on her own? I'll let the instalove slide this time because at this point it's starting to feel like the entire YA genre has collectively forgotten how to write romance without utilizing this trope. Why waste energy criticizing. HOWEVER. If everyone and their mother is warning you that your new boyfriend is dangerous, you're aware that he's cursed to play out a fairytale and he won't tell you what it is why wouldn't you go on google and find out for yourself.
Spoiler
HE HAS BLUE HAIR MIRA. I guarantee you, if you'd gone online and searched up blue, fairy tale, and dangerous you would have found Bluebeard within minutes.+ Not entirely sold on Blue. If I were to look at him in isolation then sure he's a charmer, I can see why Mira's into him.
Spoiler
But I find the fact that he stood by and let his brother murder so many girls deeply offputting. D: He says he tried to scare them off a few times but Blue buddy? TRY HARDER. YOUR BROTHER IS A SERIAL KILLER, YOU HAVE A MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO STOP HIM. And not just when you like his intended victim like with Mirabelle. What the hell bro? I swear that line when he told Mira he basically made an exception for her would have been enough to put me off him right away. D: People don't deserve to live just because you have a crush on them.+ On that note
Spoiler
wow Mira was awfully quick to let it go when Blue told her he killed a girl. Yes she likes him, yes he was cursed, yes he didn't mean to do it but he killed her. My first reaction would not have been to sympathize and tell him he needs to forgive himself. Idk, maybe I'm lacking the kindness Mira was blessed with but I would have been a great deal more concerned with putting some immediate distance between us. Accidents can happen more than once.+ Actually much of these issues can be summed up with: Mira has all the self-preservation instincts of a lemming running off a cliff. I almost wish she had been under some sort of enchantment, at least it would have explained her actions. I can sort of see the shape of the justifications – desperate to find her parents graves and I've been informed lust can and often does make people do stupid things – but they didn't work for me. Idk. Maybe it needed to be written with more intensity, I never really felt like Mira was taking things all that hard in the book.
Anydoodles! Those were my issues but otherwise it's a good time! I hope the sequel follows some of the other characters, I'd like to see where Viv and Layla end up. My fingers are crossed for curse subverting goodness. 3.5 stars
There are just some things that didn't sit well with me. First, I can’t believe Mira’s stupidity sometimes. She easily accepts the truth about the fairy tale realm. So when others give her cryptic warnings – supposedly, they are NOT ALLOWED to explain the truth about the curse of the Valentine brothers – why is she hating on everyone? Duh, didn't she hear them the first time? The others were NOT ALLOWED.
Second, love triangles can be tiring, but a love square verges on overkill. I almost threw the book away in disgust – figuratively speaking, since it’s in EBook format – when that “square of a love” bit me in the face. Good thing some event towards the end justified the overkill.
Towards the end, I couldn't connect because expecting something to happen is not as satisfying when everything falls into place too quickly. There’s the feeling of urgency and haste in how things pan out. IMO, the characters were suddenly too accepting and predictable.
Lastly, I can't decide if it’s a good or a bad thing that Mari and Blue remind me of Clary and Jace from The Mortal Instruments. Mari makes an important decision that reminds me of Clary and, in retrospect, I guess she does have a hot temper like Clary. Blue is cocky and abrasive, a pained hero with his curse, which makes him somewhat like a nicer version of Jace. Mari and Blue’s conflicted relationship reminds me of the incest issue in The Mortal Instruments.
Anyway, I’m not saying it’s not a nice read. I liked it enough that I got to finish it in a few hours. But it left me with mixed feelings towards fairy tales. I kept thinking the Grimms brothers – and whoever else made fairy tales – must be pretty twisted to create mentally screwed up characters like Necrophiliac princes, a Hypochondriac princess, and a Paedophile king, to name a few. I even had the sudden urge to change my favorite fairy tale from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Beauty and the Beast, if only to restore my faith in childhood romance. Hah hah.
It’s worth a second read, but I probably won’t crave for a sequel.
Kinda fun. The last part was better than the beginning since it started Linda slow. Good YA for fairy tale fans.
Mira was a fun character at the start. She had guts, drive, and the elements of interesting backstory. As the story goes on, however, she shows some traits that I really disliked. Then we meet Blue. Blue is the only thing that I fell head-over-heels in love with. I absolutely adore this boy. He is slightly angsty, has a a protective streak a milewide, and is really just the sweetest guy. Unfortunately with Blue comes Felix. Felix is pretty much the opposite of Blue in every single way possible, and ultimately he just is creepy. The other friends that Mira makes while in Beau Rivage are also fantastically interesting. I loved the representations of all the various fairy tale characters, especially Viv, Henley, and Layla.
The premise of this story was compelling, and it’s rather reminscent of Once Upon a Time (which I adore). Unfortunately, it comes with a severe case of insta-love, and stupidity on the part of Mira. I hated the ridiculous relationship between Mira and Felix. It made very little sense, and their was no depth to back up Mira’s obsession dedication to him. The relationship between the two of them really ruined the book for me. Otherwise, I think I would have thoroughly enjoyed it.
Overall, this book was very disappointing for me. I wanted so badly to fall in love with it, but it just did not do it. While I probably would not recommend this, I still would be curious to read any sequels, especially if they were to focus on one of the other awesome fairy tale characters that appeared in this. I think there is potential for some great writing from Sarah Cross, but I feel as if the relationship development and the maturity levels of her characters could use some work. I will say, however, that it might be worth it to read this book just for Blue alone. He really is that awesome!