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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
Mira's parents were killed in a tragic fire when she was young. She's grown up with her godmothers who refuse to tell her anything about her past and forbid her from going back to Beau Rivage- her birthplace. So before her sixteenth birthday, Mira runs away. She runs away to find out the truth about what happened to her parents. And to discover a place where fairy tales are real. Just as real as curses.
This wasn't a terrible book. The idea was a good one. I love modern-day fairy tales so this was right up my alley. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the book is filled with absolutely nothing. But let's start with the good:
1) Character development. TONS of it. If nothing else, you at least knew the characters inside and out. You were constantly in their heads and there's a good amount of character growth throughout the book. Mira kind of has to "learn the hard way" at some points, and I was initially baffled by her stupidity (was I that dumb at 16?) but other things in the book made up for it.
2) The interwoven fairy tales. I would find this incredibly difficult to do. Cross managed to tie in several fairy tales together and have them all come to life in Beau Rivage. She made them very real- and very terrifying. I LOVED her take on Snow White (Mira is not Snow White by the way) because I never once thought of the ending that way- I always saw it as so perfect and wonderful (thanks Disney :P). I love the Disney films but this was darker and more realistic.
3) The very impressive twist. I was wondering how one aspect of the book would tie in with the other- and Cross managed it really creatively! I really loved that part of the book and was grinning after I finished that chapter. How cool! I wish I could've thought of something like that!
The bad:
1) Apart from the very ending, the rest of the book (the other 340 pages of it) were completely boring. NOTHING happened. There was SO much talking that I wanted to smack my head against the book and make it disappear. <_< When would it be OVER already so I could move on to other books? I was VERY tempted to just cheat and stop reading and skim through the rest to find out what happened at the end. I just didn't care about the billion pointless conversations everyone was having. I think it did wonders for character development but nothing for plot, and I honestly read mostly for plot.
2) Character annoyances. Mira was tolerable albeit an idiot at times (or maybe a good-looking guy paying attention to you just turns you into one?) but her constant back-and-forth between two brothers was not only annoying but tiresome. I didn't want to read 20 pages about her evening out with one guy only to come back and read another 20 pages about her wonderful time with the brother. And that was the entire book. UNTIL the very end. Which was much more horrifying than I expected but we're not going to talk about that now because I'm writing this review at 1:33 a.m. and I'll get too scared to go to sleep. O_O
3) The ending. While the ending satisfied me, I felt there was a part of it that was hurriedly thrown together just to make readers happy. I felt it was...sloppy. Not well-thought out. Kind of out of place. I can see why Cross would do it (I can surely imagine the complaints if she didn't) but it happened SO quickly (literally the last two pages) that I felt like maybe it was a last-second decision to throw it in there.
In a nutshell, this book was a good idea with a lot of filler. It could've been done in 100 pages and kept me interested and happy. Instead it was done in 400 for no reason whatsoever. Read it if you want!
This wasn't a terrible book. The idea was a good one. I love modern-day fairy tales so this was right up my alley. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the book is filled with absolutely nothing. But let's start with the good:
1) Character development. TONS of it. If nothing else, you at least knew the characters inside and out. You were constantly in their heads and there's a good amount of character growth throughout the book. Mira kind of has to "learn the hard way" at some points, and I was initially baffled by her stupidity (was I that dumb at 16?) but other things in the book made up for it.
2) The interwoven fairy tales. I would find this incredibly difficult to do. Cross managed to tie in several fairy tales together and have them all come to life in Beau Rivage. She made them very real- and very terrifying. I LOVED her take on Snow White (Mira is not Snow White by the way) because I never once thought of the ending that way- I always saw it as so perfect and wonderful (thanks Disney :P). I love the Disney films but this was darker and more realistic.
3) The very impressive twist. I was wondering how one aspect of the book would tie in with the other- and Cross managed it really creatively! I really loved that part of the book and was grinning after I finished that chapter. How cool! I wish I could've thought of something like that!
The bad:
1) Apart from the very ending, the rest of the book (the other 340 pages of it) were completely boring. NOTHING happened. There was SO much talking that I wanted to smack my head against the book and make it disappear. <_< When would it be OVER already so I could move on to other books? I was VERY tempted to just cheat and stop reading and skim through the rest to find out what happened at the end. I just didn't care about the billion pointless conversations everyone was having. I think it did wonders for character development but nothing for plot, and I honestly read mostly for plot.
2) Character annoyances. Mira was tolerable albeit an idiot at times (or maybe a good-looking guy paying attention to you just turns you into one?) but her constant back-and-forth between two brothers was not only annoying but tiresome. I didn't want to read 20 pages about her evening out with one guy only to come back and read another 20 pages about her wonderful time with the brother. And that was the entire book. UNTIL the very end. Which was much more horrifying than I expected but we're not going to talk about that now because I'm writing this review at 1:33 a.m. and I'll get too scared to go to sleep. O_O
3) The ending. While the ending satisfied me, I felt there was a part of it that was hurriedly thrown together just to make readers happy. I felt it was...sloppy. Not well-thought out. Kind of out of place. I can see why Cross would do it (I can surely imagine the complaints if she didn't) but it happened SO quickly (literally the last two pages) that I felt like maybe it was a last-second decision to throw it in there.
In a nutshell, this book was a good idea with a lot of filler. It could've been done in 100 pages and kept me interested and happy. Instead it was done in 400 for no reason whatsoever. Read it if you want!
A great twist on fairy tales, this book was both romantic and dark--much like the original tales. The main character, Mira, is curious, brave, and idiotic, making her the most frustrating type of character because she makes all the mistakes she shouldn't. The real draw of the book is the updating twists on the fairy tales-the spins, twists and turns to the stories kept me reading. So those that enjoy the hot fairy tale trend might want to read this book to see another take on some well-loved stories.
Ok so here's the deal. The concept for this book sounded interesting. I was intrigued and needed a book to listen to at work so I downloaded the audiobook. Big mistake.
I am currently very amused by this book, and not in a good way. Literally this book is so angsty, THE ANGST IS REAL PEOPLE, and just uses fairy tales as a ploy to draw you into an underdeveloped world and a cheesy love story.
Now to be clear I'm all about a cheesy love story but this is just too much. The main character is so annoying like I just have a strong desire to punch her in the face. She is 15 and all of a sudden in love with this 21 year old and discovers she's part of a magical alternate realm and WHAT DOES SHE DO AFTER FINDING ALL THIS OUT?!? Thinks she's stupid for not realizing it sooner. *rolls eyes* And then just readily accepts this WHOLE NEW WORLD. Like just a regular Tuesday over here folks, just found out I was cursed and am from a FREAKING magical universe. It's casual. UM OK THEN.
Also the romance scenes are so awful and she is just instantly willing to give it up to this guy because he's nice and pays attention to her and thinks she's beautiful. And no one has ever thought she was beautiful or had a crush on her before *gags*
How cliche.
*ends rant*
But alas I will continue listening because my audiobook options are limited and I need something to listen to while I work.
I'm hoping it improves and more character and world development happen but I'm not expecting much. I am getting a good laugh out of it at least.
Side note: this story is told in 3rd person POV and I have a really hard time connecting to a story in 3rd person so that's another strike against this book.
*actually ends rant*
I am currently very amused by this book, and not in a good way. Literally this book is so angsty, THE ANGST IS REAL PEOPLE, and just uses fairy tales as a ploy to draw you into an underdeveloped world and a cheesy love story.
Now to be clear I'm all about a cheesy love story but this is just too much. The main character is so annoying like I just have a strong desire to punch her in the face. She is 15 and all of a sudden in love with this 21 year old and discovers she's part of a magical alternate realm and WHAT DOES SHE DO AFTER FINDING ALL THIS OUT?!? Thinks she's stupid for not realizing it sooner. *rolls eyes* And then just readily accepts this WHOLE NEW WORLD. Like just a regular Tuesday over here folks, just found out I was cursed and am from a FREAKING magical universe. It's casual. UM OK THEN.
Also the romance scenes are so awful and she is just instantly willing to give it up to this guy because he's nice and pays attention to her and thinks she's beautiful. And no one has ever thought she was beautiful or had a crush on her before *gags*
How cliche.
*ends rant*
But alas I will continue listening because my audiobook options are limited and I need something to listen to while I work.
I'm hoping it improves and more character and world development happen but I'm not expecting much. I am getting a good laugh out of it at least.
Side note: this story is told in 3rd person POV and I have a really hard time connecting to a story in 3rd person so that's another strike against this book.
*actually ends rant*
As a long-time lover of fairy tales and their retellings, of course I wanted to pick this book up and I was further prompted by Mimi valentine calling this her favorite book so far of 2012-when a blogger you love highlights a book for such high praise, one has to sit up and pay attention. My (very picky) sister also read this and said it was good.
From the start I was a bit confused as main character Mira does not live in a fairy tale world. Instead she has to run away to find the place and that is where the plot really thickens. She is searching for her parents' graves, seeking some closure with their death before she reaches her sixteenth year of age. But along the way she meets some odd characters, all of whom have similar birthmarks as her. As we discover, the birthmarks represent that the person has a specific destiny in a fairy tale. Mira is the Princess in Sleeping Beauty. She also meets (among others) the Prince in Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Belle, the Beast, and assorted other characters in the stories. While they have this eventual destiny, for the most part they are just living ordinary lives waiting for the blessing or curse (however they consider it) to begin. This results in some humorous moments, my personal favorite probably being how the animals flock to certain characters. I just love picturing that and crack up every time.
Anyway back to the plot. Mira is immediately drawn to two guys who, it turns out, are brothers. One is Blue, a huge jerk, and the other is his older brother Felix, the smooth and charming guy. Their fairy tale fate is a big secret that Mira must unravel over the course of the book. I can definitely see why some people would find either or both of these guys charming but personally I preferred Freddie, her sweet Hero, because I happen to like nice men (and now I want to watch Star Wars).
There is a lot of time spent with each of the guys as well as the other fairy-tale characters. But you know what there isn't very much of? Mira looking for the graves of her parents. That is the whole impetus for her returning to Beau Rivage but once she's there, she almost forgets about it in favor of falling in love with Felix (she thinks) and bantering with Blue. Honestly I was disappointed that she allowed boys to get in the way of her quest for her parents even if in the end she manages to have both.
In between that though there is a lot of good talk about the implications of fate and destiny and if you can change yours. There are questions about family and how to behave and what you might sacrifice for the people you love. And there is a lot of looking at the dark side of fairy tales and life in general. While I tend to prefer a more humorous approach to fairy tales, I did enjoy this different twist on them.
Overall: A fairy tale retelling that does not shy away from the dark edges but instead confronts them and the challenges of escaping your destiny.
Cover: Really perfect with the rose and thorns although maybe some blue would have been nice.
From the start I was a bit confused as main character Mira does not live in a fairy tale world. Instead she has to run away to find the place and that is where the plot really thickens. She is searching for her parents' graves, seeking some closure with their death before she reaches her sixteenth year of age. But along the way she meets some odd characters, all of whom have similar birthmarks as her. As we discover, the birthmarks represent that the person has a specific destiny in a fairy tale. Mira is the Princess in Sleeping Beauty. She also meets (among others) the Prince in Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Belle, the Beast, and assorted other characters in the stories. While they have this eventual destiny, for the most part they are just living ordinary lives waiting for the blessing or curse (however they consider it) to begin. This results in some humorous moments, my personal favorite probably being how the animals flock to certain characters. I just love picturing that and crack up every time.
Anyway back to the plot. Mira is immediately drawn to two guys who, it turns out, are brothers. One is Blue, a huge jerk, and the other is his older brother Felix, the smooth and charming guy. Their fairy tale fate is a big secret that Mira must unravel over the course of the book. I can definitely see why some people would find either or both of these guys charming but personally I preferred Freddie, her sweet Hero, because I happen to like nice men (and now I want to watch Star Wars).
There is a lot of time spent with each of the guys as well as the other fairy-tale characters. But you know what there isn't very much of? Mira looking for the graves of her parents. That is the whole impetus for her returning to Beau Rivage but once she's there, she almost forgets about it in favor of falling in love with Felix (she thinks) and bantering with Blue. Honestly I was disappointed that she allowed boys to get in the way of her quest for her parents even if in the end she manages to have both.
In between that though there is a lot of good talk about the implications of fate and destiny and if you can change yours. There are questions about family and how to behave and what you might sacrifice for the people you love. And there is a lot of looking at the dark side of fairy tales and life in general. While I tend to prefer a more humorous approach to fairy tales, I did enjoy this different twist on them.
Overall: A fairy tale retelling that does not shy away from the dark edges but instead confronts them and the challenges of escaping your destiny.
Cover: Really perfect with the rose and thorns although maybe some blue would have been nice.
SO I think the superb dialogue and great characters of the TV show Once Upon A Time have spoiled me. This book could have been so much more. The main character was naive and easily manipulated by many characters. She waited for things to happen to her rather than take control of her own destiny. When she found out about the big secret, it felt like she shrugged, said oh well, and went on her merry way. The love story was way too rushed, and then bam another love. She must have the worst bad boy fetish in the world.
I really liked the story of this and will be reading the second book soon... got it from Netgalley! :)
I have been sucked into the retelling of fairy tales for a couple of years now. Each one is so unique and entertaining, its easily one of my favorite new genres out there today. I had a chance to read and review “Kill Me Softly” before it came out and I just couldn't resist this cute, interesting young adult novel.
The novel starts out with Mirabelle running away from home. Her parents were killed when she was a baby so she lives with her two “aunts.” (They turn out to be Fairy Godmothers, cue...gasp!) As she is nearing the age of 16, she decides she wants to find out more about her parents. She's been kept in the dark about her family so she sets off in the dark of night to go to where her parents are supposedly buried.
Mirabelle travels to the town where she was born and immediately meets all sorts of different people. I wish I could make friends as fast as this girl does! She befriends a group of teens who are mysterious and seem to speak of secrets, yet they accept her and her mysterious birth mark. Throughout the book it is revealed the teens are really living out the fates of famous fairy tale heroes and heroines and they each have their own birthmarks. Mirabelle, who had no idea she had such a fate, finds out she herself has such a fate.
Beau Rivage is a town of fairy tale people. It's a great concept and I loved reading how each teen was going to fulfill their destiny. There are Cinderella types, a Beauty and a Beast who hate one another, and even a Sleeping Beauty. In addition to meeting this specific group of teens, Mirabelle is attracted to two mysterious brothers who hate one another but both attract girls.
The story is original filled with great multidimensional characters. It was really interesting to find out about the Grimm's tales that are not as well known and how they fit in. I will warn you, when I finished the book I wasn't nearly ready to be done and am already ready to read the sequel. The teens at my library will definitely enjoy this title and as a twenty something librarian, I loved it! Fun, interesting, and the perfect mix of fairy tale mythology and real world, this is one not to miss.
Review on: http://brunettelibrarian.blogspot.com [a:Sarah Cross|2699594|Sarah Cross|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg]
The novel starts out with Mirabelle running away from home. Her parents were killed when she was a baby so she lives with her two “aunts.” (They turn out to be Fairy Godmothers, cue...gasp!) As she is nearing the age of 16, she decides she wants to find out more about her parents. She's been kept in the dark about her family so she sets off in the dark of night to go to where her parents are supposedly buried.
Mirabelle travels to the town where she was born and immediately meets all sorts of different people. I wish I could make friends as fast as this girl does! She befriends a group of teens who are mysterious and seem to speak of secrets, yet they accept her and her mysterious birth mark. Throughout the book it is revealed the teens are really living out the fates of famous fairy tale heroes and heroines and they each have their own birthmarks. Mirabelle, who had no idea she had such a fate, finds out she herself has such a fate.
Beau Rivage is a town of fairy tale people. It's a great concept and I loved reading how each teen was going to fulfill their destiny. There are Cinderella types, a Beauty and a Beast who hate one another, and even a Sleeping Beauty. In addition to meeting this specific group of teens, Mirabelle is attracted to two mysterious brothers who hate one another but both attract girls.
The story is original filled with great multidimensional characters. It was really interesting to find out about the Grimm's tales that are not as well known and how they fit in. I will warn you, when I finished the book I wasn't nearly ready to be done and am already ready to read the sequel. The teens at my library will definitely enjoy this title and as a twenty something librarian, I loved it! Fun, interesting, and the perfect mix of fairy tale mythology and real world, this is one not to miss.
Review on: http://brunettelibrarian.blogspot.com [a:Sarah Cross|2699594|Sarah Cross|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg]
This review can also be found on Reading Between Classes
Cover Impressions: The white rose dipped in blood speaks to innocence lost and is an image that stands out among the plethora of girls in pretty dresses that make up a huge chunk of YA novels today. However, I am not a fan of the title font. It seems a little too weak against such a stark image.
The Gist: Mirabelle has spent her entire life listening to the rules and sanctions set forth by her Godmothers. Now, as her 16th birthday draws near, she is about to break their biggest one: returning to the place of her birth, Beau Rivage. Here, Mira encounters a world where fairy tales take a dark turn and everyone has a role to play, whether they wish to or not.
Review: In Kill Me Softly Sarah Cross creates a fairy tale world that interposes with our own. It lies, just beneath the surface and can be seen by anyone willing to peer through the veil. However, these are not your disneyfied princes and princesses fending off colorful dragons and over-the-top Queens (though, don't get me wrong, Maleficent scared the CRAP out of me as a kid) instead, Cross takes inspiration from the original Fairy Tales which feature evil plot twists, casual murders, the hacking off of limbs and buckets of blood.
Against this backdrop of Happily Ever After gone wrong, Mira meets Blue, a boy who does everything to push her away and his brother, Felix who does everything not to. As a character, Mira is a little difficult to like. She is often rude and ungrateful, which seems completely out of character for a person who, up until now, has blindly followed her Godmother's orders. It feels a little unreal that a character who is so quick to anger, did not question these rules or show any sign of rebellion prior to her slipping away in the middle of the night. Blue, on the other hand, is a character who does everything possible to make Mira dislike him but she (and the reader) cannot help but root for this wounded hero. Whenever I hit a section where Mira was spending time falling in love with Felix, I found myself itching to turn each page, hoping that Blue would be waiting on the other side. The "love" that Mirabelle claims to have for Felix, feels forced and wrong but shows it's importance by the end of the story (much like Romeo's "love" for Rosaline).
The plot is interesting but more character based than action based. Because Cross weaves together a number of fairy tales (some of which are less likely to be recognizable to most readers) we have a vague idea of where the story is headed, but are still able to be surprised by plot twists. I do believe that the novel is a stand-alone and I hope that this is the end of Mirabelle's and Blue's story. However, I thoroughly enjoyed my walk through Beau Rivage and would very much like to read the tales of some of the other characters. This world is simply too interesting to let go of so easily.
Teaching/Parental Notes:
Age: 16 and up, this one is NOT for your 12 year old!
Gender: Female, though some males may enjoy the clever re-working of well known fairy tales
Sex: Intimate touching, talk of sex
Violence: Loss of limbs, murders,
Inappropriate Language: Bitch, Shit.
Substance Abuse: Underage drinking. Smoking.
Pretty good read. It was quick. I like the evolution of fairytales and how it blends a bit in. A bit clicheed but what else can you expect from a book revolving around fairytales. I'd love to read another one! Great dynamic between Mira and Blue :)
I've been in the middle of a hate-on for YA for a while now, especially the paranormal stuff. When I picked this one up, I was pretty sure I was going to hate it. I could see it already - the love triangle, the revelation, the predictable ending...blah, blah, blah.
It was the first paragraph that convinced me I might like the writing style, if not the story. And I admit at first I thought Mira, the main character, was going to be a very annoying person to read about.
But she wasn't. Sure, she made some stupid choices - I had to keep reminding myself that she's fifteen for the majority of the book - but she stands up for herself and doesn't take crap from the guys who inevitably show up, which makes for a nice change of pace; lately there's been a lot of seriously side-eye worthy 'heroes' in YA. And I had a few moments where I thought that one of our heroes, at least, reminded me far too much of Twilight's Edward.
But. This review - this book - is all about 'buts'. Cross broke pretty much of all my expectations with this story. Mira is a very believable fifteen year old - trying to be independant, and strong in herself, but also easily swayed by a guy who seems to love her. It seems like she should know better, but frankly, she acts just as I did at her age. You _do_ fall for people very quickly and very hard at fifteen. And yet, Mira isn't stupid. She tries to be - that sounds strange, but she tries to tell herself that things will work out. But when she knows it won't...She doesn't lie back, she isn't passive, and she doesn't let other people save her. When she finds out about the curse - curses, I should say, that have doomed the people around her to replay stories from fairytales over and over - she's horrified, and disgusted, and doesn't find it sweet and romantic at all. Yes, when she falls asleep she has to be kissed awake by a guy. But she puts herself to sleep, to save her life, and she doesn't accept that her 'prince' is her one true love. She has help, but she's the one who writes her own happy ending.
What I'm trying to say is that Mira is a wonderful, believable character, the kind of girl who SHOULD be in YA (unlike, say, Shattered Souls' main character, who was appalling). I approve of her immensely.
As for the book itself - I love fairytales, and was very happy when I realised that Cross had incorporated some of the not-so-familiar stories. Yes, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella etc are all featured, but there are also mentions of the Unkind Sisters (one sister cursed to spit toads, the other to have jewels fall from her mouth when she speaks), Bluebeard, Donkeyskin...And despite the amusing Disney tweaks (Mira's 'prince charming' is constantly surrounded by sparrows and chipmunks who adore him) Cross doesn't shie away from the brutal, violent aspects of the fairytales in their original - Cinderella's stepsisters cut off parts of their feet to try and fit in the glass slippers; the first Sleeping Beauty was raped in her sleep and woke to give birth to her children (anyone who is familiar with Jim Hines' Stepsister Scheme will recognize this), and so on.
I also really liked that the different curses - and the roles people are cursed to play - had classifications and 'marks'. It was a small detail, but I thought it made it all more real.
Finally, yes, there's an element of Edward in Blue. He doesn't want to get close to Mira because he's afraid of hurting her. But Blue's tactic is to be snarky and rude and generally unlikable; he's also funny, smart and occasionally adorable. He's much more well-rounded than Edward, and I wouldn't compare Mira and Blue to Twilight, although I'm sure some will. Cross has drawn allusions to the 'fairytale romances' like Twilight, and the more traditional fairytales, but only to show how unhealthy and creepy they are or can be. Kill Me Softly is a book about magic, but it's actually _about_ writing your own happy ending and controlling your own fate. This moral is laid on a little heavy-handidly towards the end, but only over a few pages that didn't keep me from enjoying it. At all.
It's a fabulous book, one that the YA genre's been begging for for a while now. My hat off to Cross!
It was the first paragraph that convinced me I might like the writing style, if not the story. And I admit at first I thought Mira, the main character, was going to be a very annoying person to read about.
But she wasn't. Sure, she made some stupid choices - I had to keep reminding myself that she's fifteen for the majority of the book - but she stands up for herself and doesn't take crap from the guys who inevitably show up, which makes for a nice change of pace; lately there's been a lot of seriously side-eye worthy 'heroes' in YA. And I had a few moments where I thought that one of our heroes, at least, reminded me far too much of Twilight's Edward.
But. This review - this book - is all about 'buts'. Cross broke pretty much of all my expectations with this story. Mira is a very believable fifteen year old - trying to be independant, and strong in herself, but also easily swayed by a guy who seems to love her. It seems like she should know better, but frankly, she acts just as I did at her age. You _do_ fall for people very quickly and very hard at fifteen. And yet, Mira isn't stupid. She tries to be - that sounds strange, but she tries to tell herself that things will work out. But when she knows it won't...She doesn't lie back, she isn't passive, and she doesn't let other people save her. When she finds out about the curse - curses, I should say, that have doomed the people around her to replay stories from fairytales over and over - she's horrified, and disgusted, and doesn't find it sweet and romantic at all. Yes, when she falls asleep she has to be kissed awake by a guy. But she puts herself to sleep, to save her life, and she doesn't accept that her 'prince' is her one true love. She has help, but she's the one who writes her own happy ending.
What I'm trying to say is that Mira is a wonderful, believable character, the kind of girl who SHOULD be in YA (unlike, say, Shattered Souls' main character, who was appalling). I approve of her immensely.
As for the book itself - I love fairytales, and was very happy when I realised that Cross had incorporated some of the not-so-familiar stories. Yes, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella etc are all featured, but there are also mentions of the Unkind Sisters (one sister cursed to spit toads, the other to have jewels fall from her mouth when she speaks), Bluebeard, Donkeyskin...And despite the amusing Disney tweaks (Mira's 'prince charming' is constantly surrounded by sparrows and chipmunks who adore him) Cross doesn't shie away from the brutal, violent aspects of the fairytales in their original - Cinderella's stepsisters cut off parts of their feet to try and fit in the glass slippers; the first Sleeping Beauty was raped in her sleep and woke to give birth to her children (anyone who is familiar with Jim Hines' Stepsister Scheme will recognize this), and so on.
I also really liked that the different curses - and the roles people are cursed to play - had classifications and 'marks'. It was a small detail, but I thought it made it all more real.
Finally, yes, there's an element of Edward in Blue. He doesn't want to get close to Mira because he's afraid of hurting her. But Blue's tactic is to be snarky and rude and generally unlikable; he's also funny, smart and occasionally adorable. He's much more well-rounded than Edward, and I wouldn't compare Mira and Blue to Twilight, although I'm sure some will. Cross has drawn allusions to the 'fairytale romances' like Twilight, and the more traditional fairytales, but only to show how unhealthy and creepy they are or can be. Kill Me Softly is a book about magic, but it's actually _about_ writing your own happy ending and controlling your own fate. This moral is laid on a little heavy-handidly towards the end, but only over a few pages that didn't keep me from enjoying it. At all.
It's a fabulous book, one that the YA genre's been begging for for a while now. My hat off to Cross!