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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
SPOILERS
The author gets points for the creative concept, voice, and writing, beautiful weaving of words.
However, this book lacked characterization. For a book about characters and roles, this missed the mark. Most of the characters were flat and nothing more than a cursed role. Those who tried to be more had so many flaws!
And can we talk priorities? What happened to the parents? What happened to the main character's precious photo that fell to the streets so she could hug a stranger? The focus always turned to Felix when - hello! - her parents are found, alive, etc. but right, let's forget any sort of substance and focus on this predictable, lackluster romance with boys (and older man) you've known for a few days... right, true love. *rolls eyes*
The main problem with this book is that it lost its focus. I wanted this story to have Mira focus on her parents and overcoming her destiny at Sleeping Beauty. The book loses this focus, forgets about the parents, and decides to focus on an illegal romance with Felix. By the way, teens - if strangers and older man suggest to hook you up with a free hotel room, say no, don't not buy lingerie for them, and then sleep with them the next couple of days. That's creepy, illegal, and your "red flag" alert better be going off!
Yeah, I did not enjoy this book. I finished with hopes they would discuss more meaningful concepts and break free from destiny's clutches. I expected too much. Forget about the side characters and parents. Let's just make out.
The author gets points for the creative concept, voice, and writing, beautiful weaving of words.
However, this book lacked characterization. For a book about characters and roles, this missed the mark. Most of the characters were flat and nothing more than a cursed role. Those who tried to be more had so many flaws!
And can we talk priorities? What happened to the parents? What happened to the main character's precious photo that fell to the streets so she could hug a stranger? The focus always turned to Felix when - hello! - her parents are found, alive, etc. but right, let's forget any sort of substance and focus on this predictable, lackluster romance with boys (and older man) you've known for a few days... right, true love. *rolls eyes*
The main problem with this book is that it lost its focus. I wanted this story to have Mira focus on her parents and overcoming her destiny at Sleeping Beauty. The book loses this focus, forgets about the parents, and decides to focus on an illegal romance with Felix. By the way, teens - if strangers and older man suggest to hook you up with a free hotel room, say no, don't not buy lingerie for them, and then sleep with them the next couple of days. That's creepy, illegal, and your "red flag" alert better be going off!
Yeah, I did not enjoy this book. I finished with hopes they would discuss more meaningful concepts and break free from destiny's clutches. I expected too much. Forget about the side characters and parents. Let's just make out.
Still processing my thoughts about this one. There were definitely aspects I really appreciated and enjoyed about it yet overall my feelings are more mixed. Will try to write an actual review in the new year :)
Well I really love fairy tales
I don't even remember when I added this book but I read it this month because of a challenge
I did like it though even though the MC was a bit loco in some places, why do authors have to make them so dumb?! lol but having read HUSH HUSH I can safely say that she was okay :)
Overall the story was okay, I didnt understand why she kept hanging out with a guy she supposedly hated though seriously
And nothing is resolved regarding the villain in the end which is unusual
I don't even remember when I added this book but I read it this month because of a challenge
I did like it though even though the MC was a bit loco in some places, why do authors have to make them so dumb?! lol but having read HUSH HUSH I can safely say that she was okay :)
Overall the story was okay, I didnt understand why she kept hanging out with a guy she supposedly hated though seriously
And nothing is resolved regarding the villain in the end which is unusual
I get it Sarah, and I too want teens to love the "real" fairy-tales. However, force-feeding them snippets of historical tales inside a Twilight and Gossip Girl-esque plotline, is just not the way to get it done.
I'm so confused at how this book has gotten such high reviews. For the outstanding description, I was expecting something much more engaging and sinister. The story was full of promise, but the tale left much to be desired.
After losing her parents in a fire as an infant, Mirabelle has been raised for 15 years with her godmothers. Loving but extremely overprotective, Mira hasn't been able to do much. No riding in cars with boys, no returning to her hometown of Beau Rivage, and no touching sharp objects. Whoa, guess you'll never figure out which fairytale character she is now.
Well 15 years is a long time to not know much about where you really come from, and Mira has had quite enough. She decides to run away home, to see what is so bad about Beau Rivage, and discover where her parents are buried. To throw her godmothers off, she pulls together an elaborate false
trail of emails with a fake boyfriend, and heads off.
Upon reaching Beau Rivage, we find that Mira didn't really think to plan beyond actually arriving in the town. She hasn't pulled together any plans on food, lodging, or connecting with people who could possibly help her find her parents. Instead, after a few hours in, she finds herself to be hungry and hopeless, and sitting inside of The Dream casino where there is apparently no security to escort underage people from the premises.
While sitting there, she has a gruff introduction to a blue-haired boy named, surprise, Blue, who tells her to get out before she runs into his dangerous brother. She's instantly offended, (not worried or cautious), and while fuming about it in the rose garden outside, she meets, you guessed it, his brother Felix. A handsome, charming 21 year old casino owner, who just happens to be on a date with another girl but is so intrigued by sad Mira, that he gives her a SUITE in the hotel.
Pretty soon, Mira is not only back in the hotel where Blue told her not to be, but sleeping in Felix's room. Because it's totally plausible and uncreepy that a 15 year old girl would sleep in the room of a strange 22 year old she just met AFTER being warned about him by his OWN family. Makes perfect sense.
The rest of the book is all about how Beau Rivage inhabitants are actually cursed fairy tale characters (Once Upon A Time, anyone), who are destined to meet the curses of their tales no matter what they do. A town full of angry, depressed, and self-damaging young people who face their futures with about as much zeal as can be expected when you know you're one day going to become a beast, or choke on an apple. Meanwhile, the only characters we don't learn fully about are Blue and Felix, although anyone who has read more than the usual fairytales, will quickly figure out who they are supposed to be.
I was extremely underwhelmed with this book. Mira was the Bella Swan of the new year with her whiny, "I want what I want and that's all I want" attitude when it came to Felix. Warnings from all over the town, and she was still "in love" with this older man she just met. Not to mention, she's just gallivanting all around this strange town without once actually asking people for information about her PARENTS, without a care in the world because her food, clothes and shelter have been provided by Felix and Blue.
I also found it hard to care about the characters. They were miserable, boring, and unresolved. They were SO uncareaboutable, that at some points, I forgot which character was which.
That's bad.
By the end of the book, I found myself trying to force my way through the final pages because I honestly couldn't care less about what was going to happen with Mira, her love dilemmas, or any of the rest of them. Things just didn't make enough sense. You're smart enough to come up with a plan to run away, but not enough to do anything else? Your godmothers are actually your "fairy" godmothers but they don't find you immediately? It was annoying.
For those who are really interested in some great fairy tale retellings, I'd recommend Cinder by Marissa Meyer, A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz, or Cinderella, Vol. 1: From Fabletown With Love by Chris Roberson. These stories, for three separate age groups, speak to a number of familiar characters in new ways. Each prseented a fascinating and mature reimagining of classics without trying too hard, which was the unfortunate downfall of Kill Me Softly.
I'm so confused at how this book has gotten such high reviews. For the outstanding description, I was expecting something much more engaging and sinister. The story was full of promise, but the tale left much to be desired.
After losing her parents in a fire as an infant, Mirabelle has been raised for 15 years with her godmothers. Loving but extremely overprotective, Mira hasn't been able to do much. No riding in cars with boys, no returning to her hometown of Beau Rivage, and no touching sharp objects. Whoa, guess you'll never figure out which fairytale character she is now.
Well 15 years is a long time to not know much about where you really come from, and Mira has had quite enough. She decides to run away home, to see what is so bad about Beau Rivage, and discover where her parents are buried. To throw her godmothers off, she pulls together an elaborate false
trail of emails with a fake boyfriend, and heads off.
Upon reaching Beau Rivage, we find that Mira didn't really think to plan beyond actually arriving in the town. She hasn't pulled together any plans on food, lodging, or connecting with people who could possibly help her find her parents. Instead, after a few hours in, she finds herself to be hungry and hopeless, and sitting inside of The Dream casino where there is apparently no security to escort underage people from the premises.
While sitting there, she has a gruff introduction to a blue-haired boy named, surprise, Blue, who tells her to get out before she runs into his dangerous brother. She's instantly offended, (not worried or cautious), and while fuming about it in the rose garden outside, she meets, you guessed it, his brother Felix. A handsome, charming 21 year old casino owner, who just happens to be on a date with another girl but is so intrigued by sad Mira, that he gives her a SUITE in the hotel.
Pretty soon, Mira is not only back in the hotel where Blue told her not to be, but sleeping in Felix's room. Because it's totally plausible and uncreepy that a 15 year old girl would sleep in the room of a strange 22 year old she just met AFTER being warned about him by his OWN family. Makes perfect sense.
The rest of the book is all about how Beau Rivage inhabitants are actually cursed fairy tale characters (Once Upon A Time, anyone), who are destined to meet the curses of their tales no matter what they do. A town full of angry, depressed, and self-damaging young people who face their futures with about as much zeal as can be expected when you know you're one day going to become a beast, or choke on an apple. Meanwhile, the only characters we don't learn fully about are Blue and Felix, although anyone who has read more than the usual fairytales, will quickly figure out who they are supposed to be.
I was extremely underwhelmed with this book. Mira was the Bella Swan of the new year with her whiny, "I want what I want and that's all I want" attitude when it came to Felix. Warnings from all over the town, and she was still "in love" with this older man she just met. Not to mention, she's just gallivanting all around this strange town without once actually asking people for information about her PARENTS, without a care in the world because her food, clothes and shelter have been provided by Felix and Blue.
I also found it hard to care about the characters. They were miserable, boring, and unresolved. They were SO uncareaboutable, that at some points, I forgot which character was which.
That's bad.
By the end of the book, I found myself trying to force my way through the final pages because I honestly couldn't care less about what was going to happen with Mira, her love dilemmas, or any of the rest of them. Things just didn't make enough sense. You're smart enough to come up with a plan to run away, but not enough to do anything else? Your godmothers are actually your "fairy" godmothers but they don't find you immediately? It was annoying.
For those who are really interested in some great fairy tale retellings, I'd recommend Cinder by Marissa Meyer, A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz, or Cinderella, Vol. 1: From Fabletown With Love by Chris Roberson. These stories, for three separate age groups, speak to a number of familiar characters in new ways. Each prseented a fascinating and mature reimagining of classics without trying too hard, which was the unfortunate downfall of Kill Me Softly.
Fairy tale stories set in modern day. The book was bearable until the ending, omg cheesy.
I think it was amazing the perfect mix of fairy tales and modern society. I want to know what happens to Blue and Mira afterwards...
I don't generally enjoy YA books but I am a sucker for fairy tales. This book was surprising. I genuinely enjoyed it although the ending seemed a little too easy and abrupt.
except for the terrible ending this was actually a really good book, but the ending is stopping me from giving it more than three stars.
Spoiler
It was just way too sugary and sweet, and kept pretending like it was all gonna end bad and then nope it's good.
Kill Me Softly was an interesting take on Fairy Tales that I will remember long after I turned the last page.
We follow Mirabelle, a girl who lives with her two godmothers and who's 16th birthday is coming up. She desperately wants to go back to Beau Rivage, the place where her parents died a tragic death, and the one place her godmothers forbid her to go. She decides to run away and go there, as a birthday gift to herself. There she finds out that fairy tales are real, and must decide her fate.
I thought the story was pretty good, though I didn't much like Mirabelle in the beginning. She was a bit dumb to me. I mean, who follows a random guy to a room in a town where she knows no one? Who goes out with a guy who bursts into your room in the middle of the night and claims you need to leave? Who decides 10pm at night is a great time to wander in a cemetery, alone, in a town where fairy tales are real and no one knows where you're going? She makes stupid decisions like these and others that just make me wonder about her common sense and self preservation. I just didn't like her at all. I did, however like the fairy tales in the story and how real the author made them. These weren't Disney's fairy tales either, there weren't very many happy endings. Still it was interesting to read and I really enjoyed it.
I give this story 3 stars. Though I really enjoyed how the author made the tales come to life, I can't get past how naive Mirabelle was. It really bothered me and a lot of her decision making skills really grated on me. It almost made me put this one down, but I stuck through it because I saw all the glowing reviews and knew that at least some of the things bothering me would be answered at the end. If your a fan of modern twists on old tales, pick this one up.
We follow Mirabelle, a girl who lives with her two godmothers and who's 16th birthday is coming up. She desperately wants to go back to Beau Rivage, the place where her parents died a tragic death, and the one place her godmothers forbid her to go. She decides to run away and go there, as a birthday gift to herself. There she finds out that fairy tales are real, and must decide her fate.
I thought the story was pretty good, though I didn't much like Mirabelle in the beginning. She was a bit dumb to me. I mean, who follows a random guy to a room in a town where she knows no one? Who goes out with a guy who bursts into your room in the middle of the night and claims you need to leave? Who decides 10pm at night is a great time to wander in a cemetery, alone, in a town where fairy tales are real and no one knows where you're going? She makes stupid decisions like these and others that just make me wonder about her common sense and self preservation. I just didn't like her at all. I did, however like the fairy tales in the story and how real the author made them. These weren't Disney's fairy tales either, there weren't very many happy endings. Still it was interesting to read and I really enjoyed it.
I give this story 3 stars. Though I really enjoyed how the author made the tales come to life, I can't get past how naive Mirabelle was. It really bothered me and a lot of her decision making skills really grated on me. It almost made me put this one down, but I stuck through it because I saw all the glowing reviews and knew that at least some of the things bothering me would be answered at the end. If your a fan of modern twists on old tales, pick this one up.