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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
This book is terrible, I couldn't even force myself to finish it.
Raised by her two god mothers since the death of her parents, Mirabelle's past is cloaked in secrecy. But as her 16th birthday approaches, Mira makes a desperate attempt to escape her sheltered life and finally see the city where she was born. But Beau Rivage is more than just a fairy-tale themed tourist attraction.
I was excited about this book. I love a fairy-tale adaptation or remix, and this one promises something more on the sinister or murderous side. I am sorry to say that I was, overall, disappointed. The premise of the story is fantastic - a city full of the cursed and blessed, all of them forced to play out the rolls assigned to them no matter how they try to escape. Even much of the execution comes through solidly - the translation of fairy-tales into modern terms is done quite well, swapping a Huntsman for a minimum-wage landscaper, castles for casinos, etc. etc. But the main downfall is Mira herself. Coming through as more of an 'insert-yourself-here' than an actual character, her actions are all over the place. She accepts the magic and heartbreaking revelations with barely a blink, and manages to fall in love with two brothers at once for no apparent reason than that they both like her. Add in that her romantic inclinations lean in a distinctly Twilight-y i-love-you-so-its-cool-if-you-kill-me direction, and she basically ends up standing in the way of all the rest of my enjoyment.
I was excited about this book. I love a fairy-tale adaptation or remix, and this one promises something more on the sinister or murderous side. I am sorry to say that I was, overall, disappointed. The premise of the story is fantastic - a city full of the cursed and blessed, all of them forced to play out the rolls assigned to them no matter how they try to escape. Even much of the execution comes through solidly - the translation of fairy-tales into modern terms is done quite well, swapping a Huntsman for a minimum-wage landscaper, castles for casinos, etc. etc. But the main downfall is Mira herself. Coming through as more of an 'insert-yourself-here' than an actual character, her actions are all over the place. She accepts the magic and heartbreaking revelations with barely a blink, and manages to fall in love with two brothers at once for no apparent reason than that they both like her. Add in that her romantic inclinations lean in a distinctly Twilight-y i-love-you-so-its-cool-if-you-kill-me direction, and she basically ends up standing in the way of all the rest of my enjoyment.
I read this book because my head has lately been clogged with Golden Swan (I'M USING A FAN NICKNAME ALREADY MY GOLLY) fan fiction and wanted to clear my head off but still want to read something related. Anyway, here's what I thought of this book:
Twist was no twist at all. But I think that's mainly because I'm a fairy tale nut. The hints were far too many and some are even obvious. The relationship between Felix and Mira screams of Stranger Danger and I was just Squicked out. Sorry, Felix, but you're 21 and Mira's 15. But mainly it'sFelix who is disturbing.
How about Blue? I don't know. It's hard for me to like him because of his jerkassy behavior right from the start. He gets better later, though. I kinda liked his and Mira's relationship pre-ending.
I like the fairy tale reference and the dark fairy tale twistings and the fairy tale cross overs. I like fairy tales, period. As for the characters, I like Layla, Freddie, and Jewel. Layla because it's easy to like her, disregarding the look factor. Freddie because he reminds me of these characters: Buddy from Bubu Chacha, the animal boy and the glasses boy from [b:Gakuen Alice|1753714|Gakuen Alice, Vol. 01 (Gakuen Alice, #1)|Tachibana Higuchi|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1347906020s/1753714.jpg|1751547], and Sheldon Cooper, strangely. Jewel because she coughs gems. Now that I think about it, these three are the less effed-up characters personality-wise.
The story needs a more Genre Savvy character. But that may be just my problem, since I've been looking for more Genre Savvy characters. Also needs a better ending and less loose ends. I don't know if I want to read a continuation, if ever the author decides to write one.
Twist was no twist at all. But I think that's mainly because I'm a fairy tale nut. The hints were far too many and some are even obvious. The relationship between Felix and Mira screams of Stranger Danger and I was just Squicked out. Sorry, Felix, but you're 21 and Mira's 15. But mainly it's
Spoiler
Pre-revealSpoiler
Post-reveal Felix is still disturbing.How about Blue? I don't know. It's hard for me to like him because of his jerkassy behavior right from the start. He gets better later, though. I kinda liked his and Mira's relationship pre-ending.
I like the fairy tale reference and the dark fairy tale twistings and the fairy tale cross overs. I like fairy tales, period. As for the characters, I like Layla, Freddie, and Jewel. Layla because it's easy to like her, disregarding the look factor. Freddie because he reminds me of these characters: Buddy from Bubu Chacha, the animal boy and the glasses boy from [b:Gakuen Alice|1753714|Gakuen Alice, Vol. 01 (Gakuen Alice, #1)|Tachibana Higuchi|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1347906020s/1753714.jpg|1751547], and Sheldon Cooper, strangely. Jewel because she coughs gems. Now that I think about it, these three are the less effed-up characters personality-wise.
The story needs a more Genre Savvy character. But that may be just my problem, since I've been looking for more Genre Savvy characters. Also needs a better ending and less loose ends. I don't know if I want to read a continuation, if ever the author decides to write one.
So I picked this up because I was in a mood for fairytale vibes but honestly I should have just ate glass and put my head in the microwave.
Kill Me Softly is about a girl named Mira who runs away from her godmothers to the town where she was born and where her parents died: Beau Rivage. Beau Rivage is mysterious and it turns out full of magic and curses. There Mira falls in with some new friends, and falls in love all while trying to find out about her parents.
Dude this fucking sucked. It sucked so bad. We have reached levels of suck we shouldn't be able to reach but here we are. The worst part is that I KNEW this book sucked because I read it in 2012!! Why did I read this again then? I don't know!! I really forgot HOW awful this was.
This book is everything wrong with YA and everything that will ever be wrong with YA. I'm literally shocked this book even exists from how awful it is. Mira is awful. The love interests are awful. The plot, the world, the other characters, the writing is awful. The ending was so cheesy and embarrassing.
Mira is 15 and she runs away because she's dumb. She falls in instalove with TWO brothers that both want to kill her. It's literally insane how fast she falls in love with both of them and it's so funny when it doesn't work out with one, she jumps to the other and is like I lOVE you!!1
The vibe and the town of magic and curses is so OUAT and what drew me to this book in the first place but honestly it was so wasted. OUAT had messy writing but this was something else. A lot of it was being gross and trying to be extra but was just sexist and disgusting. Feminist is not a bad word but okay. Plus there were like three curses that were just reused and it was boring. And the fact that almost everyone ever was cursed was just ?? But why tho. Especially when we never get to actually see the mean fairies??
Most of this book is just Mira hanging out with her new friends going to the beach, hanging out at a coffee shop, and not actually doing a goddamn thing. Blue is so creepy and gross, fucking die pls. He randomly touches her and calls her sexy and she's like I HATE YOUUU but then is like haha nvm keep going ;) even while she is literally in his brother's bed. His brother by the way who was 21 and making out with the 15 year old he just met. She needed a place to stay and he instantly takes her in and they share a bed on the FIRST NIGHT AND HE FEELS HER UP. Hello FBI? This fucking predator right here.
Mira please choke. She really gets JEALOUS OF DEAD GIRLS and I don't know how to respond to this besides to shove her off a cliff. For some reason she buys a lingerie nightgown for her new bf (that she met the day before) and then in a fit of boredom she goes dicking around the casino in it (because bf owns a casino) and I'm just supposed to think that shit isn't weird as hell? "It doubles as a dress"?? Girl you are 15 years old go the fuck home this whole book is CREEPY. She pretends to be so mature but every single thing she does is immature as hell. I love how she is so called blessed with intelligence but a bag of rocks is smarter than this girl. She literally pouts, I'm not making this up!!
The most interesting character is the girl who pukes flowers and gemstones because I too wish to choke after reading this book.
Kill Me Softly is about a girl named Mira who runs away from her godmothers to the town where she was born and where her parents died: Beau Rivage. Beau Rivage is mysterious and it turns out full of magic and curses. There Mira falls in with some new friends, and falls in love all while trying to find out about her parents.
Dude this fucking sucked. It sucked so bad. We have reached levels of suck we shouldn't be able to reach but here we are. The worst part is that I KNEW this book sucked because I read it in 2012!! Why did I read this again then? I don't know!! I really forgot HOW awful this was.
This book is everything wrong with YA and everything that will ever be wrong with YA. I'm literally shocked this book even exists from how awful it is. Mira is awful. The love interests are awful. The plot, the world, the other characters, the writing is awful. The ending was so cheesy and embarrassing.
Mira is 15 and she runs away because she's dumb. She falls in instalove with TWO brothers that both want to kill her. It's literally insane how fast she falls in love with both of them and it's so funny when it doesn't work out with one, she jumps to the other and is like I lOVE you!!1
The vibe and the town of magic and curses is so OUAT and what drew me to this book in the first place but honestly it was so wasted. OUAT had messy writing but this was something else. A lot of it was being gross and trying to be extra but was just sexist and disgusting. Feminist is not a bad word but okay. Plus there were like three curses that were just reused and it was boring. And the fact that almost everyone ever was cursed was just ?? But why tho. Especially when we never get to actually see the mean fairies??
Most of this book is just Mira hanging out with her new friends going to the beach, hanging out at a coffee shop, and not actually doing a goddamn thing. Blue is so creepy and gross, fucking die pls. He randomly touches her and calls her sexy and she's like I HATE YOUUU but then is like haha nvm keep going ;) even while she is literally in his brother's bed. His brother by the way who was 21 and making out with the 15 year old he just met. She needed a place to stay and he instantly takes her in and they share a bed on the FIRST NIGHT AND HE FEELS HER UP. Hello FBI? This fucking predator right here.
Mira please choke. She really gets JEALOUS OF DEAD GIRLS and I don't know how to respond to this besides to shove her off a cliff. For some reason she buys a lingerie nightgown for her new bf (that she met the day before) and then in a fit of boredom she goes dicking around the casino in it (because bf owns a casino) and I'm just supposed to think that shit isn't weird as hell? "It doubles as a dress"?? Girl you are 15 years old go the fuck home this whole book is CREEPY. She pretends to be so mature but every single thing she does is immature as hell. I love how she is so called blessed with intelligence but a bag of rocks is smarter than this girl. She literally pouts, I'm not making this up!!
The most interesting character is the girl who pukes flowers and gemstones because I too wish to choke after reading this book.
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
*Editing of older, more negative reviews*
I really like fiction with fairy tale elements; that said, I did not care for this book. No offense to the author, because the writing was fine, or to those who liked it- this just didn't click with me. It's the characters. Mainly the main character. Okay, only the main character.
Simply put, she's not very likable- always mad, never listening, "in love" after a single day, unbelievably rude to a guy who is nothing but kind to her, but my main frustration? She finds out that these people are all cursed with fairy tale curses, but they can't tell her what. Sooo.... why didn't she just go check out a book of fairy tales? I mean, Bluebeard is not that obscure of a fairy tale, so I'll suspend my disbelief that she didn't realize that was what was going on, but to not even try to look some up? 'Oh, you spit jewels out of your mouth all the time? That's weird,' instead of 'Oh, what fairy tale is that curse based upon?' Just read a few wikipedia entries. Sheesh. I just really really didn't like her. The premise was good, and the writing was fine- just couldn't get past the main character.
I really like fiction with fairy tale elements; that said, I did not care for this book. No offense to the author, because the writing was fine, or to those who liked it- this just didn't click with me. It's the characters. Mainly the main character. Okay, only the main character.
Simply put, she's not very likable- always mad, never listening, "in love" after a single day, unbelievably rude to a guy who is nothing but kind to her, but my main frustration? She finds out that these people are all cursed with fairy tale curses, but they can't tell her what. Sooo.... why didn't she just go check out a book of fairy tales? I mean, Bluebeard is not that obscure of a fairy tale, so I'll suspend my disbelief that she didn't realize that was what was going on, but to not even try to look some up? 'Oh, you spit jewels out of your mouth all the time? That's weird,' instead of 'Oh, what fairy tale is that curse based upon?' Just read a few wikipedia entries. Sheesh. I just really really didn't like her. The premise was good, and the writing was fine- just couldn't get past the main character.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
1.5⭐️ This book is just three trash bags in a trench coat pretending to be a novel. This is a fairytails meets real life fantasy story.
I liked the idea of the plot.
I liked the idea of the setting.
I liked the way the first chapter was written.
The pacing was pretty good.
This book would have been a solid 4 maybe even possible 5 star read if it wasn’t for Mira being dumb as a box of hair.
NOBODY explains to her what is going on AT ALL . Not the godparents, not the townspeople, and so many things could have been avoided had someone just opened their fucking mouth.
Not to victim blame, but Mira…If everyone you meet tells you to stay away from someone in a town you don’t know, you should maybe stay away from them. She has the reasoning and self-preservation of a 13 year old who is a little bit stupider than the average 13 yr old. It’s kind of fitting because she’s a 15 yr old. A 15 yr old being preyed upon by a 21yr old and his asshole of a little brother.
The only characters I found somewhat endearing are Freddie, Jewel, and the girl who is meant to be Belle from sleeping beauty. And even those characters you find endearing the same way one would find a 2 legged dog in a foot race with 4 legged dogs endearing. Its a tough chance of winning but we respect their efforts.
I was on 28% and fighting not to DNF this book because Mira’s problem had a simple solution.
Step 1: Figure out her trigger
Step 2: Ask Freddie if he’d kiss her awake. (he likely would)
Step 3: Trigger the trigger
Step 4: Have Freddie kiss her. BOOM! Curse broken. All this extra rigamarole was completely unnecessary. That was space they could have saved for tying up loose fucking ends!
By the end, I wanted Mira to not make it. I wanted to see her lose.
I liked the idea of the plot.
I liked the idea of the setting.
I liked the way the first chapter was written.
The pacing was pretty good.
This book would have been a solid 4 maybe even possible 5 star read if it wasn’t for Mira being dumb as a box of hair.
NOBODY explains to her what is going on AT ALL . Not the godparents, not the townspeople, and so many things could have been avoided had someone just opened their fucking mouth.
Not to victim blame, but Mira…If everyone you meet tells you to stay away from someone in a town you don’t know, you should maybe stay away from them. She has the reasoning and self-preservation of a 13 year old who is a little bit stupider than the average 13 yr old. It’s kind of fitting because she’s a 15 yr old. A 15 yr old being preyed upon by a 21yr old and his asshole of a little brother.
The only characters I found somewhat endearing are Freddie, Jewel, and the girl who is meant to be Belle from sleeping beauty. And even those characters you find endearing the same way one would find a 2 legged dog in a foot race with 4 legged dogs endearing. Its a tough chance of winning but we respect their efforts.
I was on 28% and fighting not to DNF this book because Mira’s problem had a simple solution.
Step 1: Figure out her trigger
Step 2: Ask Freddie if he’d kiss her awake. (he likely would)
Step 3: Trigger the trigger
Step 4: Have Freddie kiss her. BOOM! Curse broken. All this extra rigamarole was completely unnecessary. That was space they could have saved for tying up loose fucking ends!
By the end, I wanted Mira to not make it. I wanted to see her lose.
I need to process before I write this. I'm not even sure about the rating I gave it.
---
This is a strange book for me to review. In matters of concept and world, this book is pretty cool. A whole town filled with a twist on fairytales and characters, and a strange relationship with destiny and fate. The tattoos that mark the characters/types is also fun. Big fan of that.
The rest of it is just strange. You know how when you read a first time writer, or you write something early in your writing and it's like it exists in a vacuum? Like the adults are absent so much that it's unbelievable. Or the characters go so much with the plot and momentum that it's hard to believe that no one is stopping and thinking, 'hey, this is weird and I need a moment to process.' That's this book. The main character goes to Beau Rivage to find her parents' graves, etc. but after maybe a day or something, she's completely taken in by the citizens of the town and it's like her parents don't matter. She falls in love quickly (which I hate) even though. It's kind of twilight zone or dream-like in the sense that I can't quite buy the world and the circumstances. And that really threw me.
Also, the characters are less charming and more annoying. I continued reading because the concept of the story was enough to propel me forward, but in the end, I rolled my eyes a lot at the characters (insta-love or love in a a matter of days really isn't my thing).
So would I recommend it? Maybe. If you liked fairytale retellings and twists, liked the show Once Upon A Time, but darker and weren't bothered by the above story issues. Which when Once Upon A Time goes the direction of inconsistency and you're not bothered, then you might really like this book.
---
This is a strange book for me to review. In matters of concept and world, this book is pretty cool. A whole town filled with a twist on fairytales and characters, and a strange relationship with destiny and fate. The tattoos that mark the characters/types is also fun. Big fan of that.
The rest of it is just strange. You know how when you read a first time writer, or you write something early in your writing and it's like it exists in a vacuum? Like the adults are absent so much that it's unbelievable. Or the characters go so much with the plot and momentum that it's hard to believe that no one is stopping and thinking, 'hey, this is weird and I need a moment to process.' That's this book. The main character goes to Beau Rivage to find her parents' graves, etc. but after maybe a day or something, she's completely taken in by the citizens of the town and it's like her parents don't matter. She falls in love quickly (which I hate) even though
Spoiler
it's toxicAlso, the characters are less charming and more annoying. I continued reading because the concept of the story was enough to propel me forward, but in the end, I rolled my eyes a lot at the characters (insta-love or love in a a matter of days really isn't my thing).
So would I recommend it? Maybe. If you liked fairytale retellings and twists, liked the show Once Upon A Time, but darker and weren't bothered by the above story issues. Which when Once Upon A Time goes the direction of inconsistency and you're not bothered, then you might really like this book.
Except for the potential statutory rape that nearly happened, this book was awesome. BUT...the ending left me wondering what happened to one of the Romantics?