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momwithareadingproblem's Reviews (1.18k)
I’m not gonna lie….I really debated picking this up to read. It’s been recommended to me SO much by so many people that I trust their recommendations and yet I was still hesitant. Why? Because I tried reading it last year on vacation and despised it. I DNFed at around the halfway mark and felt zero remorse for doing so. Then the audiobook popped up as a daily deal on Audible, and I thought “Maybe I’ll enjoy it more if someone reads it to me…..” Well that thought was apparently true. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black has moved to my list of favorites. It’s dark, intriguing, and leaves you questioning your own morals. You know everything a true fairy tale is.
Jude was only seven when she witnessed a fairy kill her parents and was then whisked away to his land with her sisters. Her older sister is part-fae, her other is her twin and opposite. Jude has learned in her time with the fairies to be ruthless and cunning. If she wants a place in their courts, she will have to fight for it and prove her worth. She is not above doing just that, no matter the cost or collateral damage. The things she has survived will turn your stomach, and yet when she does some pretty despicable things herself you root for her. Honestly it left my head spinning.
Prince Cardan is the youngest son of the High King, and a classmate of Jude’s. He is cruel as the title suggests, and yet behind his cruelty is something I did not expect. The looks he gives Jude, his attention and his backwards way of protecting her all hint at deeper feelings, a twisted view of love perhaps. I was fascinated by him. For all of Jude’s protestations, she is too.
I really can’t tell you anything about the plot because well….spoilers! I can say that there are so many twists and turns that you will never guess the ending. And the ending?! OMG!!!! That ending ranks up there with [b:Catching Fire|6148028|Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2)|Suzanne Collins|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1358273780i/6148028._SY75_.jpg|6171458] and [b:Empire of Storms|28260587|Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass, #5)|Sarah J. Maas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1463107108i/28260587._SY75_.jpg|25272004]. It left me with my jaw on the floor.
The world-building is beautiful. These fairies are cruel and unearthly, as they should be. They are inhuman and Jude and her sister have to navigate this world with all their human feelings. It’s a wonder Jude is the way she is.
Overall I really enjoyed The Cruel Prince. I’m glad I decided to pick it up again. I love fairy stories, and this is the closest I’ve ever read to true fairy mythology. I love it! I can’t wait to see what will happen next to Jude and Cardan and what they’ve set in motion. If you enjoy fantasy and fairy tales, I highly recommend this be your next read!
Jude was only seven when she witnessed a fairy kill her parents and was then whisked away to his land with her sisters. Her older sister is part-fae, her other is her twin and opposite. Jude has learned in her time with the fairies to be ruthless and cunning. If she wants a place in their courts, she will have to fight for it and prove her worth. She is not above doing just that, no matter the cost or collateral damage. The things she has survived will turn your stomach, and yet when she does some pretty despicable things herself you root for her. Honestly it left my head spinning.
Prince Cardan is the youngest son of the High King, and a classmate of Jude’s. He is cruel as the title suggests, and yet behind his cruelty is something I did not expect. The looks he gives Jude, his attention and his backwards way of protecting her all hint at deeper feelings, a twisted view of love perhaps. I was fascinated by him. For all of Jude’s protestations, she is too.
I really can’t tell you anything about the plot because well….spoilers! I can say that there are so many twists and turns that you will never guess the ending. And the ending?! OMG!!!! That ending ranks up there with [b:Catching Fire|6148028|Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2)|Suzanne Collins|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1358273780i/6148028._SY75_.jpg|6171458] and [b:Empire of Storms|28260587|Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass, #5)|Sarah J. Maas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1463107108i/28260587._SY75_.jpg|25272004]. It left me with my jaw on the floor.
The world-building is beautiful. These fairies are cruel and unearthly, as they should be. They are inhuman and Jude and her sister have to navigate this world with all their human feelings. It’s a wonder Jude is the way she is.
Overall I really enjoyed The Cruel Prince. I’m glad I decided to pick it up again. I love fairy stories, and this is the closest I’ve ever read to true fairy mythology. I love it! I can’t wait to see what will happen next to Jude and Cardan and what they’ve set in motion. If you enjoy fantasy and fairy tales, I highly recommend this be your next read!
I can’t y’all! I can’t even….The Wicked King by Holly Black is the brutal sequel to [b:The Cruel Prince|26032825|The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)|Holly Black|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1493047153l/26032825._SY75_.jpg|45959123]. Every word lives up to its name. The twists and turns, the hate-love-hate relationship, and the machinations of the Fae court left me gutted. I need a bottle of wine or two and several nights to recoup. I also need [b:The Queen of Nothing|26032912|The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air, #3)|Holly Black|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1553624975l/26032912._SX50_.jpg|45959205] like yesterday. Argh!!! Let’s recap shall we? If you have not read the first book in this series, there are spoilers ahead to that book. Read at your own risk.
Spoiler
[b:The Cruel Prince|26032825|The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)|Holly Black|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1493047153l/26032825._SY75_.jpg|45959123] ends on a cliffhanger, though not quite as large a cliffhanger as this one. As the reader, I was left bereft and heartsick. Jude tricked Cardan into wearing the crown and he is now the High King. Oak is in the mortal world with Viv where he will remain until he is of age and ready to take the crown. Jude not only tricked Cardan into wearing the crown, but also into giving her power over him for one year and one day. That’s major in fairy. He can not harm her and must consult her on every decision. This means that really Jude is in charge, not Cardan. But she’s only in charge for one year and one day. Will Oak be ready for the throne that soon?Jude is one of those characters that I pity. She makes all the wrong decisions for all the right reasons. Rather than trusting those around her she tries to do it all herself. This is her first mistake. Those that she does trust (who are VERY few) aren’t exactly the most trustworthy. That is her second mistake. Taking Cardan’s will….that is her final mistake. Her heart is in the right place, however in fairy human emotions have no place. That is her biggest problem. Her feelings govern her, and she wears her heart on her sleeve. No matter how much she tries not too.
Cardan is the ultimate is-he-trustworthy-or-isn’t-he character I’ve ever read! He is an enigma. He says one thing and does another. Fairies can’t lie, but oh man can they deceive. You never know the meaning behind the truths Cardan speaks. I want to love him (and I do), but do I trust him? I’m still on the fence there.
“Tell me again what you said at the revel,” he says, climbing over me, his body against mine.The tension is real between these two. It bleeds off the pages (or I guess since I listened to it, the words bleed). I found myself fully engrossed in their interactions, trying to read between the lines and pick up on any deception and half-truths. Cardan doesn’t question Jude when she gives an order, and eventually she stops ordering and starts counseling as required by her position. A tenuous trust develops between them and I have to say I loved it!
“What?” I can barely think.
“That you hate me,” he says, his voice hoarse. “Tell me that you hate me.”
“I hate you,” I say, the words coming out like a caress. I say it again, over and over. A litany. An enchantment. A ward against what I really feel. “I hate you. I hate you. I hate you.”
He kisses me harder.
“I hate you,” I breathe into his mouth. “I hate you so much that sometimes I can’t think of anything else.”
The plot of this story revolves around the alliance between the sea and land. The sea queen Orlagh features in this book. She is the unknown enemy, and her motives are questionable. What she does however turns my stomach. A normal person would come away crying and with some serious PTSD….I leave it there 😉
Caitlin Kelly is a fantastic narrator. I found myself completely engrossed, unable to tear myself away from the story as she narrated. Her different inflections and tone make it easy to read into what the characters are thinking and feeling, adding more to the story than what’s on paper.
Overall I really loved The Wicked King! I couldn’t listen fast enough and finished it in two days. That ending though….gah! I need the next book ASAP. I need to know what will happen to Jude and Cardan and Oak. I need to know Taryn’s motives yet again. And I need to know where Madoc is. Y’all I could predict what I think will happen, but I won’t. I did that going into this one, and they all came true. However the second they came true Holly Black pulled the rug out from under me with these crazy plot twists that I did not see coming. So I will not predict this time and let myself be shocked and awed at her brilliance. If you enjoy fantasy and dark romance (if you can call what Jude and Cardan have romance), I highly recommend it!
I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
Snowfall on Cedar Trail by Annie Rains is the third book in the Sweetwater Springs series. This time we get the chief’s story. If you enjoy long time crush and small town romances, you are in for a treat.
Halona Locklear is the town’s local florist. A single mother, Halona spends most of her time either working or with her young son. Theo is mute, he hasn’t spoken since the untimely death of his father two years prior. All Halona wants for Christmas this year is to hear her son’s voice again. She would do anything for him. At the prompting of his therapist, Halona enrolls Theo in the local Mentor Match program (think Big Brother programs) not realizing her long time crush will be his match.
Chief of Police, Alex Baker usually spends the month of December alone, working his father’s cold case, trying to find the person responsible for running his father over years earlier. However at the prompting of the mayor, Alex enrolls to be a mentor in the Mentor Match program never imagining he’d match with Theo, Halona’s son. Alex has long had a crush on Halona, but she’s his best friend’s little sister. That is a line he could never cross, even with her brother’s blessing. Alex is honorable, kind, and exactly what Halona wants, but it’s getting him to believe that.
I really loved this sweet romance. Alex and Halona were introduced in the previous books of the series so I was excited to read their story. It was obvious from the previous books how they felt about one another, but the story behind those feelings I wasn’t expecting. I loved their slow burn romance. It is as sweet as it is steamy. If you enjoy contemporary, holiday romance, I highly recommend it.
Snowfall on Cedar Trail by Annie Rains is the third book in the Sweetwater Springs series. This time we get the chief’s story. If you enjoy long time crush and small town romances, you are in for a treat.
Halona Locklear is the town’s local florist. A single mother, Halona spends most of her time either working or with her young son. Theo is mute, he hasn’t spoken since the untimely death of his father two years prior. All Halona wants for Christmas this year is to hear her son’s voice again. She would do anything for him. At the prompting of his therapist, Halona enrolls Theo in the local Mentor Match program (think Big Brother programs) not realizing her long time crush will be his match.
Chief of Police, Alex Baker usually spends the month of December alone, working his father’s cold case, trying to find the person responsible for running his father over years earlier. However at the prompting of the mayor, Alex enrolls to be a mentor in the Mentor Match program never imagining he’d match with Theo, Halona’s son. Alex has long had a crush on Halona, but she’s his best friend’s little sister. That is a line he could never cross, even with her brother’s blessing. Alex is honorable, kind, and exactly what Halona wants, but it’s getting him to believe that.
I really loved this sweet romance. Alex and Halona were introduced in the previous books of the series so I was excited to read their story. It was obvious from the previous books how they felt about one another, but the story behind those feelings I wasn’t expecting. I loved their slow burn romance. It is as sweet as it is steamy. If you enjoy contemporary, holiday romance, I highly recommend it.
I received an eARC of this book via the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
It is no secret that I love retellings, and this book exceeded all of my expectations! Tin by Candace Robinson & Amber R. Duell is a substantially dark retelling of one of my favorites, The Wizard of Oz. Set roughly ten years after Dorothy returns to Kansas, Oz is in ruin. The fae who guided Dorothy as a child have gone their separate ways, and the gifts the wizard bestowed on them aren’t what they expected. Tin’s heart is stone once more, and the Lion has charged him with bringing Dorothy to his lover so she may wear her head. Can Dorothy soften the Tin Man’s heart or will she become just another victim to his bloodlust?
When we first meet Dorothy Gale, she is a jaded woman about to lose her family’s farm to debt. Ten years after her magical experience in Oz, Dorothy is lost once again. No one believed her about the magical slippers or the munchkins or the man who needed a heart. Instead she was subjected to “treatments” and told none of what she believed was true. So when a bitter Dorothy is pulled back into Oz by one of the Fae she long ago helped, the sadness and anger melts away to awe. It was all real, but nothing is what she remembered. The yellow brick road is crumbling, and the Fae she helped get a heart is cruel and distant, his heart returned to stone. I understood Dorothy and like her! She’s a fighter for those she cares for, and despite all she has been through continues to love and forgive with ease.
Tin is unlike any iteration of his character before him. I love this Tin Man! He has a heart of stone, no remorse for his actions, only living between jobs as an assassin in the kingdom of Oz. Like Dorothy, he is jaded and doesn’t care for the lives he takes. When approached to bring Dorothy back to Oz, he just accepts the payment and is even a little happy about the prospect of causing the girl pain who left him ten years prior. What he doesn’t expect is the woman he pulls through. Dorothy was just a girl when she was in Oz before, but humans age differently than Fae, and this girl is now a woman.
While Tin has plans to bring Dorothy to Langwidere, the witch ruling the west and attempting to overthrow Glinda in the South, Dorothy plans to find all her old friends and stop whatever is plaguing Oz. Dorothy’s kind heart and gentle spirit have an effect on Tin he can’t deny. I love how the authors combine the action and danger with a slow burn romance. Both move at a lightning quick pace, and the dual POV helps you understand the motives behind both characters. I found myself rooting from them from page one.
Overall I really enjoyed Tin. I loved the world of Oz and how the authors twisted the original to seamlessly create a new story. While I loved Tin and Dorothy, I cannot wait to see more of Crow and the others introduced throughout this book. If you enjoy Fae fantasy, slow burn and steamy romance, I highly recommend you grab this one.
It is no secret that I love retellings, and this book exceeded all of my expectations! Tin by Candace Robinson & Amber R. Duell is a substantially dark retelling of one of my favorites, The Wizard of Oz. Set roughly ten years after Dorothy returns to Kansas, Oz is in ruin. The fae who guided Dorothy as a child have gone their separate ways, and the gifts the wizard bestowed on them aren’t what they expected. Tin’s heart is stone once more, and the Lion has charged him with bringing Dorothy to his lover so she may wear her head. Can Dorothy soften the Tin Man’s heart or will she become just another victim to his bloodlust?
When we first meet Dorothy Gale, she is a jaded woman about to lose her family’s farm to debt. Ten years after her magical experience in Oz, Dorothy is lost once again. No one believed her about the magical slippers or the munchkins or the man who needed a heart. Instead she was subjected to “treatments” and told none of what she believed was true. So when a bitter Dorothy is pulled back into Oz by one of the Fae she long ago helped, the sadness and anger melts away to awe. It was all real, but nothing is what she remembered. The yellow brick road is crumbling, and the Fae she helped get a heart is cruel and distant, his heart returned to stone. I understood Dorothy and like her! She’s a fighter for those she cares for, and despite all she has been through continues to love and forgive with ease.
Tin is unlike any iteration of his character before him. I love this Tin Man! He has a heart of stone, no remorse for his actions, only living between jobs as an assassin in the kingdom of Oz. Like Dorothy, he is jaded and doesn’t care for the lives he takes. When approached to bring Dorothy back to Oz, he just accepts the payment and is even a little happy about the prospect of causing the girl pain who left him ten years prior. What he doesn’t expect is the woman he pulls through. Dorothy was just a girl when she was in Oz before, but humans age differently than Fae, and this girl is now a woman.
While Tin has plans to bring Dorothy to Langwidere, the witch ruling the west and attempting to overthrow Glinda in the South, Dorothy plans to find all her old friends and stop whatever is plaguing Oz. Dorothy’s kind heart and gentle spirit have an effect on Tin he can’t deny. I love how the authors combine the action and danger with a slow burn romance. Both move at a lightning quick pace, and the dual POV helps you understand the motives behind both characters. I found myself rooting from them from page one.
Overall I really enjoyed Tin. I loved the world of Oz and how the authors twisted the original to seamlessly create a new story. While I loved Tin and Dorothy, I cannot wait to see more of Crow and the others introduced throughout this book. If you enjoy Fae fantasy, slow burn and steamy romance, I highly recommend you grab this one.
So I jumped on the Bridgerton train a little late, but y’all! I absolutely loved the new Netflix show, even my hubby enjoyed it. I’ve always enjoyed period dramas, and this one moved to the number one spot of favorites. I didn’t realize it was based off a book series though until I started watching it. The first thing I did once I had the chance is pick up the audiobook and dive in. If you haven’t read the book and enjoyed the show or you enjoy historical romance with a touch of snark, I highly recommend you grab a copy asap.
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn is the first book in her widely successful series Bridgerton about a rather large family finding happiness and love in regency London. This book follows Daphne Bridgerton as she sets off to find a husband and the Duke of Hastings who refuses to marry.
Daphne is a treat. She is not what you’d expect of a character set during this time period. She speaks her mind, isn’t actually ready to marry, and pleasant to be around. She doesn’t see the other society ladies as competition and is happier in the corner laughing with her brothers than being trotted out to every eligible bachelor in town. Then she meets Simon.
Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings, has the reputation of being a cad, but in reality he is anything but. He keeps to himself and hasn’t been to town in several years. Planning to attend one party to see his old friend, Anthony Bridgerton, and then leave, Simon isn’t prepared to lose his heart to a woman.
I love how the relationship between Daphne and Simon develops naturally through the book. The friendship they begin is the foundation of their relationship and nothing could be better than that. The banter is perfect, and the steam is well steamy
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn is the first book in her widely successful series Bridgerton about a rather large family finding happiness and love in regency London. This book follows Daphne Bridgerton as she sets off to find a husband and the Duke of Hastings who refuses to marry.
Daphne is a treat. She is not what you’d expect of a character set during this time period. She speaks her mind, isn’t actually ready to marry, and pleasant to be around. She doesn’t see the other society ladies as competition and is happier in the corner laughing with her brothers than being trotted out to every eligible bachelor in town. Then she meets Simon.
Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings, has the reputation of being a cad, but in reality he is anything but. He keeps to himself and hasn’t been to town in several years. Planning to attend one party to see his old friend, Anthony Bridgerton, and then leave, Simon isn’t prepared to lose his heart to a woman.
I love how the relationship between Daphne and Simon develops naturally through the book. The friendship they begin is the foundation of their relationship and nothing could be better than that. The banter is perfect, and the steam is well steamy
I received an eARC of this book via the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
Brilliant conclusion to the series! The Ever Falls by Robin D. Mahle is the long awaited finale to the World Apart series, and y’all, it does NOT disappoint. Picking up right where [b:The Forgotten World|48669394|The Forgotten World (The World Apart, #3)|Robin D. Mahle|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1572738812l/48669394._SY75_.jpg|65992433] left off, The Ever Falls will sink its teeth into readers and not let go to the very last page. If you’ve been dying to know the conclusion to Clark and Addie’s epic love story and adventure, this is the book for you.
Please note that there may be spoilers from previous books in the series in this review. Read at your own risk.
Addie is in a dark place at the beginning of this book. Her world imploded with the revelation that her own father has been working with Spectrum and caused the explosion that killed her mother and sister. She’s also dealing with her short, forced marriage to HaDrian which annulled her marriage to Clark, a marriage she wasn’t sure she wanted until it was taken away from her. With barely any time to process what has happened to her, Addie is thrust back into danger as she and her friends travel back to where it all started in the hopes of stopping Spectrum once and for all.
Clark’s headspace isn’t any better than Addie’s. He thought he lost his father only to learn that he was alive and well, fighting with the enemy. He watched his brother die only to find him alive and healed with the father that attempted to kill him. He then lost Addie during their transport to Levalia and finds her married to a sadistic king. Anger rules his thoughts as he tries to wrap his mind around all that has happened, all that he lost, and all he gained back. The grief and loss are still at the forefront of his mind. He doesn’t want to risk losing Gunther or Addie again. He doesn’t trust his father even if his reasoning for lying makes sense. My heart ached for him as like Addie there is no time to process these emotions before danger calls them home.
The bulk of this novel takes place back in Central City where it all started. Addie and Clark with their friends and family have a choice to make. They can stop Spectrum but potentially doom the world, or they can evacuate those they can and let Central City be destroyed. Is it really a choice for our heroes? Addie and Clark will stop at nothing to save the city and the millions who live there. Only one thing can truly save the city, but who will be brave enough to make the sacrifice? Y’all this book tore me apart. I cried, I raged, I cried some more. I love that the author can evoke that emotion from me as I read.
In the previous books of the series, Mahle fed us backstory of characters at the beginning of some chapters. The backstories are complete, but that doesn’t mean we don’t get more from the other characters. The author surprised me with some new POV chapters from all of our favorite characters. I loved getting perspectives from so many other characters. It adds dimension and clarity to the actions of various people in Addie and Clark’s lives.
Overall I loved this finale. The Ever Falls is everything I wanted from the series and everything I didn’t know I needed. If you’ve enjoyed the series so far, you will be pleased with this conclusion. I can’t recommend it enough!
Brilliant conclusion to the series! The Ever Falls by Robin D. Mahle is the long awaited finale to the World Apart series, and y’all, it does NOT disappoint. Picking up right where [b:The Forgotten World|48669394|The Forgotten World (The World Apart, #3)|Robin D. Mahle|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1572738812l/48669394._SY75_.jpg|65992433] left off, The Ever Falls will sink its teeth into readers and not let go to the very last page. If you’ve been dying to know the conclusion to Clark and Addie’s epic love story and adventure, this is the book for you.
Please note that there may be spoilers from previous books in the series in this review. Read at your own risk.
Addie is in a dark place at the beginning of this book. Her world imploded with the revelation that her own father has been working with Spectrum and caused the explosion that killed her mother and sister. She’s also dealing with her short, forced marriage to HaDrian which annulled her marriage to Clark, a marriage she wasn’t sure she wanted until it was taken away from her. With barely any time to process what has happened to her, Addie is thrust back into danger as she and her friends travel back to where it all started in the hopes of stopping Spectrum once and for all.
Clark’s headspace isn’t any better than Addie’s. He thought he lost his father only to learn that he was alive and well, fighting with the enemy. He watched his brother die only to find him alive and healed with the father that attempted to kill him. He then lost Addie during their transport to Levalia and finds her married to a sadistic king. Anger rules his thoughts as he tries to wrap his mind around all that has happened, all that he lost, and all he gained back. The grief and loss are still at the forefront of his mind. He doesn’t want to risk losing Gunther or Addie again. He doesn’t trust his father even if his reasoning for lying makes sense. My heart ached for him as like Addie there is no time to process these emotions before danger calls them home.
The bulk of this novel takes place back in Central City where it all started. Addie and Clark with their friends and family have a choice to make. They can stop Spectrum but potentially doom the world, or they can evacuate those they can and let Central City be destroyed. Is it really a choice for our heroes? Addie and Clark will stop at nothing to save the city and the millions who live there. Only one thing can truly save the city, but who will be brave enough to make the sacrifice? Y’all this book tore me apart. I cried, I raged, I cried some more. I love that the author can evoke that emotion from me as I read.
In the previous books of the series, Mahle fed us backstory of characters at the beginning of some chapters. The backstories are complete, but that doesn’t mean we don’t get more from the other characters. The author surprised me with some new POV chapters from all of our favorite characters. I loved getting perspectives from so many other characters. It adds dimension and clarity to the actions of various people in Addie and Clark’s lives.
Overall I loved this finale. The Ever Falls is everything I wanted from the series and everything I didn’t know I needed. If you’ve enjoyed the series so far, you will be pleased with this conclusion. I can’t recommend it enough!
Enchanted Kingdoms: A Limited Edition Twisted Fairytale Anthology
Stacey O'Neale, Daphne Moore, Lee Ann Ward, Beth Hale, Kit Winters, Astrid V.J., Zara Quentin, Charlotte Daniels, Lacy Sheridan, Amanda Marin, Anne Stryker, J.A. Culican, May Dawson, Eileen Mueller, A.J. Ponder, Cassidy Taylor, J.A. Armitage, Craig Halloran, IreAnne Chambers, Jacque Stevens, Rachel McManamay, Kimbra Swain
This review is for Promises and Pixie Dust, which is included in the anthology.
I received an eARC of this book via the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
This is the fairytale retelling I didn’t know I needed! Promises and Pixie Dust by Robin D. Mahle & Elle Madison, who are quickly becoming one of my favorite author duos, is a sweet, standalone retelling of Thumbelina and included in the anthology Enchanted Kingdoms. Following the story of Lina and Edrich, Promises and Pixie Dust explores the world from two very different points of view as one girl searches for a world she belongs in.
The story opens with Lina saying goodbye to her friends and waiting for one person in particular, Edrich. Lina is preparing to enter the enchanted forest and find people like her. That is, Lina wants to find someone that is her size, not much bigger than your thumb. Since her mother’s passing, the call of the forest and to find others like her has only gotten stronger. And why wouldn’t it? Everything in Lina’s life has to be modified for her to use. That doesn’t stop her. Nothing does! She is a force to be reckoned with, even driving a wagon full of supplies with a complicated system of ropes and pulleys. But now there is nothing stopping her from searching except Edrich.
To say Edrich is shocked to see Lina at the bar, much less her request to accompany her to the Enchanted Forest, is an understatement. Edrich has spent the last few years trying to forget his little friend and the feelings she stirs in him. As his mother pointed out long ago, Lina deserves better than the half-life he can give her and he the same. So he left, joining a group of mercenaries. Now that life haunts him. With a few days off between jobs, he decides to accompany Lina, he can’t let her go on her own after all. There is a bitterness that festers between these two, though Lina is unaware of the cause only the hurt that she feels.
The plot follows these two into the enchanted forest, and I couldn’t love it more! The alternating POV really help bring into focus how the world is seen from a normal sized human like Edrich and Lina’s fairy size. I love their banter, even their tense arguments as you see the tension swelling between these two former friends. My heart ached for them.
Overall, I really enjoyed Promises and Pixie Dust. Thumbelina was one of my favorite cartoons growing up, and the authors brought her to life here. I love how intricate and vivid the details of the forest are from Lina’s perspective. It was easy to imagine myself at her size, seeing the world from her POV. If you enjoy YA fantasy, retellings, and of course a bit of romance, I highly recommend Promises and Pixie Dust.
I received an eARC of this book via the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
This is the fairytale retelling I didn’t know I needed! Promises and Pixie Dust by Robin D. Mahle & Elle Madison, who are quickly becoming one of my favorite author duos, is a sweet, standalone retelling of Thumbelina and included in the anthology Enchanted Kingdoms. Following the story of Lina and Edrich, Promises and Pixie Dust explores the world from two very different points of view as one girl searches for a world she belongs in.
The story opens with Lina saying goodbye to her friends and waiting for one person in particular, Edrich. Lina is preparing to enter the enchanted forest and find people like her. That is, Lina wants to find someone that is her size, not much bigger than your thumb. Since her mother’s passing, the call of the forest and to find others like her has only gotten stronger. And why wouldn’t it? Everything in Lina’s life has to be modified for her to use. That doesn’t stop her. Nothing does! She is a force to be reckoned with, even driving a wagon full of supplies with a complicated system of ropes and pulleys. But now there is nothing stopping her from searching except Edrich.
To say Edrich is shocked to see Lina at the bar, much less her request to accompany her to the Enchanted Forest, is an understatement. Edrich has spent the last few years trying to forget his little friend and the feelings she stirs in him. As his mother pointed out long ago, Lina deserves better than the half-life he can give her and he the same. So he left, joining a group of mercenaries. Now that life haunts him. With a few days off between jobs, he decides to accompany Lina, he can’t let her go on her own after all. There is a bitterness that festers between these two, though Lina is unaware of the cause only the hurt that she feels.
The plot follows these two into the enchanted forest, and I couldn’t love it more! The alternating POV really help bring into focus how the world is seen from a normal sized human like Edrich and Lina’s fairy size. I love their banter, even their tense arguments as you see the tension swelling between these two former friends. My heart ached for them.
Overall, I really enjoyed Promises and Pixie Dust. Thumbelina was one of my favorite cartoons growing up, and the authors brought her to life here. I love how intricate and vivid the details of the forest are from Lina’s perspective. It was easy to imagine myself at her size, seeing the world from her POV. If you enjoy YA fantasy, retellings, and of course a bit of romance, I highly recommend Promises and Pixie Dust.
One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus is an intriguing mystery following four high school students after one of their fellow classmates dies during detention. This book reminds me of a darker version of the 80’s classic The Breakfast Club, which happens to also be the original inspiration for the story. Delivering a keep-you-guessing mystery while also addressing some of today’s biggest social dilemmas, One of Us is Lying is a must-read for those that enjoy a realistic thriller.
The Princess: I love Addy. Of all the characters, she grows the most. Dating the same boy since she was 14, Addy tends to disappear in his shadow. No one really thinks of her outside of her role as Jake’s girlfriend. Even she has lost herself somewhere along their relationship. After that fateful afternoon in detention though, Addy’s life spirals out of her normal, and she finds that the life she was living wasn’t really living afterall.
The Jock: Cooper is the last person you’d expect to find in detention. Labeled a golden boy by his peers, he really is a golden boy. He’s kind to everyone, makes good grades, avoids trouble, and a star pitcher. But like the others in detention he’s hiding a part of himself from everyone.
The Criminal: Nate is currently on parole for drug dealing, and he’s still doing it because someone has to pay the bills and it isn’t going to be his drunk dad. I empathized with this character. He has basically given up on making anything out of his life. His mom abandoned him, his dad may as well have, and the only person he can rely on is himself. But now he makes the perfect scapegoat.
The plot of this one moves at lightning speed. During detention these four realize that they are there for the same reason. Someone snuck phones into their backpacks that weren’t theirs, and the teacher caught them. Then, the fifth student in detention dies, leaving each of them as a suspect in his potential murder. The student that died happened to have a gossip blog/app where he would post true gossip about fellow classmates using their initials so everyone knew who was being gossiped about. He made a lot of enemies, and the four in detention? They were his next target. I love how this story unfolded. Lots of shock and awe moments for sure! I had an entire chart of possibilities for what the end was.
Overall I really enjoyed One of Us is Lying. The only reason it isn’t five stars is the predictability factor. While I didn’t predict with 100% accuracy the conclusion of this one, I did get the main idea within the first few chapters of the book. Despite this, I still enjoyed the story. The author addresses mental illness stigmas, emotional abuse in relationships, drugs, and the effects of social media on teens throughout the book….just to name a few. If you are looking for a mystery that will keep you up all night, look no further than One of Us is Lying.
“She’s a princess and you’re a jock,” he says. He thrusts his chin toward Bronwyn, then at Nate. “And you’re a brain. And you’re a criminal. You’re all walking teen-movie stereotypes.”The Brain: The story begins with Bronwyn Rojas, one of the smartest girls in her school, heading to detention, wrongfully accused in her opinion. I really liked Bronwyn, probably because she reminds me a bit of myself in high school: Good with books, bad with people. Well, maybe not bad, but definitely awkward in social situations. She has her small clique of friends she can be herself with, and then outside of that people don’t really understand her. Bronwyn is what most would consider high strung, an overachiever. Yet she has her reasons.
The Princess: I love Addy. Of all the characters, she grows the most. Dating the same boy since she was 14, Addy tends to disappear in his shadow. No one really thinks of her outside of her role as Jake’s girlfriend. Even she has lost herself somewhere along their relationship. After that fateful afternoon in detention though, Addy’s life spirals out of her normal, and she finds that the life she was living wasn’t really living afterall.
The Jock: Cooper is the last person you’d expect to find in detention. Labeled a golden boy by his peers, he really is a golden boy. He’s kind to everyone, makes good grades, avoids trouble, and a star pitcher. But like the others in detention he’s hiding a part of himself from everyone.
The Criminal: Nate is currently on parole for drug dealing, and he’s still doing it because someone has to pay the bills and it isn’t going to be his drunk dad. I empathized with this character. He has basically given up on making anything out of his life. His mom abandoned him, his dad may as well have, and the only person he can rely on is himself. But now he makes the perfect scapegoat.
The plot of this one moves at lightning speed. During detention these four realize that they are there for the same reason. Someone snuck phones into their backpacks that weren’t theirs, and the teacher caught them. Then, the fifth student in detention dies, leaving each of them as a suspect in his potential murder. The student that died happened to have a gossip blog/app where he would post true gossip about fellow classmates using their initials so everyone knew who was being gossiped about. He made a lot of enemies, and the four in detention? They were his next target. I love how this story unfolded. Lots of shock and awe moments for sure! I had an entire chart of possibilities for what the end was.
Overall I really enjoyed One of Us is Lying. The only reason it isn’t five stars is the predictability factor. While I didn’t predict with 100% accuracy the conclusion of this one, I did get the main idea within the first few chapters of the book. Despite this, I still enjoyed the story. The author addresses mental illness stigmas, emotional abuse in relationships, drugs, and the effects of social media on teens throughout the book….just to name a few. If you are looking for a mystery that will keep you up all night, look no further than One of Us is Lying.