Book Review: The Neverland Wars - Audrey Greathouse

Title: The Neverland Wars
Author: Audrey Greathouse
Genre: YA - Fantasy, Fairytale Retell

Buy Link: http://amzn.com/1634221710

Blurb (from Goodreads):
Magic can do a lot—give you flight, show you mermaids, help you taste the stars, and… solve the budget crisis? That's what the grown-ups will do with it if they ever make it to Neverland to steal its magic and bring their children home.

However, Gwen doesn't know this. She's just a sixteen-year-old girl with a place on the debate team and a powerful crush on Jay, the soon-to-be homecoming king. She doesn't know her little sister could actually run away with Peter Pan, or that she might have to chase after her to bring her home safe. Gwen will find out though—and when she does, she'll discover she's in the middle of a looming war between Neverland and reality.

She'll be out of place as a teenager in Neverland, but she won't be the only one. Peter Pan's constant treks back to the mainland have slowly aged him into adolescence as well. Soon, Gwen will have to decide whether she's going to join impish, playful Peter in his fight for eternal youth… or if she's going to scramble back to reality in time for the homecoming dance.

My Review:

I'm in love with Peter Pan stories.  I can't get enough of the different takes of the classic fairy tale.  I fall into these patterns a lot; Beauty and the Beast is my favorite to read, but I've also done Cinderella, and Red Riding Hood multiple times.

What I Loved:  A popular theme in Peter Pan retells has been that Hook is not the 'bad guy' and Peter Pan is.  I haven't minded these role swaps, and find them a lot of fun, I'm thankful that someone has decided to keep the playful, adventurous Peter Pan in character!   I loved the descriptions of him behaving perfectly youthful and curious, while at the same time showing his burden for the home he loves and the desire to keep it protected from those who wish to use it for their own gain.

Gwen's character was so perfect, even before Peter and Neverland come into play in this book, you can see the internal battle that she faces between wanting to be teenage and enjoy the things teenagers enjoy, while at the same time keeping that carefree freedom that only comes with being a child.  As she does venture into Neverland, that internal battle is even stronger.

Not So Much: Given the title, I thought that there would be more of a 'war' happening, as far as action.  What we have is the tip of a story, an introduction to characters and the promise of more adventure.  I know this, because I verified by checking out Audrey Greathouse's website, but that wasn't until I finished the story, so while now I'm pretty satisfied, while reading I was a little let down about this.

The Verdict:        

I liked this book, but I predict that I'm going to LOVE sequel!  This book is very YA appropriate, and honestly, I'm considering buying the book and putting it into the hands of my 11 year old daughter.

Note:  I received this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Unhooked - Lisa Maxwell

Title: Unhooked
Author: Lisa Maxwell
Genre: YA - Fairytale Retell, Paranormal

Buy Link: http://amzn.com/1481432044

Blurb (From Goodreads):
For as long as she can remember, Gwendolyn Allister has never had a place to call home—all because her mother believes that monsters are hunting them. Now these delusions have brought them to London, far from the life Gwen had finally started to build for herself. The only saving grace is her best friend, Olivia, who’s coming with them for the summer.
But when Gwen and Olivia are kidnapped by shadowy creatures and taken to a world of flesh-eating sea hags and dangerous Fey, Gwen realizes her mom might have been sane all along.

The world Gwen finds herself in is called Neverland, yet it’s nothing like the stories. Here, good and evil lose their meaning and memories slip like water through her fingers. As Gwen struggles to remember where she came from and find a way home, she must choose between trusting the charming fairy-tale hero who says all the right things and the roguish young pirate who promises to keep her safe.

With time running out and her enemies closing in, Gwen is forced to face the truths she’s been hiding from all along. But will she be able to save Neverland without losing herself?

My Review:
Ever the sucker for a fairy tale retelling, I grabbed up Unhook as soon as I knew about its existence. I truly did not know what I was in for when I picked up this book! I mean, from the blurb you can see this isn’t your typical Peter Pan story, but I am quite impressed with what it turned out to be. Unfortunately this review is finding itself to be vague in all ways. It’s very difficult to say much about it without spoiling the surprises in the book. Even the slightest discussion on the characters or events can reveal things that I feel are much better discovered by reading the book itself!

What I Loved: This book was quite a bit darker than any Peter Pan book I’ve read before. I think that is part of what really drew me in. This was only a skeleton of the story we know, in fact I’m pretty sure I can’t actually call this a ‘re-tell’ at all. The surprise of that kept me hooked, wanting to know what was going to happen next since I didn’t even have a baseline for the story.

Unhooked had so many twists and turns in it; I am usually pretty good with predicting what is going to happen, and I admit some predictions were easy, there were other moments, however, that surprised me! I love when a book does that. I find enjoyment at looking for foreshadowing and being right about the outcome, but I think I find even more when something (that makes sense) comes out of left field.

Not So Much: I have something I would put here…but it’s a spoiler, so I can’t. But it is not something that is a flaw in the story…just a preference of mine.

The Verdict:      

Hmm, well, I think that if you like fae (not the Tinker Bell kind) and familiar stories with a twist, you’ll like this book. It is quite clean, even from cussing – so approved for YA, and for those younger Pre-Teens who might like Goosebumps type books – they may enjoy this too!

Book Review: Illusionarium - Heather Dixon

Title: Illusionarium

Author: Heather Dixon
Genre: YA - Fantasy, Steampunk

Synopsis (From Goodreads):
What if the world holds more dangers—and more wonders—than we have ever known? And what if there is more than one world? From Heather Dixon, author of the acclaimed Entwined, comes a brilliantly conceived adventure that sweeps us from the inner workings of our souls to the far reaches of our imaginations.

Jonathan is perfectly ordinary. But then—as every good adventure begins—the king swoops into port, and Jonathan and his father are enlisted to find the cure to a deadly plague. Jonathan discovers that he's a prodigy at working with a new chemical called fantillium, which creates shared hallucinations—or illusions. And just like that, Jonathan is knocked off his path. Through richly developed parallel worlds, vivid action, a healthy dose of humor, and gorgeous writing, Heather Dixon spins a story that calls to mind The Night Circus and Pixar movies, but is wholly its own.

My Review:
Just before my 2016 “shut down” on buying any new books due to the 2016 TBR Reading Challenge, I received one of those Goodreads emails that includes new books which are specifically picked out for you due to what you’ve read in the past. Those emails are evil, and probably half my problem. Anyhow, Illusionarium was on that email. It was there because I have read and loved Heather Dixon’s writing in the past, so of course I NEED to know when she releases a new book, right?

I don’t always fall for those emails. But I’m a sucker for great covers, and let me tell you – I don’t know who Heather Dixon is working with on her covers, but they are both simply amazing. And truth be told – if this cover wasn’t so perfect, I wouldn’t have been buying this book on December 31, 2015, right before I was suppose to be cutting myself off from new purchases so that I could make a dent in the 450+ books already on my kindle/nook/whatever reading app.

What I Loved: This book takes imagination. I took LOADS of imagination to write (I wish I had half this imagination!) and it takes imagination to read – thankfully I’m good at that part! About halfway through reading Illusionarium, I stopped and read a few reviews on Goodreads, and I found a mixed response. But I think the biggest problem with the book is that it is weirdness on top of weirdness – and if you weren’t following from the beginning, you are probably going to have a problem continuing to follow…. I didn’t. I think that the setting (an AIR CITY!!), the illusions, the schism (ß you must read to understand) – everything was so interesting and perfect. If this book were a movie, it would no doubt be directed by Tim Burton. I imagine all kinds of bright colors, but also that gothic darkness that Burton is known for as well.

The illusions (this isn’t really a spoiler, right – given the title?!) were another element that I was so in love with. They weren’t illusions as in, you just imagine it and there you were. You had to create them, as in, understand the science behind what you were making before it became real. It was cool that Jonathan was smart, and shy and not your typical main character at all…but because of this, he was awesome at these illusions, despite his self confidence issue.

I loved the steampunk feel about the book, but also how it wasn’t driven by it’s ‘steampunkiness.’ There wasn’t the constant mention of gadget and devices, and it wasn’t overly Victorian in theme either. It was just kind of there, just another layer.

Okay – I’ve talked about the world and around the theme of the book – but I also really liked the story. It was layered with twists and turns, a few of them I was able to guess as the story progressed, a couple I didn’t guess until closer to the end, and some that took me by surprise. I like that. I like being surprised just as much as I like being able to foretell a story based on the foreshadowing. I think that is one of the things that keeps me engaged while reading, trying to figure out what’s going to happen because of the hints that authors throw out there.

Not So Much: Soo I LOVED the story, and the story line. And I even really liked the characters, so this little bit is nothing but a drop in the book. I really wish that the romantic aspect of the book would have been a little bit more there. I like a little bit of romance, you know? It wasn’t the purpose of the book, but I don’t think a little bit more would have taken away from it either. It was done well, but I just I don’t know…it left me wanting.

The Verdict:     

The only reason I’m not giving this 5-Hearts is because while I really did enjoy this book quite a bit, I’ve read it. I’m done. I don’t have a pull to re-read this one immediately. I’m trying to save 5-Hearts for those books that call to me in that way. This book was clean (even from cussing) and would be great for young teens who read more mature books for sure! And, because they are simply beautiful, I plan on adding this AND Entwined to my hardback book collection. (This is not cheating..I’m not buying any NEW books in 2016!!!)

  

Book Review: Uprooted - Naomi Novik

Title: Uprooted
Author: Naomi Novik

Synopsis: “Our Dragon doesn’t eat the girls he takes, no matter what stories they tell outside our valley. We hear them sometimes, from travelers passing through. They talk as though we were doing human sacrifice, and he were a real dragon. Of course that’s not true: he may be a wizard and immortal, but he’s still a man, and our fathers would band together and kill him if he wanted to eat one of us every ten years. He protects us against the Wood, and we’re grateful, but not that grateful.”

Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted Wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life.

Her people rely on the cold, driven wizard known only as the Dragon to keep its powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as falling to the Wood.

The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows—everyone knows—that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia, all the things Agnieszka isn’t, and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her.

But Agnieszka fears the wrong things. For when the Dragon comes, it is not Kasia he will choose.

My Review:
I just want to start off by saying that this synopsis does not do this book justice. It is a synopsis of the first part of the book, maybe, but there was so much more than I was expecting. What I was expecting was a loose rendition of Beauty and the Beast with other fairy-tale elements.

Uprooted does have a very fairy-tale feel about it, but it is a tale all of it's own. The evil is not the dragon, the dragon does not need to be slayed. The evil is the Wood - and it is a force to be reckoned with.

What I Loved: Uprooted was a long book, but I'm happy that it was just one book and not a series though. It was refreshing to get a book of this magnitude, and detail that was not broken up over 3-5 years. I do like series, but mostly I love having the complete series in my hands.

I loved the Agnieszka and the Dragon dynamic. They were an unlikely pair of personalities, the kind of personalities that grate on each other's nerves and get under each other's skin....and yet, in the end they did get under each other's skin. It made their relationship a fun side-story to this entire book.

I am attempting to not spoil anything here, especially since the synopsis was rather vague, but let me tell you, there were a few plot twists and turns that make following this book along for it's ride even more interesting! As I said before, it had all of the elements of a good fairy tale; the evil that lurks and terrifies the village and people, it has the knight in shining armor, the girl who's more than she think she is. It has deception and unlikely friends. It takes you through an entire story past the point of no return and then turns around and wraps it up with a happily-ever-after. It has all of those things, but every single element is not like any fairy-tale you've ever read. All the roles are filled with unstereotypical players.

Not So Much: First of all, I listened to this via audiobook, and I kind of had a hard time with the narrators accent. I understood it's purpose and I think it's possible that it was close to this narrators own accent - however some of the conversations sounded stilted or a little bit like a four-year-old attempting full sentences. It was just a little rough for me. I did, however, stop hearing that so much the more I got into the story and the plot took over my concentration.

There were parts of Uprooted where the story did feel like it was getting long. I don't know that it could have been cut or edited without loosing some important elements though. I just had periods of wishing the story would move forward a bit more quickly than it was.

The Verdict:         
I really enjoyed this book. It had a lot of the elements that I love in a good book, and it had a satisfying ending. Due to one scene in this book, I cannot consider this a "clean" novel, though it is categorized as Young Adult. The one scene was rather graphic, and I can't recommend this book for young teens at all - but had it been left out it would have been perfect.

Book Review: Stray - Elissa Sussman

Title: Stray (Four Sisters #1)
Author: Elissa Sussman

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

I am grateful for my father, who keeps me good and sweet. I am grateful for my mother, who keeps her own heart guarded and safe. I am grateful for my adviser, who keeps me protected. I am grateful for the Path, which keeps me pure. Ever after.

Princess Aislynn has long dreamed about attending her Introduction Ball, about dancing with the handsome suitors her adviser has chosen for her, about meeting her true love and starting her happily ever after.

When the night of the ball finally arrives and Nerine Academy is awash with roses and royalty, Aislynn wants nothing more than to dance the night away, dutifully following the Path that has been laid out for her. She does not intend to stray.

But try as she might, Aislynn has never quite managed to control the magic that burns within her-magic brought on by wicked, terrible desires that threaten the Path she has vowed to take.

After all, it is wrong to want what you do not need. Isn’t it?


My Review:
I’m about to be very honest. I did not care for Stray, and that is very surprising to me since this book falls into my fairy-tale preferences very nicely. I listened to this as an audio book, and I want to say that this might be part of my problem, but I really don’t think it was. But that doesn’t mean that the book was all bad, and judging from other reviews, most people actually do like the book.

I do want to point out now that I am going to avoid using character names as much as I can, because they were all unusual and I’m afraid to botch up spellings, etc. Bare with me!

What I Loved: So I loved the premise of this book; a book about suppressing magic and learning to not let it control you. About an evil that lurks in the corners waiting to catch hold of you. The setting of the book was near perfect as well. It really had all the elements of a good book. I loved how the author coined her own tongue and cheek sayings using fairy tale stereotypes. I really wish I could remember one, and unfortunately I cannot just open the book and find an example, however they made for a cute, clever addition to the book.

Not So Much: I really felt like this book dragged on in Aislynn's day-to-day activities, while the real drama was more on the outskirts of the book. We learned a lot about Aislynn and her difficulties and insecurities (brought on by her authorities). She grew up being expected to suppress magic, and then thrown into a situation where she was expected to use it – and she struggles with trying to use magic daily…then at some point BAM – it’s like it was easy.

I really only liked a few characters in this book, and it's clear that the evil is in more than just the evil queen discussed throughout the story. It wasn’t until the end that “stuff” really started being revealed, and it all seemed anti-climatic. Like I’d been waiting for it so long that I just sort of gave up on it ever coming.

More than once things happened in Stray where there was no explanation offered as to why, a good example is when Aislynn was given a complete 2nd chance at something – but it seemed to come out of nowhere with no reason as to why it happened. She also had a portion of her {lets say it was a characteristic/personality shaping thing} taken from her as part of her punishment (so to speak), which mysteriously seemed to come back in part, but why? Is Aislynn suppose to be especially powerful? I don’t know. It just seemed strange that it was there, except to enhance the there but barely there romantic element to this book.

The Verdict: 
This book just wasn’t for me. I wanted to enjoy it, but it fell short of my expectations. It is a very young adult appropriate (even for younger teens in the 13ish age range), a very clean book.

Book Review: Cinder & Ella - Kelly Oram

Title: Cinder & Ella
Author: Kelly Oram

Synopsis:
It’s been almost a year since eighteen-year-old Ella Rodriguez was in a car accident that left her crippled, scarred, and without a mother. After a very difficult recovery, she’s been uprooted across the country and forced into the custody of a father that abandoned her when she was a young child. If Ella wants to escape her father’s home and her awful new stepfamily, she must convince her doctors that she’s capable, both physically and emotionally, of living on her own. The problem is, she’s not ready yet. The only way she can think of to start healing is by reconnecting with the one person left in the world who’s ever meant anything to her—her anonymous Internet best friend, Cinder.
…
Hollywood sensation Brian Oliver has a reputation for being trouble. There’s major buzz around his performance in his upcoming film The Druid Prince, but his management team says he won’t make the transition from teen heartthrob to serious A-list actor unless he can prove he’s left his wild days behind and become a mature adult. In order to douse the flames on Brian’s bad-boy reputation, his management stages a fake engagement for him to his co-star Kaylee. Brian isn’t thrilled with the arrangement—or his fake fiancée—but decides he’ll suffer through it if it means he’ll get an Oscar nomination. Then a surprise email from an old Internet friend changes everything.

My Review:
I have seen and passed up Cinder & Ella multiple times on Amazon.com. It was one of those – eh, I’ll probably like that book but I’m not sure. I’m not totally into the whole Hollywood aspect of the story. However, when a friend and fellow blogger over at Celebrity Readers was reading it and really enjoying the book, I knew I had to get it. (Bonus for being on sale for $.99, but at that point, it didn’t matter – she was raving and I knew I had to have it.) I have not done a ‘book binge’ in a long time, however I started reading this book probably at about 5:30 Friday night, and finished it at 1am Saturday morning. Aaaannnnd I was exhausted all day Saturday (I want to say it’s not because I can’t handle going to bed late, but I lift some heavy weights, and have three kids…so truth is, I can’t handle going to bed late…)

What I Loved: What didn’t I love? First, it’s loosely based off a fairy-tale. Right there is a winner for me, but that’s obvious based on the title alone. Second, the interaction between Cinder and Ella, which is mainly NOT in person, is so perfect and funny! The banter, I totally fell in love with the banter, and the fact that both of them have this mutual “I really like this person…but I only know them via the internet” stigma; kind of just made it all that much better. It was also nice that the story changed perspectives, and you really got a good idea of what both Ella and Brian (Cinder) were going through.

Third, there were no innocent parties in this book, everyone is a victim of something, everyone has issues. I liked this because this wasn’t a perfect heroine needing rescued. Ella has had a complete life changing experience, and she really has the hardest hand in the entire book – but she is not faultless, she is not flawless (er, I’m speaking internally…). The fact that you’re reading this book and genuinely end up liking almost all of the characters was okay for me. I think that for this book, it really made for a well rounded story.

Fourth, this book felt so incredibly real. I wanted to read The Druid Prince. I wanted see the movie, go to the FantasyCon (I think that was what it was called..) with my new friends. I did not fall in love with Cinder myself, I wanted him so badly for Ella. I wish that I could call my new friends on the phone!!

Not So Much: There really isn’t a lot for me to put here. The one thing I can think of is I didn’t quite understand Rob’s character in the book. I understand he ended up being this great friend, but I was left feeling like he got a really crappy deal over all, especially since he was kind of a great guy. There was a part of me that wanted him to fall for one of Ella’s step sisters, or something just to make it all better.

The Verdict: 
GREAT Book! I will read it again, and probably love it just as much. I have already purchased more books by Kelly Oram because I’m pretty sure that I’m going to love all of her works. Cinder & Ella was clean over all, perfect of YA and NA loves in my opinion! Go grab it now, last I checked it was still $.99!

Book Review: A Wicked Thing - Rhiannon Thomas

Title: A Wicked Thing (A Wicked Thing, Book 1)

Author: Rhiannon Thomas

Genre: YA - Fairytale Retelling

Synopsis:  Rhiannon Thomas's dazzling debut novel is a spellbinding reimagining of Sleeping Beauty and what happens after happily ever after.

One hundred years after falling asleep, Princess Aurora wakes up to the kiss of a handsome prince and a broken kingdom that has been dreaming of her return. All the books say that she should be living happily ever after. But as Aurora understands all too well, the truth is nothing like the fairy tale.

Her family is long dead. Her "true love" is a kind stranger. And her whole life has been planned out by political foes while she slept.

As Aurora struggles to make sense of her new world, she begins to fear that the curse has left its mark on her, a fiery and dangerous thing that might be as wicked as the witch who once ensnared her. With her wedding day drawing near, Aurora must make the ultimate decision on how to save her kingdom: marry the prince or run.

Rhiannon Thomas weaves together vivid scenes of action, romance, and gorgeous gowns to reveal a richly imagined world … and Sleeping Beauty as she’s never been seen before. 

My Review: It is no secret that I’m a big fan of fairy tale retells, but I can say that Sleeping Beauty is not one that I have read previously.  I think that it really is the tale itself that kept me from it.  The idea of being asleep and woke up to insta-love, it just wasn’t appealing to me. So when I read the description of A Wicked Thing, I thought surely this version is one that I could get in to.

In this Sleeping Beauty rendition, nearly 100 years have passed and the kingdom that Aurora is waking to has changed completely.  She isn't given even  a moment to adjust to this new reality when a century of waiting and expectations falls to her shoulders, yet her instructions are to 'smile and wave, boys...smile and wave.' Okay, maybe not verbatim, but you get the idea...

What I Loved:  The characters were pretty great.  From Aurora and her ability to be both witty and prim and proper princess, to Rodric who was all blushes and shy self-conscious prince, to Finnegan who was full of arrogance yet quite smart and cunning (and fwiw, I'm totally team Finnegan), and Tristan who was charming, fun, and then surprises you completely.  I enjoyed even Queen Iris who was way too proper and seemed to have an agenda that was all her own.  Actually, her character threw me for a loop more than any of the others, I wasn’t really quite sure what to expect from her.  There were points where I think we were almost suppose to like Iris, though overall no.  The king was the least disappointing, and most predictable of them all, he was actually slightly reminiscent of the kings you see in The Throne of Glass and the Defy series.

I felt like the flow of this book was really good - I enjoyed the writing quite a lot.  Despite the fact that Aurora did spend a bit of time locked away (yes even in this version), the book didn’t really feel like it dragged any.  I feel like this is an accomplishment that many authors have struggled with; how to ‘pass time’ in one spot without causing the story to trickle away into the darkness.

 Not So Much:  So I kind of felt like Aurora was too paralyzed by her position and who she was and who she was taught to be throughout nearly this entire book.  It was like she knew something needed to be done, but felt that clearly she wasn’t the one to do it.  She had a ‘fate’ that she didn’t want, but then she didn’t want to leave because that was wrong.  She wasn’t really a mopey or melodramatic character, however her actions indicated that she was playing a victim of her circumstance.  DO SOMETHING besides think about how something needs to be done.  That was frustrating.

The Verdict:   

I most certainly will be sticking around for the remainder of the series.  I have some suspicions about what happens next, and I will have to satisfy that curiosity.  This book is perfect for the YA genre, very clean, very appropriate, and fun.  It does have action and adventure, and despite some main character frustration, it does keep your attention.

About the Author:  Rhiannon Thomas is a recent graduate from Princeton University, where she studied English and Japanese, and smuggled bubble tea into the library on a regular basis. She now lives in York, England.

As well as reading and writing YA fiction, she runs the blog FeministFiction.com, where she discusses TV, books, and all kinds of fannish things from a feminist perspective.

I don't hang out on Goodreads much, so if you want to contact me, please swing by my personal website or message me on Twitter.

Book Review: Lion Heart - A.C. Gaughen

Title: Lion Heart: A Scarlet Novel

Author:  A.C. Gaughen

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Scarlet has captured the hearts of readers as well as the heart of Robin Hood, and after ceaseless obstacles and countless threats, readers will finally find out the fate of the Lady Thief.
Imprisoned by Prince John for months, Scarlet finds herself a long way from Nottinghamshire. After a daring escape from the Prince's clutches, she learns that King Richard’s life is in jeopardy, and Eleanor of Aquitaine demands a service Scarlet can’t refuse: spy for her and help bring Richard home safe. But fate—and her heart—won’t allow her to stay away from Nottinghamshire for long, and together, Scarlet and Rob must stop Prince John from going through with his dark plans for England. They can not rest until he’s stopped, but will their love be enough to save them once and for all?

My Review:
There is no possible way to express my utter joy and love for this series.  I will be hunting down and collecting these books in hard copy for my personal library for sure!

I probably am a little bias because since a child I have always loved the story of Robin Hood, and outside of Beauty and the Beast, finding re-tellings of Robin Hood is one of my favorite hunts.  This series was just as beautiful and action packed as one could have hoped for, and I will not be able to recommend it enough.

"For the longest time, no one really knew about me.  I were Rob's secret, his informant, his shadow in dark places.  They didn't see me, and I didn't mind that they didn't see."

In this conclusion to the series, Scarlet has changed, she is no longer hiding, but she is fighting for what she believes in; but first she had to realize that when she spoke, people stopped and listened.  Lion Heart was so perfect in its conclusion, with plenty of Rob and Scar moments that made my heart so happy, but the action was not ignored either.  Truly my favorite parts were of Rob and Scarlet though, Robin was written so perfectly with just the right amount of arrogance and humility, and their banter had me laughing out loud at times.  The politics and action keep the story moving forward, and I found myself growing to like and get attached to new characters.  I kind of didn't want this story to end.  While reading, more than once I was afraid of the turn the book was making, but A.C. Gaughen does not disappoint!

I'm trying to think of a part of the book that maybe I wasn't thrilled with; a small point of criticism, but this is me honestly and truly gushing over a book.  I just absolutely loved it.

Rated:  PG-13, there's cussing, fighting, blood..typical Robin Hood stuff

Genre: Young Adult - Fairy tale retell, Romance, Historical

Rating: 5 Beautiful and wonderful stars.  Can I give it 6?

~* Books by A.C. Gaughen *~

Book Review: Pan's Revenge - Anna Katmore

Author: Anna Katmore

Genre: Young Adult - Fiction, Romance, Fairytale Retelling

Synopsis (From Goodreads): “Are you ready to be kissed?” he breathes against the corner of my mouth.

My knees start to tremble and there are butterflies in my belly now. Way too many. “I don’t think this is a good idea.”

“I think it’s the best idea I had in a long time.”

Desperate to leave Neverland and find his love in this notorious town called London, James Hook makes a grave mistake. He puts his own wishes above those of his half-brother and once-arch-enemy, Peter Pan.

The consequences alter Peter’s life in a way no one could have foreseen. The boy who wouldn’t grow up swears revenge, and what better way than by stealing Hook’s girl?

The first to arrive in London, Peter finds Angel once again without any memory of ever being in Neverland. That gives him time to plant the idea of a ruthless pirate captain in her mind—someone who tried to kill her once and is now on his way to kidnap her again. If only this stubborn girl would stop playing with Peter’s head. He’d completely forgotten how beautiful she was. Or is it only because he sees her through different eyes now?

Through a shower of falling stars, a loop around the moon, and then a hard left at the Clock Tower—when James Hook finally arrives in London, he has to fight with a vengeance for his love and face a boy who grew up after all…

Review:  Pan’s Revenge picks up right where Neverland left off.  Angel is back in her own time, and has no memory of her time spent in Neverland, outside of haunting dream-like thoughts based around the necklace that one of her sisters brought home.  Hook is stuck in Neverland trying desperately to figure out a way back to Angel.

What’s the Drama:  Pan feels betrayed, not only does he figure out Angel inadvertently told Hook where his treasure is located, but Hook tricks him into breaking the Time-Stop curse on Neverland and is now seeking his revenge – and the best revenge he knows is to hit Hook where it will hurt the most; Angel.

What I Loved:  The chemistry between Angel and Hook is still going strong.  I was afraid of a love triangle scenario, but we were blessedly spared from that! (THANK YOU, Anna Katmore!)  The entire time I was reading, all I could think is..please let them have a HEA!

The other thing I really enjoyed is the Fairy’s involvement in Hook and Pan’s life.  It might have been deceitful in a way, but  I liked that they were concerned about everyone getting what they needed/wanted.

Not so Much:  It’s really hard to view Pan in the light that he is given in this book.  I’m purposefully being vague, but die hard Pan-Fans may not like the book because of this.  You really have to let the book stand on its own and let the ending bring you a glimmer of hope.

Can my Kids Read This:  Yes.  There is some language, and a bit of sensuality, but other than that, it’s a pretty safe read.  And it’s loosely based off of a well loved story – so you know, they are going to WANT to read it!

Book Review: Neverland - Anna Katmore

Title:  Neverland (Adventures in Neverland, 1)

Author:  Anna Katmore

Genre:  Young Adult - Fairytale Retelling, Romance

Amazon Link:  http://www.amazon.com/Neverland-Adventures-1-Anna-Katmore-ebook/dp/B00JLA8C50/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404564610&sr=8-1&keywords=Neverland

Synopsis (From Goodreads.com):  Why is there a boy who doesn't want to grow up?  How can an apple start the sweetest romance in fairytale history?

And what does a ruthless pirate have to do with it all?

Angelina McFarland loves reading fairytales. But she never dreamed of falling right into one herself. That’s exactly what happens when she slips on her balcony and a flying Peter Pan catches her mid-fall.

Ending up in Neverland where no one seems to age and laws of nature are out of control, Angel has no idea how to get home. Worse, the ruthless Captain Hook captures her and keeps her trapped on his ship, the Jolly Roger, where she gets caught between the lines of a timeless battle. But the more time Angel spends with the captain, the more she sees beneath his ruthless façade.

As Angel desperately tries to find a way to return to her real life, she discovers a train ticket to London in her pocket. It won’t be any help in getting off the island, but as her memory fades away the longer she stays, this is all she has left to remind her of her former life and why she can’t give up trying.

Or is staying in Neverland forever the better choice after all?

Grab a happy thought and follow Angel on an adventure that will keep you breathless and smiling long after you read the last page…

Review:  I have been nosing around this book for a few weeks.  I'd look it up on Amazon.com, then move on, only to later come back to it.  Yesterday morning I finally bit the bullet and "One-Clicked" the book.  The fact that the book was on sale for the $.99 in celebration of the release of book 2 didn't hurt any.  I devoured the book.  I feel like I just consumed each word and am going to hold each and every one of them within me forever.  Peter Pan is one of my kid's favorite stories.  We've been reading the Peter and the Starcatchers Series, by Dave Barry with my kids, thus my hesitancy to actually buy this book; I was kind of "Peter'd out."   In truth, Peter, while a driving figure in the story, is present very little...

What's the Drama?  Angelina "Angel" McFarland was having an absolutely typical weekend, babysitting her twin sisters - playing games, reading stories, giggling; all things that don't normally happen when Mom and Dad are around, but then trying to get to a sweater her sister accidently threw into the tree outside her balconey, Angel slips and falls...into a whole new world.  Fighting against time and sleep, Angel wants desperately to return home to her sisters and home; all the while falling for the ruthless pirate, James Hook.

What I Loved:  I love fairytale - retellings.  Lately they are my vice, and while I'll drift away and read something new, I always come back to these retellings.  But this story is wonderful, and complete; the book didn't really end with me having any questions, which I love!  You know the character, who they are and why they are there before the book ends (a rare occurance in a series!)  Better than all of that, the "bad guy" is actually the hero of this story, and I always love that twist.  Jamie (Hook) starts off as the typical rutheless pirate, but his smirks and gleeming eyes make him just amusing and sexy enough even from the beginning, but as he starts letting his guard down and falling for Angel, he's even more appealing as "just Jamie."  This story is just - it's just amazing, and even as Angel fights to get home, you can also understand the desire to allow herself to just forget and stay forever.

Not So Much:  I don't have much I didn't like.  I'm sitting here racking my brain....and I can only think of the ending, which is a big obvious "duh!"  I mean, she has to leave - and leave Jamie. 

But there is book 2.  And lucky me, it came out yesterday!!

Book Review: Lady Thief - A. C. Gaughen

Author: A.C. Gaughen

Genre: Young Adult - Fairy Tale re-tell

Publication Date:  February 11, 2014

**I received an ARC from Netgalley.com.  Other than the joy of reading, I received no compensation for this review.**

Synopsis:  Scarlet’s true identity has been revealed, but her future is uncertain. Her forced marriage to Lord Gisbourne threatens Robin and Scarlet’s love, and as the royal court descends upon Nottingham for the appointment of a new Sheriff, the people of Nottingham hope that Prince John will appoint their beloved Robin Hood. But Prince John has different plans for Nottingham that revolve around a fateful secret from Scarlet’s past even she isn’t yet aware of. Forced to participate at court alongside her ruthless husband, Scarlet must bide her time and act the part of a noblewoman—a worthy sacrifice if it means helping Robin’s cause and a chance at a future with the man she loves. With a fresh line of intrigue and as much passion as ever, the next chapter in Scarlet’s tale will have readers talking once again.

Review:  I was so, so, so very excited to be granted access to read the ARC of Lady Thief.  I read Scarlet in 2012, and have been awaiting the rest of the series since then.  I love the story of Robin Hood, and am not surprised to love the re-telling of the story as well.

Scarlet left off after Scarlet saves Robin by marrying Lord Gisbourne, despite having come to realize that Robin loves her, and she him.  The drama that unfolds gave me flash back between Robin Hood movies I've watched and other books (mostly of a dystopian nature) I've read recently. Scarlet (Lady Marian) is a wonderful heroine, and maintains difficult yet loving disposition that was established in Scarlet.  This book is full of adventure, and revelation, and romance.  Oh the romance between Scarlet and Robin is wonderful, and exactly what you want to see from a classic Robin and Maid Marian.

The ending of this book is shocking, and in no way will give you flashbacks of of Disney foxes we grew up on.  And what would a good middle book be without one big whopper of a cliffhanger, eh?  It is totally worth it though.  The story of Robin and Scarlet has started to take on a shape of its own and I absolutely cannot wait for the next book already.

This book is suitable for young adults; high school age and above.  I would have no hesitancy in letting my 9th grader (if I had a 9th grader) read this book.  Well, there is violence, but only of the nature you would expect from a Robin Hood story.

Bewitching - Alex Flinn

Title: Bewitching

Author: Alex Flinn

Rating: 5 stars

Genre:  YA Fantasy

Form:  ebook

Synopsis: (from goodreads)

Bewitching can be a beast. . . .
Once, I put a curse on a beastly and arrogant high school boy. That one turned out all right. Others didn’t.
I go to a new school now—one where no one knows that I should have graduated long ago. I’m not still here because I’m stupid; I just don’t age.
You see, I’m immortal. And I pretty much know everything after hundreds of years—except for when to take my powers and butt out.
I want to help, but things just go awry in ways I could never predict. Like when I tried to free some children from a gingerbread house and ended up being hanged. After I came back from the dead (immortal, remember?), I tried to play matchmaker for a French prince and ended up banished from France forever. And that little mermaid I found in the Titanic lifeboat? I don’t even want to think about it.
Now a girl named Emma needs me. I probably shouldn’t get involved, but her gorgeous stepsister is conniving to the core. I think I have just the thing to fix that girl—and it isn’t an enchanted pumpkin. Although you never know what will happen when I start . . . bewitching

Review:

Bewitching will not disappoint fans of Alex Flinn’s fairytale re-tellings. The synopsis says the book is about Kendra (the witch who turned Kyle into a beast in Beastly). This is true and not true. We learn more about Kendra and get a deeper feel for her personality and her start as a witch. However the majority of the story is taken up by Emma and Lisette.         

There are four fairytales that are retold in this book. I’m not telling which ones because it ruins the stories. Yes stories there are also four different stories being told. It works really well though. At times Emma and Lisette’s story got to be too tragic and too much for me to handle, I wanted to strangle Emma numerous times and usually when it got to that point, there would be a break and a short story like an intermission. It was a format I’ve never seen in a book before and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

As for the characters; I believe they were well written. I mentioned before I wanted to strangle Emma a few times, but when you really think about it and think like her, you realize it’s no surprise why she does what she does. Now Lisette was sort of hard to figure out. Where she went with her was no surprise, but it took me a while to figure out that was definitely the personality being developed for this character.

I loved the ending of this book. I was rooting for one way and then the way the author ended it was not what I expected, but so much better than what I was rooting for. I especially liked how things end for Kendra. It’s a happy ending, but not all of the tales told in the book had a happy ending.

Now I will admit, I’ve only read two of Alex Flinn’s books: Cloaked and Bewitching. I did see the movie Beastly which is alluded to in Bewitching. I plan on reading A Kiss In Time, in fact I have it requested from my library now. I really liked Bewitching better than Cloaked. I’m not sure why but Cloaked didn’t grab my attention. It was good, but it wasn’t a favorite. Bewitching however, I couldn’t put down. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. If you love fairy re-tellings as much as I do, than this book is definitely one you should read.

Review by Stephany

Book Review: Entwined - Heather Dixon

Title: Entwined
Author: Heather Dixon
Genre: Young Adult – Fantasy

Synopsis: Azalea and her 11 sisters are princesses in what was once a very magic castle, but is now mostly not magical, with a very few exceptions, and has been running low on finances as well. They have just lost their mother, and their father is no longer acting as though he belongs to the family, leaving Azalea to take care of her 11 sisters. As if that wasn't enough, the next blow comes when they realize that as the royal family they were all going to be required to participate in a year of mourning, which means no sunlight, no working clocks, black dresses, and NO DANCING. As dancing is their one and only escape, the thing that keeps them centered and acts as an outlet for their emotions, this last part is the hardest of all. After breaking the rules several times and getting caught, Azalea discovers a secret and passage in their room that leads down to a magical forest and pavilion under the castle. It is there that they meet Keeper, who is trapped there as the keeper of the pavilion, and who gives them permission and even encourages them to come back and dance every single night. What Azalea doesn’t realize is that Keepers generosity is not without its costs.

Review: First of all, I added this book to my “to be read” list for one reason – when I read the description on Goodreads, and found out the main girl’s name was Azalea, I HAD to read it. (My daughter’s name is Azalyah, pronounced the same). It was so fun to listen to the book and hear her name over and over, and I hope to one day let her listen to it as well, as I’m sure she will get a kick out of it too. It’s not the most common of names (however beautiful it is). So that being said, I had NO IDEA I was reading a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. In fact, the book was almost done, and Keeper was doing a little reprise version of the story before I actually figured it out. It was them forehead-slap moments for me. I should have seen it from the beginning. Anyhow, since I’ve never watched a movie or read a book in the past based on this story, I cannot compare other versions with how I felt about the book – so there will be no Barbie Princess comparison here…(I’m sure you all are sighing in relief, right?)

So this book was so beautifully written, and read (props to the narrator). The accent the book was read in was slightly British, which made me think of a Victorian setting. I’m not sure if that was the intention or not, but it worked well. There were moments when I couldn’t help but make associations back to Disney’s Beauty and the Beast , what with the Teapot and sugar tongs with the bad attitude and all. I am incredibly impressed with Heather Dixion’s ability to have so many girls, and so many different personalities, and for those personalities to remain consistent throughout the book. Of course, a few of the sisters were young enough to not really have much of a part of the book, so it wasn’t exactly 12, but it was enough! I wish I could sit here and name them all – but having listened to the book, not read it – all I’ve got for you is Azalea, Bramble, and Clover, then I’m stuck. I'm pretty positive the baby was Lily.

This book was a tiny bit bi-polar on whether it was going to be a nice princess-y type book, or whether it was going to be dark and gothic. This is not necessarily bad. The thing is Azalea and her sisters were not dark nor gothic at all. They wanted a bright happy life filled with dancing and..well I was going to say men, but I really think they might have been happy with just the dancing. If the world was as it should have been for these sisters, they would have been outside every day in the sunshine, with rainbows and butterflies, dancing the day away. However, the girls did know and understand their responsibilities as princesses, and they did take those responsibilities about as seriously as they were capable to for their ages. And since their world was not as it should have been, they were trapped in darkness and did with it what they could. However, I will say, that the darkest and most gothic parts of the book came when Keeper started revealing his true self to Azalea. He was the perfect mix of “the bad guy you love, “ and “the bad guy you love to hate.” He sort of had a Phantom of the Opera thing going on there, what with living beneath the castle, and being undeniably attractive and all. But when his story started to unravel, I went from thinking that this book would be great for thirteen year olds, to..eh, maybe 15 or 16 will be more appropriate, as it had a sort of creepy, nightmare factor going on there at the end.

I think one part that sort of threw me for a loop was their general not much reaction to losing their mother. She was sick for a long time, and Azalea had already been established as the caregiver, but it seems like there would have been more of a reaction. I mean, these are girls, and I don’t care what you say, girls are emotional from the day they are born. I know that dancing was their way of coping, but it doesn’t seem completely believable. I was thankful that the girls were forced to reconcile with their father, and address the fact that he just lost his wife, the love of his life; he actually was in mourning.

What I Loved: The Entwine dance. Now that was sexy!  Oh, and isn't that a beautiful cover???

Not So Much: That Azalea did not dance the Entwine with HER love (yes she has a love, as do Bramble and Clover – I failed to mention above, because those stories seemed so bi-product to the rest of the book). But, with a dance where your partner wraps you up and you are bound to him - this had some very potential electrifyingly hot material – but this book wasn’t really sensual, and I guess it wouldn’t have been appropriate.

Song Dedication: I don’t think I have one. Clare de Lune? It would have to be music only, no words, whatever it is.

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