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These books follow a family from some of the first settlers on the American Continent thru the 1950's. Very interesting reads!
These books follow a family from some of the first settlers on the American Continent thru the 1950's. Very interesting reads!
Becca Ward knows that magic is real... Two years ago, not only had she and her best friend Alex found a real life sleeping beauty in the middle of Los Angeles, they also discovered that they were powerful in their own right. They've managed to keep both their fae powers and their friend Lilia's identity as a medieval princess a secret and live a normal life. Now that normalcy is threatened by the return of their former advisor at the Gem and Mineral Museum, and Becca's least favorite person, Nicholas Hunt. And she's about to find out that more than one fairy tale is true.
Whispersync Deal Alert*: Kindle + Audible = $4.98 (must purchase Kindle first, prices may change)
Disclosure: GMB uses affiliate links, clicking and making a purchase may result in a small commission for me.
Source: I purchased this audiobook myself from Audible (the only place it is currently available.)
BOOK DETAILS:
Atone by Jessica Grey, read by Randi Larson, published 2013 / Length: 6 hrs 43 min
SERIES INFO:
This is Book #2 of "The Fairytale Trilogy." While the series has not been officially abandoned, the 3rd book (Aspire) appears to have been indefinitely delayed.
**This review contains spoilers for the previous book.**
SUMMARY:
This is one of my favorite fairy tale retellings. I love how the relationship grows between them. I wasn't a fan of the narration but it hasn't kept me from relistening. And I really don't like the cover.
Note: Audible has this in the 11-13 year old bracket, but Becca is 20 and Nicholas is several years older. I've categorized it as NA (although there isn't any sex, so it's appropriate for younger readers as well).
CHARACTERS:
Becca Ward: I love how she is snarky but not mean. She is very relatable since she comes from a broken home with lots of "steps," but they all muddle along trying to take care of each other despite their issues. She does make a couple of seriously rash decisions, I wouldn't have expected her to let her emotions get the better of her like that.
Nicholas Hunt: I didn't actually hate him in the last one. He was selfish & obnoxious, but not really much of an obstacle. The inappropriateness of his previous actions become clearer in this one though. He definitely deserved what happened to him.
Becca & Nicholas: This is a couple that actually has a lot in common, if they can overcome their past animosity (and his being a beast). I was never very sure why Alex & Luke were supposedly so perfect for each other in the first book, besides having been childhood friends (and hot); but that isn't the case here. And I really like the way they talk and interact.
Note: I also like the way neither blames their families or upbringing for anything they do, but instead take responsibility.
Alex - I like her better without all the baggage she was carrying in the previous book. / Lilia - she is much less annoying in this book, but still appears to be dealing with losing her entire world & waking up 1100 years later a bit better than seems likely.
WORLDBUILDING:
We are introduced to additional Fae in this book with different powers & affinities. The L.A. setting continues to be important to what is going on (traffic & parking, heat, rich people's homes, Koreatown, and amusement parks are some of the things that are included).
PLOT:
The beginning did a good job of setting up who the characters were and what had happened to them in the previous book as well as what their current relationships with each other
As I said above, the book is too short. There were some wonderful scenes that explored the changing nature of Becca & Nicholas' very non-Instalove relationship. I wanted quite a bit more.
The ending is beautiful. There is a scene, where everything Nicholas is doing to try and fix a problem is just making it worse, that actually made me cry. And I enjoyed the short bit at the end with everyone together afterwards.
HIGHLIGHTS / CAUTIONS:
I COULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT: mild swearing
OTHER CAUTIONS
: Nicholas acts threatening to Becca on a couple of occasions, and physically restrains her at one point.
NARRATION:
Character voices differentiated = barely / Opposite sex voices acceptable = yes, but not good (and Nicholas doesn't sound at all beastly) / Accents = mosty ignored (“slightly accented” voice isn’t noticeably accented at all) / Phrasing, Pacing & Pronunciation = I had some issues with her phrasing / Speed = listened on 1.25, my usual
BOOK DETAILS:
Atone (The Fairytale Trilogy #2) by Jessica Grey, read by Randi Larson, published 2013 / Length: 6 hrs 43 min Buy Now | +Goodreads
Talk to Me (pretty please)
- So far I've read Beastly & this book. Can you recommend any other urban Beauty & the Beast retellings?
- Do you enjoy it when an author brings back an antagonist from a previous book for a redemption story?
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- If you are a first time visitor, how did you discover my blog?
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This review will be linked up with the following (hover for descriptions):
Alexandra Martin didn't believe in fairytales... Alex has always been more interested in rocks and science than stories about princesses and magic. Now she's far too busy with her summer internship at the Gem and Mineral Museum to think about children's stories. Between avoiding her former best friend and high school baseball star, Luke Reed, and trying to hide her unrequited crush on her mentor at the museum, the real world is occupying all of her time.
Until she walked into one... It turns out fairytales aren't all fun and games. A curse has turned her neat and orderly world upside down, and to break it, she bands together with a fellow intern and a recently awakened princess who's been asleep for almost 900 years. Can this trio of unlikely heroines put an end to an ominous enchantment, discover true love, and keep an ancient and evil magic from being unleashed on modern-day Los Angeles?
Disclosure: GMB uses affiliate links, clicking and making a purchase may result in a small commission for me.
Source: I purchased this book myself from Audible
BOOK DETAILS:
Awake by Jessica Grey, read by Kate Metroka, published 2013 / Length:11 hrs 10 min
SERIES INFO:
This is #1 of 2 (so far) in the "Fairytale Trilogy". Book #3, Aspire, has been delayed for a very long time.
SUMMARY:
This was right on the borderline between 3.5 & 4 stars. I'm not a real fan of the narration on this one but, because there are parts that I do like to go back and reread (relisten to), I went ahead and gave it 4 stars. It probably also got a mental bump up from the fact that I really like the sequel.
Cover comments: For whatever reason, I don't like the skyline on her face. Otherwise I think it is quite nice.
Note: Audible has this categorized in the 11-13 age range, which is incorrect. The main characters are recent high school graduates.
CHARACTERS:
Alex: Although I didn't dislike her, I had some issues with her that probably all relate to her insecurities. I'm not a big fan of characters who are hugely ignorant about their own looks and abilities. A thumbs up for her being into STEM though.
Luke: One of the things I like about him is, baseball god aside, he seemed like a real teenager just fumbling his way through as he tries to repair his relationship with Alex and kept screwing it up.
Alex & Luke: I am not sure I can get behind the idea that 2 people who have barely spoken since they were in 7th grade can be said to have "true love," even if they've know each other since they were very little. And I question how close they were if Alex has so little knowledge of and faith in Luke.
Becca - I really like Becca and can't wait to review her book for you, since I liked it much more / Lilia - she was very annoying until they started actively working to break the curse. Part of it may have been the voice that the narrator chose for her, and part may have been Alex perceptions
WORLDBUILDING:
The book presents a world where Fae & nature magic used to be a common part of everyday life in certain parts of the world. Although the Fae haven't interacted much with humans for hundred of years, and we have paved over much of nature, they still exist and can be tapped into if you know how.
PLOT:
I felt like the beginning simultaneously dragged and yet didn't give us enough of a stake in Alex & Luke as a couple. It wasn't until they started actively working to break the curse that I really got pulled into it.
The story has a full ending, with just 1 subplot left open for the next book.
HIGHLIGHTS / CAUTIONS:
I COULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT: moderate swearing
OTHER CAUTIONS: Apparently there were lots of half-fae in the past, but Lilia's parents were the only ones who actually got married.
NARRATION:
Character voices differentiated = only sort of / Opposite sex voices acceptable = just barely / Accents good = not applicable, she doesn't even acknowledge that Lilia is said to have a faint french accent / Phrasing, Pacing & Pronunciation = She reads the whole thing in a sort of heightened "I'm reading to little children" type of style / Speed = listened on 1.25, my usual
BOOK DETAILS:
Awake (Fairytale Trilogy #1) by Jessica Grey, read by Kate Metroka, published 2013 / Length:11 hrs 10 min Buy Now | +Goodreads
Talk to Me (pretty please)
- What's your favorite Fantasy re-telling?
- What do you think constitutes "true love?"
- How do you define strong women? (See the interview for some thoughts from the author)
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- If you are a first time visitor, how did you discover my blog?
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It’s a joke among my author friends that I am the worst at coming up with character names. I’m always sending them plot ideas and asking for name help. They’re amazing about coming through with fantastic names! Because Awake was my first book, I hadn’t yet exhausted “names of friends,” and so both Alex and Becca are named after friends of mine (with their permission). Alexandra Martin had her first and last name stolen from two different friends. Becca Ward had her first name lifted from my “little sister” (the second book, Atone, which is Becca’s story is actually dedicated to the real Becca), and her last name lifted from my best friend.
I would love to spend a day with all three of the main girls from Awake and introduce Alex to the wonders of Disneyland! It’s truly my favorite place and Alex has missed so much by not being a fairy tale fan! Luckily, Luke educates her on Disney movies between books one and two. There’s actually a scene that takes place in Disneyland in the third book (Aspire) which will be released later this year.
Awake was the first time I’d written anything over novella length since college. I started writing it because at the time I was in an emotionally and verbally abusive and manipulative marriage. I was aware enough to know what I was experiencing was horrible and that I didn’t want my daughter to ever go through anything like it when she was older – but still not aware enough to know how to get out. Writing Awake was my escape, a way to write strong female characters that could learn they were enough by themselves, but that pure and true love can really exist…even if there is magic involved.
I wrote the rough draft of Awake in about three months, but it lived in my head for much longer. I tend to play little movies of scenes over in my head about a million times (usually while staring off into space…I have a friend who calls this Blue Sky Thinking and I think that sounds way better than “staring blankly while I watch movies in my head.”) Once I sit down to write it usually goes pretty fast. I call myself a “pantser” because I don’t outline, but all of that internal planning must count for something.
Everything is the hardest about writing and everything is the easiest! It all depends on where I am in the process! Probably the easiest part is the original ideas…I always say I have at least thirty stories going on in my head at any time and when it gets up to thirty-three or so I have to write three down and actually work on them just to clear up some space. This is why I love short stories. When I just can’t stop thinking about an idea, a short story is sometimes the best way to “get it out of my system” and share it with my readers. I’ll sometimes post them on my website just as quick, fun reads.
Currently, the hardest part of writing is finding the time and focus. I’m a mom of two kids, I work a full time job, and am also working on earning a Master’s degree.
For more information:http://www.authorjessicagrey.com/
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So much stuff happened in this book, betrayal being the biggest one, also one of the teammates might be gone forever and another might go crazy if they other teammates don't get too this person in time. I really don't want too say much more because I don't want to give out so much information that people whom want to read this book get spoiled. But things are really starting to get freaking difficult for are hero's and heroines, and for there world that's for sure. I decided my favorite character has too be Chris and I really hope he gets a happily ever after in the end.
I want the next book to get here really fast, because I need to know what happens next to are hero's and heroines.
Until then I now need to decide what book I want to read next. So many great books I have been wanting to buy, and was able to this week due to the credits I received from they Apple settlement. Fun, fun, fun.
This was both what I was hoping for and not quite what I wanted.
I've wanted to go to the town of Hay-on-Wye in Wales since I first heard of it several years ago; I want to spend a week there just wandering around and buying books like a sugar addict in a candy shop. Sixpence House is a book about an American couple as they pull up stakes with the intention of moving to Hay-on-Wye; how could I not snap it up?!?
In this respect, Sixpence House mostly lives up to expectations. There's a fair amount of time spent in a lot of the bookshops, mostly in the bookshop of the "King" of Hay-on-Wye, Richard Booth. Collins paints a vivid picture of what extreme book hoarding would look like as he describes Booth's shop and its towering, never-ending mountains of books and the picture ends up being a blend of thrilling, fascinating and horrifying all at once. They have so many books they end up just storing them outside in open fields!!
But Collins also spends a lot of time trying to weave his love of old obscure books and his philosophy about life in amongst the narrative about Hay. This only partially worked for me; I found most of the quotes and anecdotes about the old books interesting, but my enthusiasm was lacking when it came to his writer's angst and philosophising. I'd like to think it was filler, but I suspect it was meant to lend a bit of gravitas to the book and I'd have rather had more about Hay and the bookshops. Still, there was some dry wit here and there that made me laugh.
I'm glad I bought it and I'm glad I read it - I enjoyed it much more than I didn't, even if it wasn't quite all I'd hoped it would be.
