A sweet & funny YA Contemporary Fantasy Retelling that's biggest drawback is that it's too short.

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:

• The scene where they first look into the mirror at the same time (very sensual).
• Playing together outside
• Nicholas' reaction when Becca said she though they had become friends

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?

--

• If you are a first time visitor, how did you discover my blog?

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:

This review will be linked up with the following (hover for descriptions):

I wasn't sure about this YA Contemporary Fantasy, but in the end it stuck with me.

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:

• Alex experiences one of Luke's dreams, which makes a few things clear (to us at least).
• The girls learning to really work together and be more than just casual friends. And the fact that it's the girls who save the day.
• The real reason the whole "true love's kiss" loophole was added.

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)

--

• If you are a first time visitor, how did you discover my blog?

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:

This review will be linked up with the following (hover for descriptions):

Views from the Depths is a collection of short stories, retellings of four classic fairy tales. The stories are explored from much darker, more melancholy perspectives, bringing an entirely new light to stories that most of us are more familiar with in their more sanitized Disney-style formats. This collection answers questions that most of us never realized needed to be asked, Each story is told from multiple first-person POVs, which truly expands the story.

The first story is based on the classic The Little Mermaid. This one was told from the POVs of the Witch herself, as well as the mermaid, her sister, and her land-born rival. It is a story of choices and how those choices affect others. It made me look at the story in an entirely different way!

The second story is based on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The story begins with The Huntsman's version, and then tells the story from the POVs of the Queen, one of the dwarves, the Prince, and finally, Snow White herself. This story is about jealously and betrayal, unexpected emotions, and the fight for survival.

The third story is a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. This story is told from the POV of the King, the oldest daughter, the captive/champion soldier, and the youngest daughter. This story is interesting in that it is a bit "behind the scenes" to the classic tale.

The last story is based on The Beauty and the Beast. It is told from the POV of the Fairy, the Merchant, the Beast, and Beauty. This is a story of pridefulness, good intentions gone wrong, arrogance, and love.

While there may be a HEA or two, these stories are rather bittersweet and often without that classic HEA.

Things to love...

--The fresh twist to fairytales. I like that they are told from POVs other than those that we are used to.
--The darker tone, as opposed to the overly perfect Disney-style versions.

My Recommendation

If you love fairy tale stories, especially those with a darker edge, these are perfect!

My rating: 1.5 stars out of 5 stars

The premise of this story caught my attention from the second I read it. Jane Austen, Lizzy and Mr. Darcy and experiencing the story? Sign me up, please! However, I have to admit that I wasn’t thoroughly impressed by how it was done.

My biggest problem with the book was the main character Kelsey. Kelsey is not a very likeable character. I found her to be childish, immature, and stubborn. Some of the stuff she would say or do, either out loud or her internal dialogue really turned me off from her. There many times that I had to stop reading because I was cringing and wanted to avoid her screw things up.

Maybe if Kelsey was written a different way, I would have enjoyed the book a lot more. The premise had a lot of potential and I feel like I would have liked to have seen it happen again with a different protagonist.

I received this book for free from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

My Initial Reaction…

As one of the biggest Pride and Prejudice (P&P) fans out there (I’ve read the book 17 times in as many years!), Attempting Elizabeth  was a book I had to read. I was nervous though, since Jessica Grey was going to be taking a lot of license with a story and characters I’ve grown to love. Not only was she creatively retelling the greatest story every written, but she was letting her main character go into P&P to interact with and be the  characters; characters I’ve grown to know on a very personal level over the years. This could have been a disaster, if Grey didn’t know her stuff! But thankfully, she does and every moment inside P&P was a treat for me.

The Characters…

Any serious P&P fan will realize pretty quickly that Kelsey, the main character from who’s point of view Attempting Elizabeth is told, is a creative twist on Mr. Darcy. I absolutely loved this, since it was very unexpected. I figured she would be Elizabeth. But Kelsey is the aloof and distant one, who probably seems pretty full of herself to those who don’t know her and makes a ridiculously prejudiced judgement about Mark, the love interest in the book. I could easily turn into a crazy fan girl right here pulling up all the little details that Grey managed to work in to really make this characterization work, but I’ll simply say Grey knew what she was doing. If you’re hyper aware like me, you’ll see it. If you’re not, you’ll still enjoy it, because Kelsey is a lovable character. She’s your typical nerdy girl – working on her MA in literature, lover of Star Wars, and lacking any internal filter. She either speaks her mind or shuts down completely (just like Darcy, I might add – which is why he comes off as so proud).

Mark I suppose was supposed to be the modern day twist on Elizabeth. Even though I can make parallels, they aren’t as overwhelming for me as the Darcy-Kelsey connections, but I think that’s because this isn’t his story. Regardless, I did find him to be an immensely likable character. First off, he’s hot. Secondly, he has an Aussie accent. So on a very superficial level, he’s great. But behind the surface, he’s just this really sweet, friendly guy. He’s a history teacher, who loves what he does. He and Kelsey get off on the wrong foot, though and you can’t help but wonder if they’ll ever get it right. Even though I was convinced that this was a P&P retelling, enough was different that I was still not sure how things would develop. I knew I hoped they’d make it work, because I really liked Mark and I hoped he’d give her a few more chances to get it right.

The Story…

When we meet Kelsey she’s getting over a bad breakup. Her boyfriend – Jerkface Jordan as he’s affectionately called – had an affair and Kelsey is realizing that she seems to always hook up with the George Wickhams (the womanizer of P&P) of the world. It’s put her into a bad mood and all she wants to do is lose herself in a good book. Her best friend, Tori (who is pretty much Bingley if any P&P fans were wondering), insists that she come with her to a party. This party will make P&P fans giddy with all the parallels to THE ball where Darcy and Lizzy first meet. It’s at this party that Kelsey meets Mark and judges him because he’s slinging drinks. And that he overhears her making rude remarks about him to Tori. (Like I said, giddy!) Anyway Kelsey’s put her foot in her mouth and after that whenever their thrown together (which is often since Tori is dating one of his friends) things are awkward.

One time, when Kelsey isn’t obsessing about how much she’s messed things up with Mark, whom she can’t seem to get out of her head, she sits down to read P&P and falls asleep reading a scene about Darcy’s sister Georgiana. And she ends up in that scene, as Gerogiana. I loved this tip into P&P since Kelsey is trying to figure out what’s happened to her and decides to tell off some characters that I think every P&P fan has wanted to tell off at least once. You also wonder how in the world she’s going to get out of the book, because she’s definitely stuck in the wrong body. She needs to be Elizabeth, not Darcy’s sister! I won’t tell you how, but she manages to get out and she tries going in over and over so that she can be Elizabeth. This turns out to be difficult and I had a blast wondering if she’d ever manage it, seeing her appear as different characters, and falling into memorable scenes from my favorite book. Grey has written this so well that if your a P&P fan you’ll immediately know what’s going on, but if you aren’t, there’s enough detail and explanation that you’ll have no trouble following.

Concluding Sentiments…

So if it’s not ridiculously clear by now, I loved this book. I’m having a seriously hard time restraining myself from talking about all the parallels and neat twists on such a classic book. It’s an original enough love story that you don’t have to love Pride and Prejudice to enjoy it (hell, you don’t have to have even read it). But, if like me, you’re a huge fan, this will be non-stop fun. I think I may be rereading this alongside my annual re-read of P&P from now on!