Review | Marissa Meyer - Heartless.

Marissa Meyer - Heartless.
Published November 8th 2016 by Feiwel & Friends.

Long before she was the terror of Wonderland—the infamous Queen of Hearts—she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.
Long before she was the terror of Wonderland, she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love. Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next queen.
Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the king and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.

Cath loves baking and her dream is to open her own store together with her maid, and best friend, Mary Ann. Her mother has even bigger dreams though; the King of Hearts is proposing to Cath. Idonia Pinkerton, Marchioness of Rock Turtle, wants nothing more than seeing Cath become Queen of Hearts, ruler of Hearts. Cath's passion of baking are crushed when even her father refuses to fund her bakery. The only one who seems to accept her for who she is, is Jest, the new court Joker.

From the moment they make eye contact, Cath is obsessed with him. While I loved him as a character, I did not like this hint of insta-love. He also throws in the famous, and one of the most annoying lines if you ask me, that 'she is not like other girls.' Because I did not care enough about this ship, I was also not shattered at the end of the book. I wish I had felt more, because if it had been delivered in another way, it would have been much more emotional.

Jest, together with Hatta, are in Hearts for a reason. We only get to see a glimps of what is going on in the world of Chess, where the Red and White Queen are battling for power. If Cath wasn't so stupid and naive to ignore the advice of the three sisters, we would have seen more of Chess. He was my favorite character for sure.

That was most probably the most problematic aspect of this book. I LOVED every character in the Lunar Chronicles, especially the girls, but I did not give a damn about Cath. She is selfish and without a doubt, stupid. She has captured the heart of the King, reasons still unknown, and she keeps messing with him. The whole I'm-going-to-say-no-or-perhaps-I-will-say-yes-situations kept going on and on and on. I missed a good plot like with the Lunar Chronicles..

The next thing I missed was the truly madness feeling of Wonderland. For some reason it felt rather bland and that's not something I expected from Meyer, who created such a fascinated world before. I wanted to see more strange things! I was looking for the same overly weird experience that I had with the original tale, that almost felt like a plunge into a bad trip. She could have done more and I feel she didn't went overboard enough. She did spend a lot of time into describing food, and I liked it, but at the end of the day I wasn't blown away.

Review | Jodi Lynn Anderson – Midnight at the Electric.

Title: Midnight at the Electric.
Author: Jodi Lynn Anderson.
Pages: 272.
Publication: June 13th 2017 by HarperTeen – I got an eARC from the publisher through Edelweiss. Thanks!

Divided by time. Ignited by a spark.
Kansas, 2065. Adri has secured a slot as a Colonist—one of the lucky few handpicked to live on Mars. But weeks before launch, she discovers the journal of a girl who lived in her house over a hundred years ago, and is immediately drawn into the mystery surrounding her fate. While Adri knows she must focus on the mission ahead, she becomes captivated by a life that’s been lost in time…and how it might be inextricably tied to her own.
Oklahoma, 1934. Amidst the fear and uncertainty of the Dust Bowl, Catherine fantasizes about her family’s farmhand, and longs for the immortality promised by a professor at a traveling show called the Electric. But as her family’s situation becomes more dire—and the suffocating dust threatens her sister’s life—Catherine must find the courage to sacrifice everything she loves in order to save the one person she loves most.
England, 1919. In the recovery following the First World War, Lenore struggles with her grief for her brother, a fallen British soldier, and plans to sail to America in pursuit of a childhood friend. But even if she makes it that far, will her friend be the person she remembers, and the one who can bring her back to herself?
While their stories spans thousands of miles and multiple generations, Lenore, Catherine, and Adri’s fates are entwined.(

RATING:

If you are looking for a science-fiction book, this is not the one.
If you are looking for an intricate contemporary book, this is the one for you.

The story starts out in Kansas, 2065. Adri is going to be one of the first people to live on Mars. Weeks before the launch she goes to live with Lily, her old demented cousin. She discovers handwritten letters of the people who lived on the farm before Lily. She becomes intrigued by the story between Catherine's mother Beth and Lenore.

Catherine lives in the fear and uncertainty of the Dust Bowl in Oklahoma, 1934. The dust is threatening her sister's life, Beezie. She first saves up to visit the Midnight Electric, but when that doesn't have any effect on Beezie's health, Catherine decides she must take a bigger step. Beth is blind for the dangers and can think of one thing: maintaining the farm.

Then we follow the life of Lenore in England, 1919, during the recovery after the First World War. Her family deals with the grief after her brother passed away in the war. Her letters to Beth stay unanswered, but she has set her mind on visiting Beth anyway. The last two stories slowly entwine the close we get to the big answer: what happened with all of them in the end? Did Lenore and Beth ever meet? Did Catherine and Beezie survive the dust? We follow Adri on her small quest to find answers, while she is preparing for her mission to Mars.

I hate to say this, but I really disliked Adri.. There was something so distant and unkind about her and she was quite the opposite of the sweet and talkative Lily. The story of Lenore was the most interesting to me. The writing-style is gorgeous, like I am used to from Anderson, but the story itself failed to impress me. In a way, I think it's because I didn't warm up to Adri, and in another way it is because most of the story is told through letters. It's a different way to experience a story and I found it harder to connect with the characters and their lives.

Not bad, but so far, her books haven't lived up to the amazing, mind-blowing and heart-wrenching Tiger Lily.

“I wonder if sometimes you can miss something so much it breaks you, and still be happy you left.”

Review | Christina Henry – Alice.

Title: Alice.
Author: Christina Henry.
Pages: 325.
Publication: Published June 28th 2016 by Titan Books Ltd

In a warren of crumbling buildings and desperate people called the Old City, there stands a hospital with cinderblock walls which echo with the screams of the poor souls inside.In the hospital, there is a woman. Her hair, once blonde, hangs in tangles down her back. She doesn't remember why she's in such a terrible place-just a tea party long ago, and long ears, and blood...Then, one night, a fire at the hospital gives the woman a chance to escape, tumbling out of the hole that imprisoned her, leaving her free to uncover the truth about what happened to her all those years ago.Only something else has escaped with her. Something dark. Something powerful.And to find the truth, she will have to track this beast to the very heart of the Old City, where the rabbit waits for his Alice.

RATING:

Warning: this book contains rape and a lot of violence. It is dark and graphic. I will mention these aspects in my review. I would classify this book as a mixture of horror and retelling.

Alice is trapped in an asylum after she mysterious disappeared and returned – covered in blood with no memories of what happened. She becomes friends with the guy in the next cell called Hatcher. They both manage to escape when the asylum burns down and they have an important mission: find the sword to kill the Jabberwocky.

Alice has no idea what is going on, but she is thrown into dangerous situations alongside Hatcher, who believes she is the one. They meet several characters who are extremely dark and twisted, like the Caterpillar who mutilates girls in his brothel to make them exclusive and the Walrus who eats girls while he rapes them.

This aspect gave me mixed feelings. I've always found Alice to be a pretty messed-up fairytale and this book really plays in on that feeling. It twists it in an even darker version that portrays how sick this 'Wonderland' can be. On the other hand, it is gruesome and quite graphic at times, which made it intense and not exactly enjoyable. This makes it hard to say I liked the book; I did, but not in the way you say you like a contemporary book where everything is fluffy and happy.

The fight against the Rabbit and the Jabberwocky was a bit of a let down. Alice and Hatcher have to make their way through deaths and situations that are harder, so I expected more of it. It felt like they got away easy there, like the author had used up everything in the way leading up to the battle.

When it comes to Alice and Hatcher and their sort-of-romance.. Alice and Hatcher are both unpredictable and highly flawed characters. Alice is a tough girl with a broken mind and Hatcher is unstable. It makes them different from many books I've read so far. I can't say I have fallen in love with either of them, but they do fascinate me. It was nice to see how they support each other and drag each other through the hardship, but I couldn't get on board of their growing feelings. I'm curious about the sequel and how this romance is going to play out.

"If you let grief in, it might consume you."

The Beauty and the Beast.

MinaLima, the award-winning design studio behind the graphics for the Harry Potter film franchise and the creators of the illustrated Jungle Book and Peter Pan, reimagine the beloved French fairy tale The Beauty and the Beast in this deluxe unabridged edition illustrated with stunning full-color artwork and nine 3-D interactive features. 

Generations of readers have been bewitched by the epic love story of a beautiful young girl imprisoned in the magical castle of a monstrous beast.

Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, MinaLima (Illustrator), James Robinson Planché (Translator). Published January 31st 2017 by Harper Design (first published 1740)


The moment I laid eyes on this book, I knew I had to get it and I was not disappointed by it. My love for Beauty and the Beast knows no limits, but this book reminded me of the fact I never read the original tale *gasp*

It was interesting to see the story Disney worked with and I must admit that I am happy with the changes they have made. They turned every character into a more likable figure, but what I did love in this book is the background story of the Beast. It felt like I was reading another story inside a story, which is something I missed in the animated movie. It made him a more solid character. We all have to admit that the time line around Beast's life in the Disney movie is a bit flawed and that is no problem in this book.

I really missed the talking objects though. There is no Lumière, Mrs. Potts or Cogsworth. Instead there are different themed room, like one with Monkeys who become friends with Belle. My image of Beauty and the Beast is so wrapped around Disney that I couldn't stop missing my beloved extra characters.

The best thing about this version is the beautiful leather-bound cover, the illustrations and the interactive features. Those 3d features weren't extremey special, but still added something fun to the story. The illustrations were to die for, especially those at the beginning of every chapter. I spend a lot of time looking at them, soaking in all the details, and it really made the story come alive.

Highly recommend this book if you are a fairytale lover like me.

Review | Erika Johansen - The Fate of the Tearling.

Title: The Fate of the Tearling.
#3 of The Queen of the Tearling.
Author:  Erika Johansen.
Pages: 478 pages
Published: November 29th 2016 by Harper
Source: I received an ARC copy from the bookstore Van Ditmar.

In less than a year, Kelsea Glynn has grown from an awkward teenager into a powerful monarch and a visionary leader.
And as she has come into her own as the Queen of the Tearling, she has transformed her realm. But in her quest to end corruption and restore justice, she has made many enemies - chief among them the evil and feared Red Queen, who ordered the armies of Mortmesne to march against the Tear and crush them. To protect her people from such a devastating invasion, Kelsea did the unthinkable - naming the Mace, the trusted head of her personal guards, Regent in her place, she surrendered herself and her magical sapphires to her enemy. But the Mace will not rest until he and his men rescue their sovereign from her prison in Mortmesne. So, the endgame has begun and the fate of Queen Kelsea - and the Tearling itself - will be revealed...

Rating:

SPOILER FREE if you haven't read the first two books either.

This series has a lot of ups and downs. The Queen of the Tearling blew me away. I was confused by the world-building, but I fell in love with Kelsea and the side-characters, like the Mace. There was something about her actions and the way it moved the plot into interesting directions that got me hooked.

The Invasion of the Tearling was SO different and it took me a good amount of time to get into it. Kelsea showed an even darker side and I appreciated the fact she was so flawed. We got more information about the Red Queen, who rules in Mortnesme, and how she became that ruthless person. The only thing I did not like was the new storyline that was added, because it really did not seem to fit the atmosphere of the first book. I always thought this story took place in a more Medieval setting and this new character made me realize that was not the case at all.

That storyline continues in The Fate of the Tearling and starts to play a bigger role. It shows the basics of the world-building and how Kelsea's world was created. The background information was interesting, but at the same time I didn't care for the characters who played a role in it. I kept flipping the pages in the hope the story would switch back to Kelsea. It was an interesting (and in the end brave) decision to create such a plot though. 

Kelsea has a long journey, coming from the girl who grew up in the Woods into a Queen who is capable of handling tough situations. I still admired her and the way she deals with everything that got in her way. I don't think she always made the best decisions, but she always made them with her country in mind and that loyalty is admirable. 

The ending was something I did not expect and took me off guard – and I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about it. It matches the new approach the story took in the Invasion of the Tearling, but at the same time it did not give me enough satisfaction. This is probably one of those endings you can never completely hate or dislike, it just messes with your thoughts.

I liked the overall series, but I have to say that the sequels did let me down after The Queen of the Tearling. This might because of my different expectations or the fact I did not like the world-building in the end. I'm definitely going to keep an eye on the movie and any further books from this author, because she does know how to write.

These people are so damned proud of their hatred! Hatred is easy, and lazy to boot. It’s love that demands effort, love that exacts a price from each of us. Love costs; this is its value.

Review | Lindsay Ribar – Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies.

Title: Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies.
Author:  Lindsay Ribar.
Pages:  336.
Published: June 7th 2016 by Kathy Dawson Books.

Twin Peaks meets Stars Hollow in this paranormal suspense novel about a boy who can reach inside people and steal their innermost things—fears, memories, scars, even love—and his family’s secret ritual that for centuries has kept the cliff above their small town from collapsing. Aspen Quick has never really worried about how he’s affecting people when he steals from them. But this summer he’ll discover just how strong the Quick family magic is—and how far they’ll go to keep their secrets safe. With a smart, arrogant protagonist, a sinister family tradition, and an ending you won’t see coming, this is a fast-paced, twisty story about power, addiction, and deciding what kind of person you want to be, in a family that has the ability to control everything you are.

Rating:

Aspen Quick can steal anything from someone by touching them or an object that belonged to them. He can take away your memories, your fears, your passions; just one moment of concentration and it's gone. He uses this gift/curse to feed the Cliffs; his ability keeps them from collapsing on the village. He works together with his grandmother Willow (able to feel when the Cliffs need magic) and aunt Holly (to guide whatever Aspen has stolen to the Cliffs). I thought it was a really interesting concept and I liked the process, but in the end the author could have used it to make a more twisty tale.

Aspen has been left by his mother and she keeps looking for contact, but he is too hurt by her. Slowly, we figure out why his mother went away and how his dad influenced his life. This revelation was supposed to make Aspen more sympathetic, but I simply can't overlook all the bad things he has done. He was so careless in his use of the gift - and everything had to be about HIM. He never left the douche-bag stage from the beginning behind and that made this a hard book to read. I need to feel something more for a character and all Aspen did was getting on my nerves.

At the same time, the writing-style reads incredibly fast and I ended up reading this book in one sitting. I just think some parts could have been explored better, especially when it comes to Leah, a girl I did like. She stands up to Aspen and makes him realize, in some rare moments, that he is manipulating everyone around him without taking care of their feelings. Taking something from someone without care; changing their personality without consent, it's awful.

Not too bad, not mind-blowing either.

Review 271. | My Lady Jane – Ashton, Hand, Meadows.

Title: My Lady Jane.
Author:  Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton + Jodi Meadows.
Pages:  491.
Published: June 7th 2016 by HarperTeen
Source: Edelweiss and publisher, thanks!

The comical, fantastical, romantical, (not) entirely true story of Lady Jane Grey. In My Lady Jane, coauthors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows have created a one-of-a-kind fantasy in the tradition of The Princess Bride, featuring a reluctant king, an even more reluctant queen, a noble steed, and only a passing resemblance to actual history—because sometimes history needs a little help. At sixteen, Lady Jane Grey is about to be married off to a stranger and caught up in a conspiracy to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But those trifling problems aren’t for Jane to worry about. Jane is about to become the Queen of England.

Rating:

This book gave me mixed feelings. When I started it I thought it was simply brilliant. But, the further I got into the story, the more I fell out of love with it. In the end, it became simply one of those enjoyable stories that was nothing special. Perhaps I had too high expectations, because I was expecting a lot from these three authors.

I was, and still am, a big fan of Jane though. The way the authors created her character was brilliant and she was my spirit animal. She loved reading, tried to stay away from parties and when she had to attend, she was not a social butterfly. I could totally see myself become friends with her, so we could rave about books and be awkward in groups together.

Edward shows great progress throughout the story. He grew up with the same knowledge as every man in that time period; girls were pretty much useless. Their only worth was marrying them off to someone powerful and rich - and that is exactly what is going to happen to Jane. Edward needs to secure his line on the throne, because he is dying, so if Jane gets children in time they can be put on the throne.

Her mother has tried to marry off Jane on multiple occasions and all of them failed, so Jane is not scared in the beginning. But the further we get, the more serious it is starting to become - and Jane really dislikes Gifford and his reputations. The problem for Gifford is that his special condition makes it hard to get to know him better. He is unable to control his powers, but at the same time, it is something that connects them when Jane finds out what she is able to do. The two of them grow together and that was definitely the highlight of this book.

It was fun, it was good, but not as mind-blowing as it was in the beginning. I am, however, still looking forward to the upcoming retellings from these three.

“He wanted to tell her she'd have more room if she'd just get rid of her books, but he supposed that in her case, it would be like telling a mother she'd have more room if she threw out her children.” 

Let it go | Rumplestilskin and Castle behind thorns.

Today I'm going to highlight two fairy tales. One is a fun twist on Rumpelstilskin and the other is a not-so-good attempt for a Sleeping beauty retelling.

Jenni James –Rumpelstiltskin. Published September 15th 2013 by StoneHouse Ink. Faery tale collection #3. FINISHED: 3 flowers.

A young prince crippled by a witch— When Fredrico watches his cruel family mourn his false death and announce to the kingdom their cursed prince has died, is the day he truly embraces his new life and new name Rumplestiltskin. How could he be known by anything else? —His skin is completely rumpled and stilted now. He hides away from the king and queen and grows up as a crippled servant in the castle. Years later, his younger brother, Marcus, becomes king and humors Aubrynn’s father when he boasts that his daughter can turn straw into gold. Intrigued Marcus locks the distraught maiden in a tower and declares to the kingdom that if she can transform the straw, he will marry her, but if she cannot he will kill her father. Rumplestiltskin is determined to help Aubrynn save her father and marry the king. Now, if only he can remember to keep his real identity a secret and not fall in love with her himself…

Interesting twist on Rumpelstilskin. I like how he is punished for the crimes of his family in the hope of changing him. His family never embraces him as crippled and they fake his death. Rumpelstilskin takes a new name and hides inside the palace. I felt so sorry for him and his lonely life, but when a desperate father boasts about his daughter ability to turn straw into gold, Rumpelstilskin decides to help her.

He becomes friends with Aubrynn – and they even start to feel more – but he will give up on her when his brother Marcus wants to marry her. Despite everything, he is still loyal to his family and I appreciated that trait in him. Like most stories in this series, the romance is a little fast, but it wasn’t so bad. There was an instant chemistry between them and they are both lonely, so I could understand their strong connection. Aubrynn is a sassy, clever girl and I was rooting for them all the way.

Merrie Haskell – The castle behind thorns. Publication: May 27th 2014 by Katherine Tegen Books (Edelweiss). FINISHED: 2 stars.

When Sand wakes up alone in a long-abandoned castle, he has no idea how he got there. The stories all said the place was ruined by an earthquake, and Sand did not expect to find everything inside-from dishes to candles to apples-torn in half or slashed to bits. Nothing lives here and nothing grows, except the vicious, thorny bramble that prevents Sand from leaving. Why wasn't this in the stories?
To survive, Sand does what he knows best-he fires up the castle's forge to mend what he needs to live. But the things he fixes work somehow better than they ought to. Is there magic in the mending, granted by the saints who once guarded this place? Unexpectedly, Sand finds the lost heir, Perrotte, a girl who shares the castle's astonishing secrets and dark history. Putting together the pieces-of stone and iron, and of a broken life-is harder than Sand ever imagined, but it's the only way to gain their freedom, even with the help of the guardian saints.

Disappointing. I was constantly hoping for me, but this book was never good enough. Sand woke up in a castle surrounded by thorns. His first attempt to escape ends up in being very sick; the thorns seem to be alive. Sand finds out that he has a gift when he wakes up the princess Perrotte. She is a horrible girl in the beginning. Spoiled, arrogant and unkind, but I liked her development. When her past is revealed I could understand her a little better, but I was never connected to them. The plot of the story is also a bit thin, so the book could have used less pages. I sometimes lost my attention.. Shame.

Let it go | Boring, okay and amazing.

Let it go is my new feature, where I will spotlight all the books I DNF and the ones I read, but don’t want to review. And yes, the name is based on the wonderful song from the movie Frozen. This feature is based on several other DNF features.

Title: The name of the wind.
Author: Patrick Rothfuss.
Pages: 722.
Published: 2007 by DAW.
Sort: The Kingkiller Chronicles #1.
Source: Christmas present from Daisy.
Rating: 2 OUT OF 5.

Innkeeper Kote narrates most of his tale to the Chronicler. Kvothe, when his family troupe of traveling players is massacred, spends years starving, beaten beyond count, in a crime-ridden city, then daringly enters a legendary school of magic.

This book was such a let down and I’m disappointed I didn’t love it like almost everybody. I guess I’m the black sheep here, because if there is one thing I can say about this book it would be ‘boring.’ Utterly boring. I thought this book would be filled with magic and perhaps even epic battles, but all I got was the terribly slow and uninteresting story told by an arrogant show-off. Kvothe really thinks he is a big deal, because he is supposed to be so intelligent, but he makes some pretty stupid decisions if you ask me. I don’t give a shit about Kvothe and this series is now on my ‘DNF-series list’ 722 pages was a struggle (to be honest, I only finished it because I got it as a present) and the sequel is close to a 1000 pages. No, thank you very much.

Title: Witchstruck.
Author: Victoria Lamb.
Pages: 320.
Published: September 24th 2013 by Harlequin Teen.
Sort: Tudor Witch #1.
Source: Netgalley & Publisher.
Rating: 3 OUT OF 5.

If she sink, she be no witch and shall be drowned. If she float, she be a witch and must be hanged. Meg Lytton has always known she is different;that she bears a dark and powerful gift. But in 1554 England, in service at Woodstock Palace to the banished Tudor princess Elizabeth, it has never been more dangerous to practise witchcraft. Meg knows she must guard her secret carefully from the many suspicious eyes watching over the princess and her companions. One wrong move could mean her life, and the life of Elizabeth, rightful heir to the English throne. With witchfinder Marcus Dent determined to have Meg's hand in marriage, and Meg's own family conspiring against the English queen, there isn't a single person Meg can trust. Certainly not the enigmatic young Spanish priest Alejandro de Castillo, despite her undeniable feelings. But when all the world turns against her, Meg must open her heart to a dangerous choice.

Witchstruck was one of those books that manage to take historical events and twist them into something new. I'm a huge fan of everything that has to do with The Tudors, so when I found this book with a paranormal twist I knew I had to read it; and I'm glad I did!

The first thing I liked were the characters. Elizabeth is exactly how I imagine she would be. Deep down she is soft and hungry for love, but she puts on a strong mask and she has the proud and arrogant way from her mother. I like how she's never truly bowing down to the will of her half-sister.

Then there is our MC, who embraces her gifts as a witch without hesitation. I thought she was a clever girl and I like how she refused Marcus no matter what. (That was one creepy guy) While the plot is pretty basic and there aren't many climaxes, I had a great adventure with this book.

Title: Nimona.
Author: Noelle Stevenson.
Pages: 272.
Published: May 19th 2015 by Harper Collins.
Sort: Stand-alone comic.
Source: Edelweiss & Publisher (but is also free on: Gingerhaze)
Rating: 4 OUT OF 5.

Nemeses! Dragons! Science! Symbolism! All these and more await in this brilliantly subversive, sharply irreverent epic from Noelle Stevenson. Featuring an exclusive epilogue not seen in the web comic, along with bonus conceptual sketches and revised pages throughout, this gorgeous full-color graphic novel is perfect for the legions of fans of the web comic and is sure to win Noelle many new ones. Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren't the heroes everyone thinks they are. But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona's powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit.

It has been a while since I've read a comic and I was delighted by Nimona. I wasn't blown away by the drawing style in the beginning, but I warmed up for it and was sucked into the story. I read it in one sitting and I liked the story behind Nimona and how Ballister turned into a villain.

Nimona is a kick-ass girl with an interesting past. She is feisty and her shape shifting abilities are amazing. One moment she is a girl with pink hair, the next moment she has turned into a shark. It was fun how she acts like a true villain ("why don't you just kill him, that is what villains do?") while Ballister is more into thwarting the Institution. There is one thing sure: you don't want to mess with her! Ballister is also a complex character and I liked his relationship with his arch nemesis Abrosius. I was totally shipping them to be honest, haha.

The only downside is that the ending might have been a bit abrupt. I would have liked to see a little more closure, because there are some minor questions left. I believe the author said that a sequel isn't ruled out, so I have my fingers crossed. I want more Nimona!

Review 265. Liesl Shurtliff – Red.

Title: Red: true story of Red Riding Hood.
Author:  Liesl Shurtliff 
Pages:  288.
Published: April 12th 2016 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Sort: Stand-alone.
Source: Netgalley and publisher. Thanks!
 

Red is not afraid of the big bad wolf. She’s not afraid of anything . . . except magic. But when Red’s granny falls ill, it seems that only magic can save her, and fearless Red is forced to confront her one weakness. With the help of a blond, porridge-sampling nuisance called Goldie, Red goes on a quest to cure Granny. Her journey takes her through dwarves’ caverns to a haunted well and a beast’s castle. All the while, Red and Goldie are followed by a wolf and a huntsman—two mortal enemies who seek the girls’ help to defeat each other. And one of them just might have the magical solution Red is looking for. . . .

Rating:

Red has magical powers, just like her grandmother, but she is afraid of it. Every time she attempts to do magic, something bad happens and she refuses to use it anymore. When her grandmother gets really sick, Red decides to go away to find a cure. On her way she comes across two new friends: a wolf and Goldie, who wants to find a love potion for her parents.

I really liked how Shurtliff blended different tales into one story and how she switched up the roles of certain characters. It made is creative and fun to explore. There are even some nods to Rump, who was Red's best friend before her moved away. Red herself reminded me of Jack and how they are both brave enough to go on a journey all by themselves.

The best part however, was the growing friendship between Red and Goldie. Red has turned into a bit of a lonely, introvert girl. Everyone in the village is afraid of her and try to avoid her. This has made Red so independent that she first tries to turn Goldie away. Throughout the book we see how Red develops and changes around Goldie; the two become close and start to depend on each other.

The plot itself is interesting enough to keep you occupied. Red catches a dwarf and uses his knowledge to hunt down three cures for her grandmother's sickness, but they all come with a price. There is an important message in this book that Red starts to realize; sometimes the inevitable thing happens and you can't stop it. This makes this book heavier than the previous ones, but it handles it in such a way it is not too dark for children.

Overall, fun story with an unique spin on Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks.

Review 263. Claire Legrand – Winterspell

Title: Winterspell.
Author: Claire Legrand.
Pages: 454.
Published: September 30th 2014 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
Sort: Stand-alone

The clock chimes midnight, a curse breaks, and a girl meets a prince.. but what follows is not all sweetness and sugarplums. New York City, 1899. Clara Stole, the mayor's ever-proper daughter, leads a double life. Since her mother's murder, she has secretly trained in self-defense with the mysterious Drosselmeyer. Then, on Christmas Eve, disaster strikes. Her home is destroyed, her father abducted--by beings distinctly nothuman. To find him, Clara journeys to the war-ravaged land of Cane. Her only companion is the dethroned prince Nicholas, bound by a wicked curse. If they're to survive, Clara has no choice but to trust him, but his haunted eyes burn with secrets--and a need she can't define. With the dangerous, seductive faery queen Anise hunting them, Clara soon realizes she won't leave Cane unscathed--if she leaves at all.

Rating:

There was something about this book that kept me from completely falling in love with it. I felt a certain disconnection from the story and the characters. It also doesn’t scream nutcracker retelling to me, but my overall opinion is that it’s a good book. The writing-style was superb, although not something everyone will fancy, and I was absolutely blown-away by the villain.

Review 262. Cat Hellisen – Beastkeeper.

Title: Beastkeeper.
Author: Cat Hellisen.
Pages: 208.
Published: February 3rd 2015 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Sort: Stand-alone.

Sarah has always been on the move. Her mother hates the cold, so every few months her parents pack their bags and drag her off after the sun. She’s grown up lonely and longing for magic. She doesn’t know that it’s magic her parents are running from. When Sarah’s mother walks out on their family, all the strange old magic they have tried to hide from comes rising into their mundane world. Her father begins to change into something wild and beastly, but before his transformation is complete, he takes Sarah to her grandparents—people she has never met, didn’t even know were still alive. Deep in the forest, in a crumbling ruin of a castle, Sarah begins to untangle the layers of curses affecting her family bloodlines, until she discovers that the curse has carried over to her, too. The day she falls in love for the first time, Sarah will transform into a beast . . . unless she can figure out a way to break the curse forever.

Rating:

This book suffers from an unique problem: it is too short. This story would have benefited from more pages, to give it more development and depth. It was a good book now, but it could have been better. It is a shame that it didn’t live up to it’s full potential now, especially because it has such a fantastic writing-style.

Sarah lives a normal, happy life until her mother decides to leave them. Her father descends into a dark place and he’s not ready to take care of Sarah alone. Sarah meets Alan in the not-so-Forest near her house and he is one of her few friends. That’s until her father dumps Sarah with her grandmother and grandfather in the middle of nowhere.That’s the moment Sarah learns about the curse that runs in her family and how it can pass onto her. Alan is there for her, but he is not exactly what he seems.

I liked the overall story and how the author twisted the original tale into something new. It is hard to identify it as a beauty and the beast retelling, which was good and a little disappointing at the same time. It is more the story after BATB. There is more magic involved and different characters then the original tale, like her grandparents. It is also way darker, something I appreciated (and it surprised me a little, seeing that this is a Middle Grade).

The shortness of this book makes the story feel too fast-paced. There is hardly any time for a set-up, so I didn’t feel any connection with Sarah. She wasn’t a bad character, but I never felt I got to know her and it prevented me from getting sucked in the story. The moment I was starting to get hooked to what was going on, was the moment I reached the last pages. It’s definitely enjoyable, but I wish there was more. It is still worth a read!

Let it go | Okay, good and the best.

Sophie Jordan – Reign of shadows. 2.5 out of 5. I won a review copy from Stories & Sweets. You know me and my love for fairytale retellings, so when I first spotted this book on Goodreads I knew I had to read it. I was excited when I started it. The beginning was interesting and set the world-building: Luna's parents, King and Queen of Relhok, were murdered by the evil chancellor the day of the eclipse. The world has been cloaked in darkness for 17 hours now. Only one hour, midlight, is save from the creatures that roam the world: Dwellers. Fowler is on the run from his family and is saved by Luna. He is ordered to take her with him to a place that is rumored to be free of Dwellers.

Luna had her moments. She is blind, but gifted with these some kind of superpowers that gave her unbelievable abilities. The author took it a little too far for my taste and I would have liked it more if she had toned it down. Luna is rash and she went back and forth between clever and downright stupid. Fowler gave me mixed feelings. He was too emotionless and harsh for my taste, I would have liked to see his softer sight earlier in the story. His 'unpredictable' twist was quite obvious from the beginning and might me sigh at how cliche it was. I was disappointed, but I think I'm willing to give the sequel a second chance.

Danielle L. Jensen – Warrior witch. 3 out of 5. Review copy from Netgalley.
The first book was really strong and I love how Stolen songbird changed the way I viewed trolls. Tristan and Cécile impressed me and I liked their chemistry. Hidden Huntress was a good sequel, especially because it was written from both of their point of views. While warrior witch was a solid conclusion to the overall series, it did not blow me away.

There was a change in Tristan/Cécile's dynamic that made me annoyed by both of them. Their chemistry suffered from their constant need to keep things a secret to keep each other safe and I just wish they talked more. The plot was a bit slow, with Cécile trying to make up for her mistake in the previous book, but the ending made up for it. I did not see that coming and I thought it was fitting.

Amy Tintera – Ruined. 4.5 out of 5. Review copy from Edelweiss.
I had a good experience with Tintera's previous Dystopian duology Reboot, so I had high expectations for this series despite some negative reviews on my Goodreads feed. Let me tell you this: I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. The 0.5 was taken off because the romance developed a little too fast for my taste, but Em and Cas were fantastic together. They start with a bit of a hate relationship and that's my favorite thing.

Em is the princess of Ruina. The Ruined are being hunted and killed, because people are afraid for their powers. At the same time, the Ruined are not innocent. She is looking for her capture sister, who is being held by the king who killed her parents. He happens to be the father from Prince Cas of Lera, engaged to princess Mary - and Em is portraying to be that girl. Cas doesn't want to get married, but he is surprised by Mary/Em.

The plot is quite basic, but the characters and how Tintera filled it with details made the story for me. Em was simply fabulous. This girl is ruthless, clever and strong. She made me laugh a couple of times, when she daydreams about ways to kill everyone in a room. Very resourceful. Cas was the typical good guy. He is open-minded and kind, nothing like his father. Tintera has a fantastic writing-style that easily sucks you into the story and I LOVED that horrible ending. It makes me want to pick up the sequel right away.

Review 257. Anne Blankman - Traitor Angels.

Title: Traitor Angels.
Author:  Anne Blankman.
Pages:  400.
Published: May 3rd 2016 by Balzer + Bray.
Sort: Stand-alone.
Source: Edelweiss and publisher, thanks!
 

Six years have passed since England’s King Charles II returned from exile to reclaim the throne, ushering in a new era of stability for his subjects. Except for Elizabeth Milton. The daughter of notorious poet John Milton, Elizabeth has never known her place in this shifting world—except by her father’s side. By day she helps transcribe his latest masterpiece, the epic poem Paradise Lost, and by night she learns languages and sword fighting. Although she does not dare object, she suspects that he’s training her for a mission whose purpose she cannot fathom. Until one night the reason becomes clear: the king’s man arrive at her family’s country home to arrest her father. Determined to save him, Elizabeth follows his one cryptic clue and journeys to Oxford, accompanied by her father’s mysterious young houseguest, Antonio Vivani, a darkly handsome Italian scientist who surprises her at every turn. Funny, brilliant, and passionate, Antonio seems just as determined to protect her father as she is—but can she trust him with her heart? When the two discover that Milton has planted an explosive secret in the half-finished Paradise Lost—a secret the king and his aristocratic supporters are desperate to conceal—Elizabeth is faced with a devastating choice: cling to the shelter of her old life or risk cracking the code, unleashing a secret that could save her father…and tear apart the very fabric of society.

Rating:

Two years ago I fell in love with Prisoner of night and fog. Last year Blankman lived up to my expectations with Conspiracy of blood and smoke. This year she proves she is a solid author with Traitor Angels and I can already tell you I wil read whatever she is going to write next. If I would have to compare this book with anything else, I would say it has the same vibes as The Da Vinci Code. With clues and hidden messages that takes Elizabeth on a journey that may destroy society as they know it.

One thing Blankman excels at is writing fleshed-out characters, mainly females that prove you can be strong without having muscles. Elizabeth is the daughter of famous poet John Milton and she helps him with his latest work after he lost his sight. He also makes sure she is able to handle a sword and Elizabeth has a feeling he is training her for something more, but she has no idea what, until the night comes where John is arrested by the king's man. Elizabeth has to follow a message he encoded in his half-finished Paradise lost and together with Antonio, an Intalian scientist, she has to crack the secret.

Elizabeth is smart, brave and easy to connect with. I fell in love with her voice right after the start and she did not disappoint me. She has a different way of thinking than is expected of females and I liked how her father gave her space to explore things she likes. It is obvious he gave her a broad education while growing up. That is also something that made me appreciate Antonio and their growing feelings. He completely supports Elizabeth and her passion for science, something that is out of the question for her gender. He respects her and her thoughts and they had such an equal understanding, you can't help yourself from falling in love with him too. The best part about the romance, besides being slow-building, was the fact it never takes the front seat. This book is all about figuring out what her father has hidden in his poem.

During all twists, turns and clues it is obvious that the author did her research. There are many topics she explores that makes sure you are hooked to the story and I have learned a few new things as well. The historical setting is really nicely done. There is an emphasis on religion and Galileo Galilei's work – and it is all blended so well into the story. I think it will also appeal to people to tend to stay away from historical reads, because there is so much else to explore as well.

Review. 256. Holly Black – The darkest part of the forest.

Title: The darkest part of the forest.
Author: Holly Black.
Pages: 324.
Published: January 13th 2015 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Sort: Stand-alone.

Children can have a cruel, absolute sense of justice. Children can kill a monster and feel quite proud of themselves. A girl can look at her brother and believe they’re destined to be a knight and a bard who battle evil. She can believe she’s found the thing she’s been made for.
Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries’ seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once. At the center of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking. Until one day, he does…

Rating:

There were two reasons that made me excited to read this book: 1. The cover, because look at it! It’s gorgeous and 2. The whole boy sleeping in a glass coffin promise made me think this could be a little fairytale-ish and I was right. The story holds a certain fairytale charm with it’s magical writing.

Once there was a girl who vowed she would save everyone in the world, but she forgot herself.

Let it go | The books that disappointed me.

Andy Weir – The Martian.
Rating: 3 out of 5. 
I think everyone is familiar with this concept by now. This book is recently adapted as movie with Matt Damon. The story is about Marc and how he strands on Mars after a failed mission. His crew believes he is dead and manage to go on their way back to Earth, but Marc is not dead at all. It is up to his intelligence and education to survive long enough, so that they can save him. That means he has to find a way to grow enough food, which is right up his sleeve as biologist, and he has to find a way to communicate with Earth.

This book has a lot of glowing reviews and I have seen many blogging friends rave about the story. Normally I would not have picked this up, but I went in and came out disappointed. This book is definitely well-researched, there is no denying that. It is obvious that Weir knows what he is talking about and I was blown away by Marc's intelligence and humor under his difficult circumstances. The thing is, I don't care about math and if I read a book, I don't want to have a feeling I'm reading a manual. This felt more like a 'how to survive on Mars' guide then a fictional story. I was bored and really struggled at times, but in the end I was satisfied that I've finished it.

I also watched the movie and I think the concept worked better on the screen. They skipped all the explanations, which made the story much faster.

Jamie Cassidy – Hawthorne.
Rating: 2 out of 5.
I went into this book with different expectations. For some reason I was under the impression this book was going to be a retelling and while there are fairytale elements, it was written as horror. There were definitely a few creepy moments, but I didn't care enough for any of the characters, so they didn't make a lasting impression on me. Heather wasn't interesting and I also disliked the regular POV switches. The story behind her family and why all the things happened was okay, but I will not read the sequel.

Licia Troisi – Nihal of the land of the wind.
Rating: 2 out of 5. 
I really liked the cover and the blurb sounded interesting enough, so I went into this book expecting an interesting story. Instead, I was rewarded with a cliche tale about a girl that annoyed me often. Nihal had all the potential to blow my mind. At times she is strong, I admired her strength to go after her dream and she could be brave. That is unfortunately snowed under her constant whining and naive choices. I liked that the author tried to show that crying doesn't mean you are weak, but the endless crying sessions of Nihal started to get on my nerves. The cliche elements made it hard to feel anything for the story.

Nihal is the last of her species, sporting violet eyes and blue hair.
Nihal is the first female to enter the Academy to become a Dragon knight.
Nihal turns out to be the best fighter of everyone.
Country is in war against one big enemy, called the Tyrant.

I liked that there is no romance, only friendship between her and her once-enemy-wizard-friend and her relationship with her father and later on aunt was nicely portrayed, but there was nothing that made this book stand out between other fantasies. I will not continue this series (and the sequels are not translated yet anyway). Shame.

Let it go | Fairytale edition.

John Connolly – The book of lost things.
RATING: 5 out of 5.
This book was fantastic and I highly recommend it to everyone. Such a gorgeous writing-style. It sucked me in from the beginning and it blew me away with some of its wisdom and word choices. I already shared one of his quotes in one of my monthly recaps, so here is another one:

“Without a human voice to read them aloud, or a pair of wide eyes following them by flashlight beneath a blanket, books had no real existence in our world. Like seeds in the beak of a bird waiting to fall to earth, or the notes of a song laid out on a sheet, yearning for an instrument to bring their music into being. they lie dormant hoping for the chance to emerge.They want us to give them life.”

The author made it really easy to connect with the young boy David, which is not an easy task. There was not a moment where I felt the voice was too young or too old; it was simply perfect.
The subtle use of the fairytales and how they are not the perfect happily-ever-after characters, the emotions throughout the story, the character development; I loved it all. David misses his mother and he has a hard time accepting the fact that his father has a new woman in his life; and that he has a little brother. His behaviour felt realistic and I liked the aspect of his family and how he slowly starts to accept his new life.

Gah, this is one of those books I want to reread very soon.

Margaret Peterson Haddix – Just Ella.
RATING: 2 out of 5.
I started this book with high hopes, but it turned out to be a disappointment. The author managed to use a creative spin on the original tale, but that’s pretty much all I liked about it. The tale of Cinderella and the fairy godmother turned out to be a simple gossip; Ella’s real story is less magical. That was interesting – and also the way her happily-ever-after evolves was a nice addition.

Ella was okay. I had a feeling I SHOULD have loved her, but in the end I didn’t. She stands up for herself, she manages to escape out of prison and in the end she realizes there is no such thing as love-at-first-sight, so she had all the right aspects to turn into a great heroin. She just felt too flat and I had no connection whatsoever.

Brianna Shrum – Never Never.
RATING: 3 out of 5. I received an eARC from the publisher on Netgalley.

I’ve always had my doubts about Peter and a feeling there was more to Hook than the information we’ve been given. This is one of those books that made me feel sorry for Hook. James is an innocent boy who wants nothing more than growing up. One day he meets Peter and the boy promises him that he can take him to Neverland for a vacation. Instead, James is dumped there with no way to return to his old life. He turns bitter and starts to see Peter for the hateful, childish boy he is. We also see glimpses of Wendy and Tiger Lily. This book went on for too long; there are many repetition and it started to get boring, but the ending was worth it.

Have you read any of these books? Interested in one of them?

Let it go | Massive edition.

Let it go is my feature, where I will spotlight all the books I DNF and the ones I've read and just want to talk about. The name is based on the wonderful song from the movie Frozen, hence the the reindeer. This feature is based on several other DNF features.

I want to get rid of all the reviews I have yet to post on my blog before 2016 starts, so I'm going to throw them all together in this post. You can scroll through all the categories and select what you want to read. They go from best rating –> worst rating. There are no spoilers for the books or sequels in the series. Here we go:

Fairytale retelling.

Marissa Meyer – Winter.
RATING: 4.5 out of 5.
It was fantastic and I read more than 500 pages in one sitting, but the ending still left me with a little disappointed feeling of I want more. It feels like there was still some story left to tell. Perhaps in the novella bind-up with the Epilogue to Winter? I HOPE SO. The main story is wrapped up neatly, so perhaps it's because I'm just not ready to let go of all the characters I fell in love with throughout the series. I could read about them forever and I'm satisfied with all the ships and the overall conclusion of the story. My only problem was the fact I didn't like how villainous Levana was and how I couldn't care about her 'reasons' for all the things she did.

Shannon Hale – Princess Academy.
RATING: 4.5 out of 5.
Miri lives in the valley near the mountain where everyone works to collect linder (stone). The prince is looking for a new bride and she will be picked from the girls in her village. They are all sent to a special Academy to be trained, so they can impress him. Miri is spunky, yet a bit insecure and she has a quick mind. She has a way with words and she is definitely not waiting to be trained for a prince. I loved how her family played a role in the story and how it stays away from the cliche story line. Don't let the promise and the fact that it is middle grade fool you.

Virginia Boecker – The witch hunter.
RATING: 2.5 out of 5.
This book caught my attention when it was pitched as magic from Graceling meets political intrigue from Game of thrones. While I don’t agree with those comparisons, I sort of liked it. Elizabeth is one of the best witch hunters. until she is accused of witch craft herself. She is sentenced to death, but saved by someone who was her biggest enemy: the powerful wizard Nicholas.
Elizabeth was okay. She is by no means a perfect character and I think I will forget about her soon, but being able to look in her head wasn't so bad. She is trust into a confusing time and I liked how she dealt with the situation. She is struck between her old life and the new information. I could understand how hard it was to change her believes, but she switches rather quickly. The writing-style was engaging. I don't know what it was, but it made me keep reading. I also think I ended up liking this book more because of my low expectations. I was left to believe it would be a boring, terrible book, but I don't think it was THAT bad.

Alethea Kontis – Dearest.
RATING: 2.5 out of 5.
Naked guys are sleeping in a room. Friday finds them and falls in love with one of them right away. Because…. Not for that reason ;) but I thought it was rather strange that she is standing there, observing this boy and wondering what color his eyes are. Okay guuurl. I am left disappointed by this series. The first book was stunning. I loved the combinations of fairytales and how it made me guess which stories she included. The second book was already less interesting and I found myself a little bored by this book. The characters in this book were a bit bland, although I did like the approach of Six Swans. I have high hopes for the next one, because I think I will like Princess Thursday much more.

Dakota Chase – Mad about the hatter.
RATING: 1 out of 5.
This book was simply too much. The author tried SO hard to make everything sounds funny and hilarious, that it felt too forced. I understand that she tried to copy the whimsical feeling from Alice in Wonderland, but to me, she failed to deliver it. I loved that the romance is between Hatter and Henry, brother from Alice, but it went incredibly fast. Hatter went from 'what an annoying boy' to 'oh, such luscious lips, I want to kiss them!' The same with Henry, who went from 'I must be crazy, this can't be real' to 'what a delicious man.' The story itself is also pretty much wandering around Wonderland, because Hatter must take Henry to the Queen of Hearts. I liked the addition of the King of Hearts and the talk about abusive relationships.