[Review: A Court Of Thorns And Roses by Sarah J. Maas]

"A Court of Thorns and Roses"
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses #1
Pages: 416
Genre: YA, Fairytale Retellings, Fantasy
Date Published: May 5th, 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's
Format Read: ARC provided by publisher for honest review

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Summary:

A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

-Goodreads
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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To A Court Of Thorns And Roses,

Two words = Mind Blown. You are an amazing novel. You have all the ships, because there are characters in you that I want to support in the shipping department, and there are characters that I just want to ship myself. You seem like Beauty and the Beast retelling, and even though that is what you are, you are so much more than that. I have so much love for you that I want everyone to read you. Everyone. Let's start a petition on your behalf, okay? On top of that you were so good that you gave me stroke, no seriously, I went to the hospital and everything...

-The White Unicorn

Everyone knows that I have nothing but good things to say about anything that Maas has ever written. The way she tells a tale is something that only she can do. Her writing is so vivid that you get pulled into the worlds she creates. She also has this ability to tell a story that we've heard a thousand times before, but make it feel like it's the first time. Like she concocted it, because she layers so much of herself into the pages. This book is so beautiful and haunting. 

Maas has mashed Beauty and the Beast together with fairy stories, and it works so well. ACOTAR takes its cue from the original tale more than the Disney version, so if you're expecting that version of the tale, stop it, now. The original tale lends itself to this story so much better. On top of that we get all these elements that Maas created, that takes something familiar, and makes it feel delightfully new. 

Characters are also a strong point, on top of the story. Feyre is an extremely strong lead. She's prickly to say the least. She's had to become a warrior to feed her family. She's had to become something different from her sisters, who still wish they were rich. She's a realist, and she knows she can take care of herself. Some people might complain that she does too much for love, but I think that she's always had a bit of hero complex, so why would that change. To me she's a very consistent character, and a total badass.

Tamlin is a beast like we haven't seen before. He's slightly sweeter than we've seen previously, but it means that he balances out Feyre well. I quite like them together. Plus, I enjoyed seeing the liberties that Maas took with their relationship.

Not to mention Lucien and Rhysand! I have to admit that even though I loved Tamlin for Feyre, I liked both of these secondary gents a bit more. They are a little more feisty and a little more twisted, and there is nothing wrong with that.

I'm so glad that this novel isn't a stand alone and that I will be able to dive back into this wonderful world . Since the whole story of Beauty and the Beast has played out in the completion of this book, it'll be fun to see where Maas takes it in later books. 

Everyone, read this!

Rating:

5 Unicorns = Get your hand on this NOW!  

[Review: Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge]

"Crimson Bound"
Author: Rosamund Hodge
Series: None
Pages: 448
Genre: YA, Fairytale Retelling
Date Published: May 5th, 2015
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

Inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Crimson Bound is an exhilarating tale of darkness, love, and redemption.

(This is a standalone novel, not part of the Cruel Beauty Universe.)

-Goodreads
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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To Crimson Bound,

You're the kind of book that I don't like to put down. You tell a story and tell it so well. You're gritty and dark and weird, and so beautifully written that you enrapture your reader. Book, you also managed to tell the story Little Red Riding Hood in such a brand new way, that I didn't feel like I had ever read anything like this version before, and that's a hard thing to do. I applaud you! And I salute you!

-The White Unicorn

It's not a surprise that I LOVED Hodge's first novel Cruel Beauty (a retelling of Beauty and the Beast). I raved about that book as well, and I have to say that I have all the same feelings about Crimson Bound (Little Red Riding Hood) as well. Hodge has definitely just snuck her way onto my instant-buy list. She has this way with words, and this way with blood, and this way with making you feel all the things. Seriously, this book made me feel a lot of different things. 

Rachelle was the perfect lead. She's not a saint, she's got loads of blood on her hands, she doesn't know what to do with herself, but she knows what she must do. She's a bit of an anti-hero, but she's also the kind of anti-hero that you find yourself rooting for. She feels this darkness inside of her that she listens to sometimes, but usually, her very human heart kicks in, and takes over. She's edgy, but she's still someone that you can relate to. 

This is one of the first books that I've read this year, where I didn't feel like I was reading a love triangle, even though there were totally two gents trying to snag some cuddle time with Rachelle. Hodge writes both guys in such a genuine way that they fill different parts of the story. Armand is that hate to love story that will make you feel all the feels, and Erec is the snark-filled-ass that we have all met at some point in our lives. The males in this story are just what they need to be.

That being said, the story is so much more than a love story. It's really a story all about Rachelle finding herself and her life calling. It's about a girl who was fooled by an imposter in the woods, and The Devour that is coming to destroy the world. Rachelle is the only one who feels like she can stop it, even though she's supposed to be on evil's side. 

The mythology that Hodge creates for this retelling of Little Red is masterful. We get to see glimpses of the original tale as Rachelle's timeline also unfolds, and it's the greatest ever. I have to say that I can't find anything wrong with this one. If you like creepy tales that are birthed from stories that you know well, look no farther than this novel!

Rating:

  5 Unicorns = Get your hands on this one NOW!

[Review: A Wicked Thing by Rhiannon Thomas]

"A Wicked Thing"
Author: Rhiannon Thomas
Series: A Wicked Thing #1
Pages: 352
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Fairytale Retelling
Date Published: February 24th, 2015
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

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.

-Goodreads
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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To A Wicked Thing,

Hmmmm? I don't love you. I wanted to. I thought you were going to be cool, but you feel really flat for me. I will say that you ended on a bit of a high note, and I'll probably read the next book in your series if I feel so inclined, but I can't be sure. You were just a tad boring, that's all. Too boring for what could have been happening...

-The White Unicorn

We all know how I feel about Fairytale Retellings, so I was stoked when I heard about A Wicked Thing. I love the idea behind the book and a piece of me has always wondered what would happen after Aurora woke up. I think that my middle of the road review comes from the fact that this isn't what I would have picked to happen. I know that that isn't very fair, but I'm just being honest. I do feel like Thomas had some really clever ideas, but her execution of them left me not really caring when I knew that I was supposed to be feeling something substantial. Let's just say that this book did not give me the feels, and that made me sad.

Thomas drops us into the Sleeping Beauty story after Aurora is woken up by the kiss of a Prince. A Prince named Rodric who had the personality of a wet towel... or a door mat. She's instantly pushed into an engagement with the man and she's trying to deal with the fact that 100 years have passed since she took her long nap. I honestly kept being told that Aurora was a bit of a firecracker, but the whole time I was reading I didn't think she was a very strong character.

In fact, maybe that's where my biggest problem with this book happens. The characters just aren't that great. I feel like we're told, over and over again what these character are like, but in the end their actions don't back it up. Finnegan was the only one who kept my attention and even he was fairly boring. And Tristan? I forgot about him more than once. I don't think that should happen.

The story was okay and like I said it got better at the end. Once Aurora was actually let out of her room and what not. Seriously, so much of this book was in her rooms or the castle. 

So sadly, I didn't like this one. It wasn't terrible though and I think that a younger teen would eat it up with a spoon!

Rating:

2 Unicorns = It was okay, but something didn't work for me!

[Review: Ensnared by A.G. Howard]

"Ensnared"
Author: A.G. Howard
Series: Splintered #3
Pages: 384
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Fairytale Retellings
Date Published: January 6th, 2015
Publisher: Amulet Books
Format Read: Purchased hardback

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Summary:

After surviving a disastrous battle at prom, Alyssa has embraced her madness and gained perspective. She's determined to rescue her two worlds and the people and netherlings she loves. Even if it means challenging Queen Red to a final battle of wills and wiles . . . and even if the only way to Wonderland, now that the rabbit hole is closed, is through the looking-glass world--a parallel dimension filled with mutated and violent netherling outcasts. In the final installment of the wildly popular Splintered trilogy, Alyssa and her dad journey into the heart of magic and mayhem in search of her mom and to set right all that's gone wrong. Together with Jeb and Morpheus, they must salvage Wonderland from the decay and destruction that has ensnared it. But if they succeed and come out alive, can everyone truly have their happily ever after?

-Goodreads
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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To Ensnared:

Parting is always such sweet sorrow and leaving you behind is kind of like that. I have loved the books that fill your series and even though some of your plot points bugged me. We can't love everything about each other. That's what makes a real friendship and you, book, seem to be a good way to end ours. That is until I decide to read all of you and your companions again. Thanks for doing you and all the creepiness that that implies. 

-The White Unicorn

I've had this weird, uncontrollable love for A.G. Howard's Splintered series from the beginning. The imagery is some of the best that I've read in a long time, and you get pulled into the dark, twisted world that she builds, without even realizing it. That being said I've also had issues with the whole series, namely a dude named Jeb, but I have to admit that I might have felt something like love for him in the last installment of this series. All in all I have to say that this has been a fun ride and I'm pretty bummed that it's over. I'm totally okay if Howard wants to write a few more novellas to go along with this series, that's all I'm saying. 

Ensnared is full up of all the adventure of the last two novels in the series. This time Al has to sneak through the cracks in a mirror to see if she can save the people most important to her, with the help of her father. Howard uses this chance to examine a different realm of Wonderland. This time we are in AnyElsewhere. It's where all the broken creatures of Wonderland come to play, so the creatures held within will make your skin crawl. The world building is once again top notch, and I love that Howard gives us a different view of her Wonderland. It really does play out well. 

I also adored the fact that we get to see more of Al and her father interacting. The family aspect of these books has always been something that I admire and Ensnared delivered on that front. It was also awesome to see what the whole story behind Al's father's family was. Howard even introduced us to a few new characters this way. And of course, getting Al's mother back was all a part of the plot. I do wish that we would have gotten to know Al's mom better in the scheme of things, but this is a small complaint. 

Of course there were also many of the original characters in play. Chessie has a rather large role and I love this version of him, so it's always delightful to see him out and about. We had a new fairy bouncing around by the name of Nikki and Rabid shows his face a few times as well. Throw in the evil Queens that we've come to know so well and the whole cast (plus some) were there. 

The reason why this book isn't getting 5 unicorns comes from the conclusion of the love triangle that Al has been in the middle of all this time. As a story teller I think that Howard was really clever with the conclusion. From a story telling POV, I can't really fault her with her choices and I think they fit well with the story that she has established. That being said, I selfishly wanted a different conclusion. I wanted something more definitive to happen. Al has always seemed a bit weak in her relationships to me and the end game didn't make her feel any stronger. I wish I felt differently, but I do not. 

I'm so glad that I delved into this world that Howard created and that I got to meet Morpheus, who still wins, out of all the characters she pinned, in my book anyway. He was perfect in this final chapter and I couldn't have asked for more. I mean except the one thing I wish would have happened for him in a nicer way. But what am I saying. I'm just showing favoritism, which I think he would approve of.

If you have ever been a fan of Alice in Wonderland, you need to read this series. The books are beautiful even if they are a bit flawed. But isn't that how all the best things in life are?

Rating: 

4 Unicorns = Close to Perfect!

[Waiting On Wednesday: Crimson Bound]

Waiting On Wednesday happens every week on Wednesdays (hence the name) and is hosted by Breaking The Spine.  It's were people talk about the books they want to read about that aren't out yet.

My pick this week is...

"Crimson Bound"
Author: Rosamund Hodge
Release Date: May 5th, 2015

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Summary:

When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

Inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Crimson Bound is an exhilarating tale of darkness, love, and redemption.

(This is a standalone novel, not part of the Cruel Beauty Universe.)

-Goodreads

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What are you waiting on this week?  I wanna know! 

[Review: Winterspell by Claire Legrand]

"Winterspell"
Author: Claire Legrand
Series: None
Pages: 464
Genre: YA, Retelling
Date Published: September 30th, 2014
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

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 not human. 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.

Inspired by The Nutcracker, Winterspell is a dark, timeless fairy tale about love and war, longing and loneliness, and a girl who must learn to live without fear.

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To Winterspell,

Wow, I didn't know what I was getting into when I opened you up. I knew you were a retelling of The Nutcracker, which struck my fancy, but I could never imagine the dark, twisted journey that you took me on. You were filled with beautiful writing, intense word building and all the oddly sensual feels. You weren't dainty and vague like the ballet, you were bold and careless and I loved you for that.

-The White Unicorn

Winterspell is going to be one of those books that either works for people or doesn't. It's books like this that I feel are some of the best. They dare to do things oddly and they don't care what you think. Legrand has written a book that will leave you wondering how you never picked up on some of the odd themes of The Nutcracker ballet, even if you watch it ever single Christmas. Reviews are all over the place for this one, and I get it, but I have to admit that I'm in the camp of people who thoroughly enjoyed this captivating retelling of a classic.

Legrand doesn't pull any punches with her storytelling. She has re imagined characters we know into creators that we can barely recognize. She tweaked an elegant world that we're already familiar with and given it new, dark, sensual, creepy life, while still maintaining said elegance. Her words and characters bring the story to life as Legrand explores humanity as well as fantasy with edgy tact. Some of the content will make you squirm, but that's part of what makes Winterspell something that you can't look away from. Fairies are ruthless, the fact that Clara is in love with a statue (turned man) is weird (but no weirder than the original story), sugar is a drug and the rats will make you scream at night. It's perfect, and real life in New York is no less terrifying.

I do have to admit that I found fault with only one thing in this book. It's such a part of the story that I didn't mind it when things came full circle, but I have to admit that in the beginning I wasn't the biggest fan. You see, our girl Clara has a way of victimizing herself and her sexuality. There is this creepy pedophile doctor in her real life and every time he looks at her she blames herself for his wondering eyes. It pissed me off, but even though she continues to do this, it plays a huge role in her development later on in the book. Clara grows from this timid girl with hardly any self respect into someone who knows who she is so completely that it's hard to see the girl she started out as when the book is finished. So, in the end what started out as a problem became something that I adored about Clara's character development. She becomes something of a Queen, instead of the frightened young girl she starts out as.

Nicholas is quite an interesting one himself. His and Clara's love is strange. He's a statue that she talks about having feelings for and then, because of magic, he becomes a man. The way she talks about him as a statue is odd, but it sets the tone for the book rather well. Honestly, everything about this book is odd, which is why I liked it so much. The magic that flows through Cain gets in the way of their love, but things will be what they will be, in the end. I liked that Nicholas wasn't a saint. He'd done some really messed up things and you saw glimpses of the darkness even when he shone his brightest.

And then we come to Anise. Twisted, seductive, brutal Anise. She's a rather captivating villain. She's evil all right, but she has these moments where you almost believe that she could be better. She has this deep lust for love that takes control of her and it makes her feel human. But then, just like that she'll snap back into the evil Queen we know her to be. 

Legrand also makes a point to highlight other characters that we already know, while throwing some new ones at us as well. I adore the fact that none of these characters are full of light, each and every one has something dark lurking in their souls and it keeps things interesting. You're never sure who is good and who isn't. Plus, Legrand throws some curve balls at us that are rather unexpected. I want to say something about it, but I fear it would be a spoiler and I loved how much it shocked me, so I'll leave to find out what I mean for yourself.

This book is a whole lot Nutcracker with touches of Sucker Punch and steampunk. It's a jumble of mixed emotions and feels and sex appeal and humanity all rolled into one. If you like any or all of those things, you should read this book ASAP. 

Disclaimer: Though I say this book is full of sensuality and sex appeal, nothing graphic happens, it's more the tone of the book that I'm referring to.

Rating:

5 Unicorns = Get your hands on this NOW!

[Waiting On Wednesday: The Wicked Will Rise]

Waiting On Wednesday happens every week on Wednesdays (hence the name) and is hosted by Breaking The Spine.  It's were people talk about the books they want to read about that aren't out yet.

My pick this week is...

"The Wicked Will Rise"
Author:Danielle Paige
Release Date: March 30th, 2015

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Summary:

In this dark, high-octane sequel to the New York Times bestselling Dorothy Must Die, Amy Gumm must do everything in her power to kill Dorothy and free Oz.


To make Oz a free land again, Amy Gumm was given a mission: remove the Tin Woodman’s heart, steal the Scarecrow’s brain, take the Lion’s courage, and then Dorothy must die....

But Dorothy still lives. Now the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked has vanished, and mysterious Princess Ozma might be Amy’s only ally. As Amy learns the truth about her mission, she realizes that she’s only just scratched the surface of Oz’s past—and that Kansas, the home she couldn't wait to leave behind, may also be in danger. In a place where the line between good and evil shifts with just a strong gust of wind, who can Amy trust—and who is really Wicked?

-Goodreads 

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What are you waiting on this week?  I wanna know!   

[Review: Crown Of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas]

"Crown of Midnight"
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass #2
Pages: 420
Genre: YA, High Fantasy, Fairytale Retelling
Date Published: August 27th, 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Format Read: Purchased eBook

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Summary:

"A line that should never be crossed is about to be breached.

It puts this entire castle in jeopardy—and the life of your friend."

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie...and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

-Goodreads
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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To Crown of Midnight,

Dang book, you really grabbed me by all of the heart strings. You gave me all of the feels, honestly, all of them. You left me giggling, laughing, swooning, crying, wanting to punch things, wanting to punch imaginary characters and most of all you left me reeling. You, book, did all the things that I wanted you to do, and even some that I didn't. And in the end that is why I loved you so much...

-The White Unicorn

I was utterly blown away by the world that Maas introduced me to in Throne of Glass, so you can be assured that I knew I was going to love the second installment in her series. I had no idea that she could get more creative and expressive in her story telling, but she did. Crown of Midnight took what I already loved from the first book and expanded on it. And boy oh boy did she tug on all of emotions with the words that she strung into magical sentences.

The book starts off where Throne of Glass left off, which means that there are going to be spoilers for the first book in this review. So, if you don't want those, read no further. Celaena is now the King's champion and she's already being forced to do all of his dirty work. It didn't take him that long to start using her in some dreadful ways and that's clear from the very opening pages of the book. But in the way that Maas writes, things aren't always as they seem. Celaena does what she wants, how she wants and even though people's lives might be at stake, she never crosses her moral boundaries.

Maas gives us new looks at relationships that she introduced us to in the first book, Celaena's wants and needs have changed in this book and Dorian and Choal, both benefit from that. Guys, the swoons that happen are wonderful, even if things get muddled fast. I heart Celaena and Choal forever and I fully understand why people are so into this ship. It makes all the sense in the world to me now. On the other hand I love her relationship with Dorian as well, now that they aren't sticking their tongues down each other's throats all the time.

I was so glad that we got to see more of Nehemia and Celaena's friendship as well. Maas does a great job of balancing the romance and the friendships in her series and it makes it all the more real and heartbreaking when the shit hits the fan, because she's also a bit of a master of misery. It was great to get a better read on the Princess and the way Maas uses her in the plot of this book is fantastic, if not slightly rage inducing.

We also get to see more sides to Celaena this time around. Added characters and mysteries unfold in her life and it brings her to some pretty dark and intense places. Sometimes I just really wanted to give her a hug and other times I cheered her on and backed her decisions 100%. Sometimes when life gives you lemons, you just have to chuck them as hard as you can at the people who have wronged you and Celaena proves that she's not afraid to do that, sometimes at any cost.

Maas also digs deeper into the mysteries of the castle and pulls more of her characters into the thick of things. It seems that no one is safe when she's concerned and it makes for amazing story telling and so many things that I would like to discuss with people. So, if you've read this book, hit me up, because I don't want to spoil it for the rest of you. Just know that if you pick this series up, you're in for one heck of an emotional ride! So yeah, read this book, because it's good for you!

Rating:

 5 Unicorns = Get your hands on this one NOW!

[Review: Throne Of Glass by Sarah J. Maas]

"Throne of Glass"
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass #1
Pages: 404
Genre: YA, High Fantasy, Fairytale Retelling
Date Published: August 7th, 2012
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's
Format Read: Purchased eBook

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Summary:

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another.

Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To Throne of Glass,

Why oh why haven't I read you before this? You are everything that I want from a fantasy novel and I can't believe that it's taken me this long to jump on the Throne of Glass bandwagon. I adored your world building and you characters and your plot line and your amazing cover. You make me want to put everything else on hold so that I can binge read all of your predecessors, that's how much I adore you!

-The White Unicorn

Throne of Glass is everything that a fantasy novel should be. Seriously, it hits every single mark. Maas has taken care with her story telling and it shows in a big way. She throws random elements at you, so that even when you think you have it all figured out, something new pops up and surprises you. The book seems simple at first, but don't be fooled, Maas is the master of layering, which is what makes reading this book such a fun experience. The way she weaves the fantastical in with the ordinary proves that she's a master story teller and it'll have you coming back for more.

Above everything else, I adore the characters that Maas has created. Their relationships and interactions are so real. It gives the book a really solid foundation to work off of and she uses that to her advantage in telling her story. I personally couldn't wish for a stronger protagonist than Celaena. She's got so much going on. She complex and snarky and a total badass. She carries around wounds and secrets, but also is so full of hope that you can't help but root for her. Sure she's an assassin, but she's also so much more than that. 

It's also wonderful that Maas takes the time to look at different types of relationships in the book. She concentrates on friendship as well as romantic feels and the balance is perfection. Though there are obvious feelings happening between Celaena and both, Dorian and Choal, I love that they all have each others backs as well. I also like how each guy actually offers something totally different to the table. I didn't feel like I was reading an obnoxious love triangle at all. And let's be honest Dorian doesn't have anything Choal in the end, even though he is definitely pretty great in his own way.

Celaena also has other allies in the castle made of glass and I enjoyed each of them and the large roles that they play in her life. Maas throws in some female friends which add to the story in so many ways. I wish I could say more, but I feel like it would be giving too much away.

In the end I can't enough about this book. If, for some odd reason, you haven't picked this one up yet, take my advice and do it! You need to experience this world and all the wonderful things it has waiting for you.

Rating:

5 Unicorns = Get your hands on this now!

[Waiting On Wednesday: A Wicked Thing]

Waiting On Wednesday happens every week on Wednesdays (hence the name) and is hosted by Breaking The Spine.  It's were people talk about the books they want to read about that aren't out yet.

My pick this week is...

"A Wicked Thing"
Author: Rhiannon Thomas
Release Date: February 24th, 2015

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Summary:

Rhiannon Thomas's dazzling debut novel is a spellbinding reimagining of 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.

-Goodreads 

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I would really like this book sooner than later! I just love the idea that happily ever afters aren't always so happy. Call me a cynic if you want to, I won't mind. I think this sounds refreshing and I'm curious to see what she does with Sleeping Beauty!

What are you waiting on this week?  I wanna know!   

[Waiting On Wednesday: Princess of Thorns]

Waiting On Wednesday happens every week on Wednesdays (hence the name) and is hosted by Breaking The Spine.  It's were people talk about the books they want to read about that aren't out yet.

My pick this week is...

"Princess of Thorns"
Author: Stacey Jay
Release Date: December 9th, 2014

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Summary:

 Game of Thrones meets the Grimm's fairy tales in this twisted, fast-paced romantic fantasy-adventure about Sleeping Beauty's daughter, a warrior princess who must fight to reclaim her throne.

Though she looks like a mere mortal, Princess Aurora is a fairy blessed with enhanced strength, bravery, and mercy yet cursed to destroy the free will of any male who kisses her. Disguised as a boy, she enlists the help of the handsome but also cursed Prince Niklaas to fight legions of evil and free her brother from the ogre queen who stole Aurora's throne ten years ago.

Will Aurora triumph over evil and reach her brother before it's too late? Can Aurora and Niklaas break the curses that will otherwise forever keep them from finding their one true love?

-Goodreads 

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Aside from the fact that I can't stand the cover, this book sounds amazing!  I also love that it has a gender swap theme going on.  Female warriors hiding their true identity is a total win in my eyes.  Possibly because I have such a love for Mulan.  Can it be December yet?

What are you waiting on this week?  I wanna know! 

[Review: The Glass Casket by McCormick Templeman]

"The Glass Casket"
Author: McCormick Templeman
Series: None
Pages: 337
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Fairytale Retelling
Date Published: February 11th, 2014
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Format Read: Hardback from the library

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Summary:

Death hasn't visited Rowan Rose since it took her mother when Rowan was only a little girl. But that changes one bleak morning, when five horses and their riders thunder into her village and through the forest, disappearing into the hills. Days later, the riders' bodies are found, and though no one can say for certain what happened in their final hours, their remains prove that whatever it was must have been brutal.

Rowan's village was once a tranquil place, but now things have changed. Something has followed the path those riders made and has come down from the hills, through the forest, and into the village. Beast or man, it has brought death to Rowan's door once again.

Only this time, its appetite is insatiable.

-Goodreads 

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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To The Glass Casket,

First, I'd like to thank you for being the creeptastic freak show that you are.  You know how to make someone's skin crawl, that's for sure.  You also know how to give us gory details without making us want to toss our cookies, so that's a plus.  Really, the thing I liked most about you is that you aren't afraid to be intense.  There is gore, there is blood (lots of it) and there is so many creepy things that you gave me chills.  The freaked out kind.  No, you're not a horror book, but you could be if you wanted to be one and I like that about you...

-The White Unicorn

After reading this book I know that I'm am a forever fan of Templeman's writing.  There is something enchanting and equally disturbing about it.  The way she was able to tell a story with so many different POV's and with such a unique voice proves that she's really something when it comes to being a writer.  She wove her tale of mystery and murder in such a way that it kept me engaged until the very last page, which I thought was actually really beautiful (in this odd, melancholy sort of way).  

The mythology surrounding The Glass Casket is a well thought out one.  It deals with magical elements even though it's grounded in a world that seems pretty normal at first glance.  It has touches of some familiar fairytales (mainly Snow White and Little Red), but then the book takes a completely different path.  I was blown away by the story.  It's really dark.  It's also kind of disturbing.  One of the things I loved the most was that it touches on what makes us truly human.  There are so many secrets and so many odd happenings, but in the end it's about being human.  It was refreshing and bloody.

The main POVs in the story revolve around Rowan (our main main character) and two brothers in her village named Tom and Jude.  There are even more view points throughout, but those are our main ones.  I loved Rowan's voice.  She's a headstrong girl who knows what she wants, even though she finds herself backed into some corners.  The fact is Rowan never stops fighting for what is right and I dig that about her.  Jude and Tom both have distinct roles to play.  One is the best friend and one seems to be an enemy.  I adored Jude and though I understood Tom's part in the whole book, he wasn't my favorite.  Then again I don't think he's supposed to be.  

Honestly this is one of those books that you need to read to understand what I'm talking about.  I'd like to be able to tell you more, but I don't want to spoil any of the awesomeness that is this book.  It's gnarly and the mystery takes so many odd turns that it actually had me second guessing my gut instinct till the very end.  But not surprisingly, my gut was correct in the end.  I back this book on so many levels.  If you like a good creepy story with a delightfully understated romance and lots of death, this is the one for you!

Rating:

 4 Unicorns = Close to perfect!        

[Review: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge]

"Cruel Beauty"
Author: Rosamund Hodge
Series: Cruel Beauty Universe
Pages: 352
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Retelling
Date Published: January 28th, 2014
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl's journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

-Goodreads 

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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To Cruel Beauty,

You ended up being the first book of the year to blow me out of the water.  It could have been the beautiful way that you were written.  It could have been the complex and flawed characters that filled your pages.  It could have been the twisted retelling that you presented that threw even more than just Beauty and the Beast at us giving it and other tales a new face.  But all in all, I think it was a combo of all of the things that I just mentioned.  Congrats on being awesome and for giving me all of the feels and some really romantic moments.  You've done good!

-The White Unicorn

I'm seriously floored by this book guys!  Rosamund Hodge has created such a fresh and unique Beauty and the Beast retelling.  There are just so many out there and I love a good fairytale retelling just as much as the next person, but you always wonder how they are going to turn out.  I'll tell you that Cruel Beauty did not disappoint.  Hodge took great care in creating a world that was fully it's own.  She pulled in Greek myth as well as hints at other well loved fairytales.  There are nods to Bluebeard and Rumpelstiltskin woven into the story as well.  It's just a epic cluster of greatness that ended up working amazingly well together because Hodge knew just how to make her world come alive.  

It was pretty great to see Greek Mythology used in such a creative way too.  It was an interesting foundation for a fairytale.  It built up a lot of cool story arcs and added this sense of mystery.  I also liked how Hodge chose some of the lesser known myths to weave into her story.  It made even someone who knows a lot about Greek Mythology (like me) stay interested in the bits of the stories that she chose to share.  It kept things interesting for me and I wanted to know more.

Now that I've raved about the world building, I get to tell you guys about what really made this book work for me.  As if the world building wasn't enough, cause it totally was.  The stand outs in this novel were the characters.  Somehow, Hodge managed to give us intense, flawed, complicated characters that are there to captivate you.  I dare you not to be pulled into their stories.  They are all messy.  And when all is said and done they are all as evil as they are heroic and kind.  They are real and they have these deep and raw emotions that just scream at you from the pages.

Nyx was the perfect person to tell this tale.  Seeing everything through her eyes, brought the world to life in the most wonderful ways.  Her relationship with her family is a mess and everyone is hiding things from her.  Her husband is a demon lord who she has sworn to kill.  There is another magical shadow like being hovering on the edges of her life and yet she still manages to hold firm to what she needs to do.  She has these moments where she seems hard and she has these moments where she is one of the kindest souls you've ever met.  She just works as a character.  

There are two "men" vying for her attention.  In my opinion Hodge does a love triangle right.  Both Ignifex and Shade bring something to the table and watching Nyx's interactions with them is a blast.  You just feel all the things that she's feeling about these gents.  And I'd like to say that Hodge knows how to write her swoon worthy moments.  She builds these completely different kinds of chemistry between Nyx and both guys.  One is sweet and innocent and the other is playful, intense and slightly wicked.  I got all the feels guys, ALL THE FEELS!!!

Also, I really enjoyed Hodge's writing style.  It's one thing to be a wonderful storyteller, but I thought that her writing was also beautiful and honest.  She wasn't afraid to give us darkness, but she never forgot to give us hope as well.  She created a story that will play with your heart strings and will also keep you guessing as to how everything will end up.  

So, in conclusion I have to say that I loved pretty much everything about this book.  It is both a retelling and something much more.  I highly recommend this one!

Rating:

        5 Unicorns = Get your hands on this one now!  

[Review: Unhinged by A.G. Howard]

"Unhinged"
Author: A.G. Howard
Series: Splintered #2
Pages: 384
Genre: YA, Retellings, Fairytales, Fantasy
Date Published: January 7th, 2014
Publisher: Amulet
Format Read: ARC provided by publisher for honest review

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Summary:

Alyssa Gardner has been down the rabbit hole and faced the bandersnatch. She saved the life of Jeb, the guy she loves, and escaped the machinations of the disturbingly seductive Morpheus and the vindictive Queen Red. Now all she has to do is graduate high school and make it through prom so she can attend the prestigious art school in London she's always dreamed of.

That would be easier without her mother, freshly released from an asylum, acting overly protective and suspicious. And it would be much simpler if the mysterious Morpheus didn’t show up for school one day to tempt her with another dangerous quest in the dark, challenging Wonderland—where she (partly) belongs.

As prom and graduation creep closer, Alyssa juggles Morpheus’s unsettling presence in her real world with trying to tell Jeb the truth about a past he’s forgotten. Glimpses of Wonderland start to bleed through her art and into her world in very disturbing ways, and Morpheus warns that Queen Red won’t be far behind.

If Alyssa stays in the human realm, she could endanger Jeb, her parents, and everyone she loves. But if she steps through the rabbit hole again, she'll face a deadly battle that could cost more than just her head.

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

Let me tell you one thing, I was so excited to dive back into Howard's colorful and freaky re-imagining of Wonderland.  There is something so beautiful and strange about the way she brings this world that is so familiar to life.  She does it in a way that you've never seen before, a way that just pulls you right into the world that she's created.  I missed this Wonderland and the characters that inhabit it and it was awesome to be able to go back and see what all these twisted characters were up to.

Unhinged starts off a year after the happenings of Splintered.  I thought this was great call, as it gives us a glimpse into Alyssa's life when she's a little more mature and a little less in the dark about everything.  It also brings all of the weirdness of Wonderland into the real world.  Sure there are times where you get moments in Wonderland, but most of the action and story takes place in Al's hometown.  It makes things both more and less strange, but overall, I thought it was a good call to pull us back into a normal setting with flashes of Wonderland's oddities.  

The story itself is a twisted one.  Howard weaves the tangled threads of her story masterfully.  She connects all of the loose ends of the mysteries that she presents, even if she doesn't tie them off.  Where Splintered had some surprises hidden in it's pages, the mysteries are what really propel the story in Unhinged.  Nothing is ever as it seems and everything is connected in ways that you can't even imagine.  Sure, I guessed a few of the things, but mostly I was just along for the ride.  I also liked how Alyssa's parents were a huge part of the plot this time around.  It gave us this sense of family that added a new flavor in the tale.

Once again, I'm not a huge fan of the love triangle that Alyssa is in the middle of.  The whole "have this now, cause you get to have this later" thing is not one of my favorite love story tropes.  Of course this is just my personal opinion, which is probably brought on by the fact that I just want Al and Morpheus together already!

Oh Morpheus!  Now I get to talk about one of my favorite anti-heroes!  I've always been a fan of the anti-hero and Morpheus takes the cake for me.  Yes, I appreciate the rest of Howard's cast, but it's all about the conflicted moth for me.  There were so many amazing moments, where he really got to shine and you got to know him better in the pages of Unhinged.  He became even more layered and confusing, while also being more open, if that is even possible.  Plus, there are some heart warming and heart wrenching moments that are wrapped around him and Al's blooming love story.  

Shockingly, I wasn't driven as nut's by Jeb this time around, but I'll let you know that he's still not my favorite character ever.  Chessie got some more screen time and it was fun to see him in a different element then I'm used to.  Also Rabid White popped up in all of his creepy glory.  Don't worry lots more Wonderlanders showed up too and it was awesome to see them.

All in all, I have to say that I was really impressed with Unhinged.  I feel like it was even better then the first novel.  And with that cliff hanger of an ending, I can't wait to see what Howard has up her sleeve for the third book.  I see things getting even more messy then they already are and that excites me!  

If you were a fan of the first book, have a love for all things weird and love a retelling of Alice in Wonderland then these books are for you.  I'll see you on the other end of the rabbit hole!

Rating:

  4 Unicorns = Close to perfect!

[Review: Nameless by Lili St. Crow]

"Nameless"
Author: Lili St. Crow
Series: Tales of Beauty and Madness #1
Pages: 328
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Fairytale Retelling
Date Published: April 4th, 2013
Publisher: Razorbill
Format Read: Hardback from the library

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Summary:

When Camille was six years old, she was discovered alone in the snow by Enrico Vultusino, godfather of the Seven—the powerful Families that rule magic-ridden New Haven. Papa Vultusino adopted the mute, scarred child, naming her after his dead wife and raising her in luxury on Haven Hill alongside his own son, Nico.

Now Cami is turning sixteen. She’s no longer mute, though she keeps her faded scars hidden under her school uniform, and though she opens up only to her two best friends, Ruby and Ellie, and to Nico, who has become more than a brother to her. But even though Cami is a pampered Vultusino heiress, she knows that she is not really Family. Unlike them, she is a mortal with a past that lies buried in trauma. And it’s not until she meets the mysterious Tor, who reveals scars of his own, that Cami begins to uncover the secrets of her birth…to find out where she comes from and why her past is threatening her now.

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

Nameless was one of the most fresh and interesting retellings of a fairytale that I've read in a long time.  I'm a huge fan of the genre and so when I read a story that adds a sense of mystery to a story that I already know, forwards and backwards, I just wanna get my jazz hands out and do a little happy dance.  This book was like that for me.  

I think above all, my favorite thing about Nameless was Lili St. Crow's writing style.  She's very descriptive and also very loosely structured with her writing.  It makes for a very interesting and intriguing reading experience.  She pulls you into a world that is fully fleshed out and yet she keeps some of the details to herself.  Teasing you without giving you the whole picture, which she finally delivers while still staying true to her truly unique voice.  I know that I'll be picking up more of her books in the near future.

The world of New Haven is a well imagined one.  It's modern and yet without a question, it's riddled with magic.  Not the fluffy, sweet magic that many fairytales imply, but a darker, weirder magic that will leave you with an odd taste in your mouth.  Crow weaves vampire like creatures into the novel as well as creepy fairies and a large amount of other odd creatures.  Magic rules supreme in ways that I haven't seen it used.  It makes you pay attention to all the little things and I love that. 

Cami herself is a really interesting character.  I liked that she had strange personality traits.  She wasn't just the pretty, quite, docile Snow White archetype that we're all used to.  She had demons of her own.  Demons that were chasing her and not giving her any space.  Her stutter also made her stand out and her interactions with the other characters in the book gave her a lot of dimension.  To put it bluntly, I dug her as a character.

It was obvious that Ruby and Ellie were also created around other fairytale characters, which is awesome.  One is definitely Cinderella and the other Little Red.  (I'll let you figure out who is who...)  Sure there aren't any dwarfs and the seven are some old creepy dead dudes, but I liked that Nameless was a loose Snow White retelling.  It had it's nods to the old tale and yet the rest of the characters were new and creepy and dark.  We all know how much I love all things creepy and dark and this book rocked those things like they were nobodies business.  

I also thought that the love story had a lot going on.  Some people might be weirded out by the fact that Nico and Cami were technically raised as brother and sister, but there is no blood shared between them.  It made their dynamic fascinating to watch.  They had grown up together and grown into something more then just the siblings that they were raised as.  I know it probably sounds weird to anyone reading this review, but somehow Crow makes this work for the story.

And then she throws Tor into the mix.  I loved that Tor, Ellie and Ruby all had their large roles to play in the book.  They didn't have much focus on them, but when they did, all three of them really shone.  The other, smaller bit characters were also awesome to watch.  No detail or character was unneeded and in my book that's always a good thing!

So, if you're looking for a really dark and atmospheric Snow White retelling that gives you a new look into the classic tale, I highly suggest this one.  

Rating:

 4 Unicorns = Close To Perfect!