[Review: This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee]

"This Monstrous Thing"
Author: Mackenzi Lee
Series: None
Pages: 384
Genre: YA, Alternate History, Steampunk, Retelling
Date Published: September 22nd, 2015
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

In 1818 Geneva, men built with clockwork parts live hidden away from society, cared for only by illegal mechanics called Shadow Boys. Two years ago, Shadow Boy Alasdair Finch’s life shattered to bits.

His brother, Oliver—dead.

His sweetheart, Mary—gone.

His chance to break free of Geneva—lost.

Heart-broken and desperate, Alasdair does the unthinkable: He brings Oliver back from the dead.

But putting back together a broken life is more difficult than mending bones and adding clockwork pieces. Oliver returns more monster than man, and Alasdair’s horror further damages the already troubled relationship.

Then comes the publication of Frankenstein and the city intensifies its search for Shadow Boys, aiming to discover the real life doctor and his monster. Alasdair finds refuge with his idol, the brilliant Dr. Geisler, who may offer him a way to escape the dangerous present and his guilt-ridden past, but at a horrible price only Oliver can pay…

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To This Monstrous Thing,

When I think of creative books, I'm always going to think of you. You not only are a retelling of a classic novel, but also an alternate history book. Those are some of my favorite genres, and you pulled them both off wonderfully. I really couldn't have asked for more from you. I enjoyed you immensely.

-The White Unicorn

Do you enjoy retellings of classic horror novels? Do you enjoy alternate history stories? Do you enjoy the steampunk genre? If you answered yes to one or all of these questions then This Monstrous Thing is the perfect book for you. Mackenzi Lee isn't messing around with her debut novel, and it shows not only in her story telling, but also her writing. She's created a story made from the bones of classic horror and a reimagined history of it's author. She asks the question, "what would happen if Mary Shelley got the inspiration for Frankenstein from her own life?" It's a question I never knew I wanted the answer to, but I'm glad that I have it now. 

The book takes place in real places. It houses characters that actually existed. But then it steers away from the norm and throws a Steampunk element into the mix. Lee gives us a industrial revolution that effects people. There are people that are fully human in her world, and others that have body parts or organs made of gears and metal. It's creates factions in the society, and raises some pretty heavy moral questions. It's the perfect setting for a Frankenstein retelling. 

The fact that Mary Shelley is one of the book's characters is an interesting move. When I read the back of the novel and found out Lee's reasoning behind making the book an alternate history piece instead of just a retelling, I liked what she had to say. I highly suggest that you read the afterword when you've finished the book. It's interesting to see the brothers that Frankenstein is based on brought to life. Literally and figuratively.  

I just adored Alasdair. He's a conflicted soul, but he always does what he thinks is right. He's likable, which isn't what people who know the tale of Frankenstein remember him to be. Oliver is also much more than meets the eye. He's not the monster we know either. The book looks at what makes us human, and what has nothing to do with it. Also, I enjoyed what Lee added to the story with Clemence's character. She's a winner in my book.

So, if you enjoy all the things that I've mentioned, go get your hands on a copy of this fantastic novel!

Rating:

4 Unicorns = Close to perfect!

[Review: Of Dreams And Rust by Sarah Fine]

"Of Dream and Rust"
Author: Sarah Fine
Series: Of Metal and Wishes #2
Pages: 288
Genre: YA, Retelling
Date Published: August 4th, 2015
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Format Read: Purchased Hardcover

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Summary:

War erupts in this bittersweet sequel to Of Metal and Wishes, inspired by The Phantom of the Opera and called “relentlessly engrossing” by The Romantic Times.

In the year since the collapse of the slaughterhouse where Wen worked as her father’s medical assistant, she’s held all her secrets close. She works in the clinic at the weapons factory and sneaks away to nurse Bo, once the Ghost, now a boy determined to transform himself into a living machine. Their strange, fragile friendship soothes some of the ache of missing Melik, the strong-willed Noor who walked away from Wen all those months ago—but it can’t quell her fears for him.

The Noor are waging a rebellion in the west. When she overhears plans to crush Melik’s people with the powerful war machines created at the factory, Wen makes the painful decision to leave behind all she has known—including Bo—to warn them. But the farther she journeys into the warzone, the more confusing things become. A year of brutality seems to have changed Melik, and Wen has a decision to make about him and his people: How much is she willing to sacrifice to save them from complete annihilation?

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To Of Dreams And Rust,

You made me feel all of the emotions. Every single one. Most books only give you a few feels, but you actually made me use all of my different emotions in less than three hundred pages. You should be proud of yourself for that. I honestly can't say how much that I enjoyed you, because I'm not sure that there is enough time for that. You're the best!

-The White Unicorn

I'm a Sarah Fine fan girl for life, so it should be no surprise that I pre-ordered this novel as soon as I knew that it was going to exist, or the fact that I started it the day it showed up at my house. As a lover of musicals, Phantom of the Opera has always been a favorite of mine. Mix Sarah Fine and Phantom together and you get magic. Of Dreams and Rust, and it's predecessor Of Metal and Wishes prove that. 

It's true that Of Metal and Wishes was supposed to be a standalone novel, but when Fine was asked to continue the story, she did. I think that the first book would have been fine as a standalone, because it's brilliant, but I'm glad that Fine decided to continue Wen, Melik, and Bo's story. 

This book reads really quickly, and it's not very long. I could have done with a few more chapters myself, but I think that Fine puts everything that needs to be said into the novel as is. I think I just didn't want to say goodbye to the characters, so I would have been pleased if this book would have gone on forever. But it didn't. 

Because the characters were so established in the first novel, we jump right into the action in book two. I like that we didn't have to wait for Wen to do something dramatic. She finds out that Melik might still be alive, and that she might be able to save him, and she rushes off to do just that. 

Melik becomes a really complex character in the book. I don't remember him being quite as dynamic in the first novel and I really liked where his character progression went this time around. He's conflicted about a lot of things and it shows in the way he responds to everything around him. It's also interesting to see the story taking place in his comfort zone. It adds something new to the tale.

Bo is who he's always been, and I like that while the rest of the cast has grown a bit since we met them in the first book, it is safe to say that Bo might have actually digressed. I love this about him. It makes him different. It makes him the wild card. It makes him the boy who does what he wants when he wants, which keeps us all on our toes. 

This book is sad people. Like the kind of sad that might mean that you should not read it without some tissues on hand. It's brutal, and it's beautiful. It's everything you want from a Sarah Fine novel. So read it. Just read it, okay?!

Rating:

  5 Unicorns = Get your hands on this NOW!

[Review: Lion Heart by A.C. Gaughen]

"Lion Heart"
Author: A.C. Gaughen
Series: Scarlet #3
Pages: 348
Genre: YA, Retellings, Alternate History
Date Published: May 19th, 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via NetGalley) for honest review

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Summary:

The eagerly-awaited conclusion to the Scarlet trilogy delivers another action-packed and romance-filled adventure.

Scarlet has captured the hearts of readers as well as the heart of Robin Hood, and after ceaseless obstacles and countless threats, readers will finally find out the fate of the Lady Thief.

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

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To Lion Heart,

I just loved you. I love your whole series, but you were a wonderful conclusion. I honestly couldn't have asked for more. Well, I could have asked for you not to be so historically accurate, so that I could have watched one of your characters die, but there is not much you could do about that. I'm so glad that we got to spend time together.

-The White Unicorn

I'm pretty bummed that these books are over. That being said, I am so glad that I got to experience them. Gaughen gave us a feminist, Robin Hood tale, and she delivered in all aspects in this trilogy. I'm sad to say goodbye to so many characters that feel like family. So much so that when (or if) one of them dies, I can't help but cry buckets full of tears. I'm not saying that anyone dies, but they might. 

As in all trilogy conclusions, Gaughen had the job of wrapping everything up, and she did a wonderful job. She gave us the happy endings, the bittersweet ones, and the ones that make you want to pull your hair out. The book mixes history and legend, and I have to admit that I wish that Gaughen would have strayed a bit from history and ended Prince John's sorry little life. But as real life goes, sometimes those types last longer than they should. 

I feel like Scarlet really comes into her own in this book. She's always been a clearly written character, but as all the mysteries of her parentage, and her past come together, she finds the bits that make her more sure of herself. The slow and extremely small progression that she goes through in all three novels is so carefully written that you feel privileged to have watched it.

The love story also comes to a head, and we saw a bit more of a sassy side of Rob. I have to admit that I think I adored him most in this book. He's so snarky, and I feel like he felt like he needed to fill in for John, and I'm glad for that. The romance was on fire, and yet didn't take away from the rest of what was going on. 

The conflict in this book wasn't as strong as in Lady Thief, but then again, it was still strong. Gaughen still made me hate Prince John and I feel like that says it all. 

All in all I couldn't have wanted more from this novel, and I'm so glad that I took the time to read it, as well as the wrest of the series. Read them!

Rating:

5 Unicorns = Get your hands on this NOW!

[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!

[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! 

[Waiting On Wednesday: Of Dreams And Rust]

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...

"Of Dreams and Rust"
Author: Sarah Fine
Release Date: August 4th, 2015

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Summary:

War erupts in this bittersweet sequel to "Of Metal and Wishes", inspired by The Phantom of the Opera and called “relentlessly engrossing” by The Romantic Times.

In the year since the collapse of the slaughterhouse where Wen worked as her father’s medical assistant, she’s held all her secrets close. She works in the clinic at the weapons factory and sneaks away to nurse Bo, once the Ghost, now a boy determined to transform himself into a living machine. Their strange, fragile friendship soothes some of the ache of missing Melik, the strong-willed Noor who walked away from Wen all those months ago—but it can’t quell her fears for him.

The Noor are waging a rebellion in the west. When she overhears plans to crush Melik’s people with the powerful war machines created at the factory, Wen makes the painful decision to leave behind all she has known—including Bo—to warn them. But the farther she journeys into the warzone, the more confusing things become. A year of brutality seems to have changed Melik, and Wen has a decision to make about him and his people: How much is she willing to sacrifice to save them from complete annihilation?

-Goodreads

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If Sarah Fine writes it, I will read it. It's really as simple as that. But it's also the sequel to one of my favorite books of the year!

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!

[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: Of Metal And Wishes by Sarah Fine]

"Of Metal and Wishes"
Author: Sarah Fine
Series: Of Metal and Wishes #1
Pages: 320
Genre: YA, Classic Retellings
Date Published: August 5th, 2014
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

There are whispers of a ghost in the slaughterhouse where sixteen-year-old Wen assists her father in his medical clinic—a ghost who grants wishes to those who need them most. When one of the Noor, men hired as cheap factory labor, humiliates Wen, she makes an impulsive wish of her own, and the Ghost grants it. Brutally.

Guilt-ridden, Wen befriends the Noor, including their outspoken leader, a young man named Melik. At the same time, she is lured by the mystery of the Ghost and learns he has been watching her … for a very long time.

As deadly accidents fuel tensions within the factory, Wen must confront her growing feelings for Melik, who is enraged at the sadistic factory bosses and the prejudice faced by his people at the hand of Wen’s, and her need to appease the Ghost, who is determined to protect her against any threat—real or imagined. She must decide whom she can trust, because as her heart is torn, the factory is exploding around her … and she might go down with it.

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To Of Metal And Wishes,

Book, you slay me! I knew you were going to be great, but I didn't know how great and I have to say that you were pretty much the greatest! This note might be a little gushy and filled with too many greats, but who really cares. As a lover of all things Phantom of the Opera, I can say that you really outdid yourself as a retelling. Also, I'm a little sad that I have to wait a whole year to read the conclusion of your story. Way to leave a girl hanging. (see what I did there?)

 

-The White Unicorn

Of Metal and Wishes is one of those books that I just connected with. As a huge Sarah Fine fan I was excited when I learned that she would be tackling one of my favorite stories and twisting it into something new and different, this book became one of my most anticipated reads of the year. Let me tell you right now that it didn't disappoint me. This book is truly a work of art. Dark, creepy, fantastic art.

Many people know that phenomenon that is The Phantom of the Opera. It's taken many different forms over the years from movies and musicals and books, but Fine takes the main story and uses it as the inspiration for her own tale. She does it masterfully, leaving the overly romantic creepiness of the story intact, while adding so many different levels of her own creativity into the mix. It's a book that grabs you and drags you along for a ride that you won't be forgetting any time soon.

The world building in this book is top notch. Fine has created a world that feels both ancient and dystopian at the same time. She's created classes and factions of people that in turn help create this feeling of tension throughout the novel. The slaughterhouse setting is perfect for the vibe of the novel. The world building is compact. Even though it is small, it also seems incredibly large at the same time. So many creative details live in the halls of this slaughterhouse that you're never bored. Fine has a blast with all things Ghost and the fantastical world in the basements of the slaughterhouse shine.

Perhaps the best part of this novel is the characters themselves. Fine gives us a diverse character set with lots of interesting dynamics. Wen, is the dutiful daughter who holds a lot of angst within her bones, but it's not an angst that will turn you off, it's the kind that pushes her as a person and makes you root for her in every way possible. She's a bit of a badass and she can stitch up a human like nobodies business.

Malik was the perfect love interest! I was pleased that Fine decided to give him loads of backbone. In Phantom his role is always played as the gentleman. The soft one. But Fine didn't play that way in her retelling and instead gave us a male lead who was just as strong and ruthless as The Ghost. It makes the triangle and the love stories more interesting when it's harder to pick a clear winner, and I loved that.

That leads us to The Ghost himself. He's so different than any anti-hero that I've read and I adored him. Fine makes him someone that you can relate to, even if you don't agree with everything that he does. She gives him a back story that pulls at your heartstrings and gives him a charisma that makes you wonder why you like him so much.

The secondary characters are just as wonderful and they add so much to the story in their own rights. Fine takes the whole book in a really dark and sometimes disturbing direction, and it works. It works so very well. Honestly, I could go on and on about this book. For right I'll just say, if you have eyes and you like books then you need to read this as soon as it comes out.

Rating:

5 Unicorns = Get your hands on this NOW!  

[Review: The Last Best Kiss by Claire LaZebnik]

"The Last Best Kiss"
Author: Claire LaZebnik
Series: None
Pages: 320
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Retellings
Date Published: April 22nd, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

Anna Eliot is tired of worrying about what other people think. After all, that was how she lost the only guy she ever really liked, Finn Westbrook.

Now, three years after she broke his heart, the one who got away is back in her life.

All Anna wants is a chance to relive their last kiss again (and again and again). But Finn obviously hasn’t forgotten how she treated him, and he’s made it clear he has no interest in having anything to do with her.

Anna keeps trying to persuade herself that she doesn’t care about Finn either, but even though they’ve both changed since they first met, deep down she knows he’s the guy for her. Now if only she can get him to believe that, too....

With her signature wit and expertly authentic teen voice, Claire LaZebnik (the author of fan favorites Epic Fail and The Trouble with Flirting) once again breathes new life into a perennially popular love story. Fans of Polly Shulman, Maureen Johnson, and, of course, Jane Austen will love this irresistibly funny and romantic tale of first loves and second chances.

-Goodreads 

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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To The Last Best Kiss,

Well you were cute, weren't you?  At first you started off a little slow and a little strange for me.  I was worried that I wouldn't care for you at all, but then you threw in a music festival, a shout out to a place I practically grew up in and a fantastic gay boy named Oscar (who made me think that he was named after my spirit animal Oscar Wilde).  I enjoyed the love story immensely, but some of the friend and family antics that you presented got on my nerves.  Maybe it's my fault for never really connecting with Persuasion to begin with, but you just weren't my favorite.  That being said, you weren't my least favorite either.

-The White Unicorn

To be honest I've never connected with Persuasion.  I love Jane Austen's stories, but this is one that no matter how many times I watch the movie/read the book I can't remember the plot.  That could have created some of the disconnect that I had with this book.  I couldn't remember the original and so I went into the book reading it as it's own story.  I know that I'm going to be one of the few, but that's just the way it is this time around.  

I actually really enjoyed the love story between Anna and Finn.  It was my favorite part of the novel, which in this case is a very good thing.  They are pretty darn adorable.  I dig relationships that seem to start from complete indifference and head into "butterfly inducing" love.  In this case they liked each other a long time ago, but it went sour, then Finn shows back up and doesn't give Anna the time of day, but of course, because this is their story that all changes over the course of the book.  I knew where the story was going and yet LaZebnik still gives you that "will they or won't they" feeling with her writing.

I also thought that Anna's art was a really cool element in the story.  The way that LaZebnik writes Anna's feelings on her work and the work itself are fascinating.  I loved the sound of her paintings.  In all honesty if they looked like what I saw in my head I'd want them hanging on my walls.  I also liked how Anna really learned how to stick to her guts through her art.  It wasn't her strong suit at the beginning of the novel and it caused her all this grief over Finn, but her art gives her the confidence to stand up for herself and have her own opinions.

I wasn't a huge fan of the Eliot family.  Anna's dad drove me nuts and Lizzie wasn't any better.  Molly was pretty great though and I liked how her and Anna's sister relationship worked.  It seemed real and authentic.  On the other hand neither Mr. Eliot or Lizzie were authentic to begin with, which was how it was obviously supposed to be.

  

Anna's group of pals kind of drove me nuts.  Sometimes they were awesome and sometimes I didn't know why she would ever hang out with them.  But needless to say, LaZebnik knows how to write authentic teenage friendships.  It was really nice to see that no matter what, in the end they were all there for each other, even if I didn't enjoy all of their antics.  

In the end this book was a cute, fluffy read that also manages to touch on some pretty big social issues that a lot of high school kids deal with on the daily.  

Rating:

 3 Unicorns = I liked it but it had it's issues! 

[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!