Review: Lips Touch: Three Times

Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor with illustrations by Jim Di Bartolo

Pages: 272, hardcover

ISBN: 9780545055857

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books

Date Released: October 1st, 2009

Genre: YA / fantasy / romance / anthology

Source: library

Premise:

A girl who’s always been in the shadows finds herself pursued by the unbelievably attractive new boy at school, who may or may not be the death of her. Another girl grows up mute because of a curse placed on her by a vindictive spirit, and later must decide whether to utter her first words to the boy she loves and risk killing everyone who hears her if the curse is real. And a third girl discovers that the real reason for her transient life with her mother has to do with belonging — literally belonging — to another world entirely, full of dreaded creatures who can transform into animals, and whose queen keeps little girls as personal pets until they grow to childbearing age.
From a writer of unparalleled imagination and emotional insight, three stories about the deliciousness of wanting and waiting for that moment when lips touch. 
(Taken from Goodreads)

Buy it From: Book Depository / Amazon

It's really hard to properly say how I feel about this book without saying something like "OMG THIS IS THE BEST BOOK EVER" or something along those lines. It would make for a very short, very awkward review.
I'd been hearing excellent things about this book and Laini Taylor's writing, so I had very high expectations. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint.

Right off the bat, we are shown such beautiful images, which were done by Taylor's husband, Jim Di Bartolo. They don't really add anything to the story themselves, instead, they bring to life their own stories, like a prequel. As they say, a picture's worth a thousand words.

The writing is beautiful. It's the kind of writing that made me sigh and reread the last several pages. Laini Taylor has a way with words. She is extremely talented. There's no way to accurately describe how wonderful her words are, but I'll try. It feels as if she'd spent hours picking at each sentence, making sure that it could make a person weep, making sure that it packed punch, making sure that it flowed with magic. Each sentence is a work of art, something to be savoured.

Now, onto the stories themselves. As the title suggests, these stories are about kisses. First kisses to be exact, though not all of them are romantic. Each was better than the one before it. It started off small, with the first story being a stretched retelling of The Goblin Market. It was not a romance story. In fact, it was the complete opposite. It showed the perils of the drug that is first love. But even when you read it, knowing that the main character--Kizzy-- is being stupid, the words used, the magical, lyrical feel of them, it still grabs at your chest, making you feel as breathless and as in love as Kizzy. It doesn't matter if something bad will happen, you think that it's worth it, all for that one kiss.

The second story is a frightfully exotic and delicious tale set in a sort of Hell and India. Usually, tales set in India--or any other foreign place, for that matter--the setting is something of a novelty. As if the author is proclaiming, "Hey! Look at me! I'm writing a story in a place that isn't America/England! I'm unique!" and most of the time, they seem to get details frightfully wrong. But that wasn't the case here. Here, I could feel the hot, humid air of India, smell the lush flowers that littered the gardens, and taste the sweet juice of exotic fruits, feeling the sticky liquid run down my chin. It was so detailed, I might as well have been there. The story itself was stellar, with numerous breathless moments, and a plot that is gripping and enchanting.

Finally, there's the third story, that is something out of this world. I don't know where Taylor got her ideas from, but whatever the secret is, I want it! The final story is based on Zoroastrian folklore, and just touches on so much. The shock factor is high, the twists are as bendy as the roads in Ice Road Truckers.

This book is magic. All I can say is go read it now. Your life depends on it.
By the way, this book earns a place on the favourites shelf, so you know it's a big deal.

Cover & Art: 5
Plot: 5
Characters: 5
Writing: 4
Level of Interest: 5


Total Rating: 5/5 stars
 

Top Ten Tuesday (02)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish featuring a new top ten list each week. Everyone can participate- head on over to their blog and sign up.

Today's Top Ten topic is 'Top Ten Books You Loved But Never Wrote A Review For.'

That's a tough one. A few of the books I'm going to mention will actually be posted up sometime in the near future (either this week or the week after), but I guess it still counts.

10. Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch - The tagline for this book is very accurate: What if Harry Potter grew up and joined the fuzz? This book was hilarious and action-packed and so magical. I can't wait to read the second book in the series, Moon Over Soho.

9. A Gathering Light by Jennifer Donnelly - A book about a 16 year old girl from 1906, who happens to be an aspiring writer. Fans of words and writing will find this to be an amazing read. I was left breathless for the most part.

8. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins - I'm not usually into contemporary YA, and romance really isn't my cup of tea. But when I read this, I fell in love. Sure, it might be pretty cliched, but it's still so cute, and I couldn't stop grinning whenever Anna and Etienne were together.

7. Room by Emma Donoghue - I read this at the beginning of the year, and it still crosses my mind every so often. This book really hits you hard, and I loved that it was told from Jack's perspective, where everything is simple and innocent and beyond his comprehension.

6. the Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger - This series is a lot of fun. I can't recommended it enough. Though the 4th and 5th books have ridiculously off-putting covers, I still love this series. I just wish there were more.

5. the Love by Numbers series by Sarah Maclean - This is the series that first got me interested in historical romance. It's funny, sexy, sigh-worthy. Read it, now.

4. Ash by Malinda Lo - I love fairytale retellings, and I thought that this was really well done. I don't agree with the romance (not because of the lesbianism, but because there just wasn't that spark), but the world and the magic was just amazing.

3. Boneshaker by Cherie Preist - Once again, I have to add Boneshaker. For the exact same reasons that I gave last Tuesday. I LOVE Boneshaker.

2. the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning - I've never been more surprised at a series. I came into it, not really expecting much, but by the end, I was salivating and wanting more. This is sexy, mysterious, addictive and kick-ass. And Barrons... Oh man, you will never encounter a man like Barrons. I wish he could just climb into my bed...

1.  the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins - I'm too scared to review this series, because I'm very analytical, and there's a lot to analyse in this series. I'd end up writing pages upon pages of essays about the politics, the themes, the character relationships, and why they all tangle together to create this masterpiece. It'll drive away all my followers, no doubt. Maybe one day, in the distant future...

What books have you loved but never reviewed yet? What do you think of the books I listed? Would you want to see a review from one or more of them? 
Feel free to leave your links in the comments. 

Review: Cinderella: Ninja Warrior

Courtesy of Silver Dolphin Books

Cinderella: Ninja Warrior by Maureen McGowan

Pages: 320, paperback

ISBN: 9781607102557

Publisher: Silver Dolphin Books

Date Released: April 1st, 2011

Genre: YA / fantasy / choose your own adventure / fairy tale retelling / romance

Source: galley from the publisher

Premise:

In this fast-paced story full of adventure and romance, Cinderella is more than just a servant girl waiting for her prince—she's a tough, fearless girl who is capable of taking charge of a dangerous situation. Seeking to escape the clutches of her evil stepmother, Cinderella perfects her ninja skills and magic talents in secret, waiting for the day when she can break free and live happily ever after. In a special twist, readers have the opportunity to make key decisions for Cinderella and decide where she goes next—but no matter the choice; the result is a story unlike any fairy tale you've ever read! (Taken from Goodreads)

Buy it now from The Book Depository / Amazon

I didn't realise that this book was a choose your own adventure book until I opened it and started reading. Now, I'm not a fan of those kinds of books. I avoided them as a child, and, though this wasn't as terrible as my childhood experiences, I will continue to avoid them as an adult. I decided to review this, as hard as it was, what with all the different possibilities. Plus, I wasn't going to drop a book for a reason as petty as that. But, this will lower the plot rating significantly, simply because of my preference.

Right off the bat, the story starts awkwardly. At least, for me. There were a few instances where I just stared at the screen going, "wait, what? Really? REALLY?" because some things were just so unbelievable, such as when she trained herself to have uber ninja skills. Not only does the art of the ninja take years to master under the watchful eye of a sensei, but it is an ancient Asian form of martial arts, and from what I could tell from the story, there is no mention of an Asian-esque land at all. Plus, I doubt it would be something that anyone, even if they did have magical powers, to learn out of some book.

The characterisation is odd and questionable at times. The characters switch from speaking formally and talking in a more modern tone. In the beginning, it was difficult to determine what period this was supposed to set it.
Though, thankfully, as the book went on, the characterisation sorted itself out, and proved to be rather enjoyable. The evil step-mother was truly evil, a queen bitch. She just loved tormenting poor Cinderella, and I took great joy in how accurate and realistic her horrid personality was.
Cinderella was sweet, was determined and was strong, which are exceptional characteristics in any story. She had a personal mission to be great, and to escape her step-mother's prison of magic. Her story (or rather, stories) was moving, exciting and incredibly enjoyable.
Cinderella's sisters, in the story that I read, were sometimes contradictory--sometimes being horrid to Cinderella, and sometimes backing her up against their mother. I don't know, it seemed out of place at times, but at the same time, it felt right, as if they were learning their lesson, which I think is excellent, because character growth shouldn't just be for the main character.

In the story that I read, the romance was astounding. I loved the chemistry, and felt it from the very beginning. They cheeky flirts between Cinderella and her love interest was adorable, and truly believable.

Apparently, there are 8 different stories you could read with this choose your own adventure thing, but I didn't have the patience to try out all the different combinations. Now, like I said above, this effects the score. While I can see the appeal, this is just a personal preference, and not something you should adhere to, though I have to admit: choosing your own path makes for an unpredictable turn of events, which is quite interesting at times. I would recommend that you give this a try, especially if you like the possibility of having different outcomes depending on what YOU choose, not what the author chooses (to an extent). This story uses this technique well enough for me to recommend it.

Cover Art: 3
Plot: 2
Characters: 3
Writing: 3
Level of Interest: 4

Total Rating: 3/5

Review: Impossible

Impossible by Nancy Werlin

Pages: 288, paperback

ISBN: 9780141330303

Publisher: Puffin Books

Date Released: March 4th, 2010 (first published September 18th, 2008)

Genre: YA / romance / fantasy / mythology

Source: library

Premise:

When seventeen-year-old Lucy discovers her family is under an ancient curse by an evil Elfin Knight, she realizes to break the curse she must perform three impossible tasks before her daughter is born in order to save them both. (Taken from Goodreads)

Buy it now from The Book Depository

First things first: LOOK AT THAT COVER! It's beautiful, isn't it? Now, onto the meat of the book:

As I read the first few sentences, I notices that there are a lot of pointless sentences. Things that don't even contribute to the story, in desperate need of editing. The writing style sounds contrived, sloppy and unimpressive. From the start, it left me stumbling through the book, struggling to finish. It felt even more awkward with the various "uh"s and "oh"s and whatnot. In third person, this just sounds completely amateurish, unless in dialogue. Even in first person, if done right. And you all know from my review of Fallen how much I hate that sort of stuff in third person narratives. THEY DO NOT BELONG. *angry face*

Lucy seems so boring in the way she talked, acted and described. She just ended up being this two-dimensional character that I barely cared for. Her character changes every few pages, from athletic to girly to tomboyish. The inconsistency in character was confusing and hard to keep track of. Honestly, there were times where I wondered if there would be a massive twist near the end where she turns out to have multiple personality disorder.

The chapters were short, about 3 pages each, which was really annoying, I thought. They were so short that I just couldn't get into the story quickly enough until the next break. They just weren't long enough for me to keep an interest in.

The point of view, whilst in third person, focuses on various people and the constant change gets distracting and frustrating. At the time I was reading this, I was editing my first story, and it was suffering from the same POV inconsistencies as Impossible. Now that this problem has come to my attention, I find multiple POVs to be the most annoying thing ever, and amateurish.

I loved the basic idea of the story, being a retelling of a poem called The Scarborough Fair. The fantasy elements were subtle, yet strong, which made for a nice, original fairy story. It shows the elf in a negative way, which I found delightful, as I'm sick of everyone and their grandmother romanticising every paranormal and fantasy creature they come across. It features a human/human romance, which I was relieved about.

This book deals with rape, and the outcomes of it. I thought it was poorly demonstrated. That Lucy's rapist was unaware of his actions seemed to be this really weird message that it's not the rapist's fault, that they can't control themselves. Now, I'm sure that wasn't Werlin's intentions at all, but it still felt like that.
Also, after Lucy was raped, it sort of seemed like it was no big deal to her, that she was passive about the whole incident and not really shaken up about it. I would have loved to see a rape survivor actually surviving instead of forgetting it ever actually happened.

There was something odd that bothered me, a really massive contradiction that I picked up. On page 104 of my copy, it says:

"If her friend Sarah Herbert were pregnant and came to Lucy for advice, Lucy would certainly think of abortion. Perhaps, she'd even urge it."

Then some 40 pages later, Lucy is telling her friend, Zach, that she could never ever abort her child:

"We can't just 'deal' with this. I can't have an abortion. Miranda [her mother] didn't abort me, did she? I have to have the baby. I just--I can't explain; it's just how I feel. I have to go ahead. And it's my decision. That's what you've always said--it's a woman's decision and her right to choose."

And yet, Lucy would have urged her best friend to abort it if she were ever pregnant. So much for the right of choosing and deciding. I don't know, it's that sort of stuff that makes me uneasy, because this is a very delicate topic in books, and the way I see it, it wasn't done properly here.

I was glad that Lucy's parents were heavily involved for the most part, unlike most YAs these days. And that they were so supportive of their daughter and her decisions was sweet. It's unusual for a parent to be so close to the main character in a YA, so this was a sort of breath of fresh air, and made for an interesting story.

This book focused on a romance that I thought was tacky and bland and had no real depth to it. Chapter 32 was one and a half pages on how Zach had confessed his undying love for Lucy, how he would kill for her, die for her, yadda yadda yadda. That's great and all, but he never mentions what it is about her that he loves. And when he tries, he contradicts himself horribly, making his love seem forced. I was left very unimpressed with that. And then when Lucy confesses her love for him, I was thinking 'where did that come from?' Just a few chapters ago, she was thinking about how hot he is, but not how she actually liked him in any way other than his OMG supah hawt body!!~. Ugh, so shallow. It annoyed me.

And one last thing: after they get married, they stop trying to break the curse and instead have hot wild sex? Wow, what a way to end the book.

Cover Art: 4
Plot: 3
Characters: 1
Writing: 1
Level of Interest: 1

Total Rating: 2/5 stars

Review: Briar Rose

Briar Rose by Jane Yolen

Pages: 239, paperback

ISBN: 9780765342300

Publisher: Tor Teen

Date Released: March 15th, 2002 (first published 1989)

Genre: YA / historical / speculative fiction / fairytale retelling

Source: library

Premise:

Ever since she was a child, Rebecca has been enchanted by her grandmother Gemma’s stories about Briar Rose. But a promise Rebecca makes to her dying grandmother will lead her on a remarkable journey to uncover the truth of Gemma’s astonishing claim: I am Briar Rose. A journey that will lead her to unspeakable brutality and horror. But also to redemption and hope. A Tor Teen edition of the modern classic by critically-acclaimed author Jane Yolen. (Taken from Goodreads).

Buy it now from The Book Depository

This book is a very loose retelling of Sleeping Beauty. Like, very loose. A young woman must find out why her grandmother's life revolved around the tale of Sleeping Beauty, and her research takes her to Poland, where she finds the truth.

To start off with, the pacing of this story was really hard to follow. At times, it was easy to get into, and then it would abruptly change into something dull and tedious, and I'd feel compelled to skip past it. Until the second half of the book or so, when we get the perceptive of Josef. It seemed as if Yolen had added in those unnecessary tidbits to lengthen her already short novel.
The writing itself is nothing impressive, was sometimes slow and unclear. It distracted me from the story sometimes, which is obviously not a good thing. It only started to get better--more fast-paced and intriguing-- when it started following from the perspective of osef, instead of Becca.

That being said, the characters were quite flat and annoying, except for Gemma, when she was still alive. The dialogue of all the other characters was frustrating and made me groan. I really disliked Becca, she seemed like the worst, most boring protagonist ever. I couldn't understand her thoughts most of the time, which was incredibly annoying.
I found the romance between her and Stan to be non-existent. It was disappointing, slow and lacked that special something, that spark that made it work. It just seemed like some boring, awkward friendship between two very awkward people who didn't want a relationship. When they finally kissed at the end, I was bored and unimpressed, taking no interest in the event due to the very poor build up of their relationship.
The only character that I found to be tolerable was Josef, during the second half of the book. It was also the time that the story started picking up, when I finally found myself unable to put the book down. When Josef tells Becca and Magda his story and his survival in Poland during the war, and the story of Gemma, Becca's grandmother, it was touching, and really played on my emotions. It was then that I really started to care for this book and for the characters. That was one of the two things that redeemed this book for me.

The other redeeming quality was the story in itself. It is a really sweet Sleeping Beauty retelling. That, combined with the Holocaust made it a really strong and emotional story that really hit close to home. Both my parents are from Poland, so I know so many stories about the war. Holocaust stories are something very special to me, I just love them. Stories like Night by Elie Weisel and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak really make me emotionally attatched to them, simply because I understand them. I've had grandparents and uncles and parents and family friends tell me every memory of the war that they have.
So, that made it a really good book for me.

If the story hadn't have started so late in the book, then I would have given this novel a rating of 5. But alas, it doesn't get that.
I'd definitely recommend this story. Slow or not, it is a brilliant retelling.

Cover Art: 3
Plot: 5
Characters: 3 (would have been 1 if not for Josef)
Writing: 3
Level of Interest: 4

Total Rating: 4/5 stars

Review: Ice

Ice by Sarah Beth Durst

Pages: 320, paperback

ISBN: 9781847386571

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's

Date Released: October 29th, 2009

Genre: YA / romance / fantasy / adventure / fairy-tale retelling

Source: library

Premise:

When Cassie was a little girl, her grandmother told her a fairy tale about her mother, who made a deal with the Polar Bear King and was swept away to the ends of the earth. Now that Cassie is older, she knows the story was a nice way of saying her mother had died. Cassie lives with her father at an Arctic research station, is determined to become a scientist, and has no time for make-believe.
Then, on her eighteenth birthday, Cassie comes face-to-face with a polar bear who speaks to her. He tells her that her mother is alive, imprisoned at the ends of the earth. And he can bring her back — if Cassie will agree to be his bride.
That is the beginning of Cassie's own real-life fairy tale, one that sends her on an unbelievable journey across the brutal Arctic, through the Canadian boreal forest, and on the back of the North Wind to the land east of the sun and west of the moon. Before it is over, the world she knows will be swept away, and everything she holds dear will be taken from her — until she discovers the true meaning of love and family in the magical realm of Ice. (Taken from Goodreads)

Buy it now from The Book Depository


I don't think I can properly express just how much I loved this book. I've been itching to read it for like, months, and I was so excited when I finally got my hands on it.
It tells the story of Cassie, who after finding out that the fairytale that her grandmother told her when she was a child is true, and is forced to be the wife of the Polar Bear King in order to rescue her mother from trolls. It's basically the retelling of East of the Sun, West of the Moon. It's one of my favourite fairytales of all time, because it's just so magical, with a hint of Beauty and the Beast.

From the very beginning, I was hooked. The prologue gave such amazing back story and insight in just three pages, and made me fall in love with the story. The plot is incredibly addictive, I just couldn't stop reading it. There was so much adventure in it, as Cassie travels across the icy plains of the Arctic, dives into an ocean, travels through forests and bogs, and finally, to the land east of the sun and west of the moon. Her incredibly journey though the forests and bogs, enduring pain and near-death encounters, was a delightful change of pace from the typical 'guy rescues the helpless damsel in distress' stories. It was refreshing and insightful. And throughout her journey, Cassie showed a great change in character, the development all characters should go through.

I was slightly annoyed at the longitude, latitude and altitude markings at the beginning of each chapter, as I don't know how to decipher those things, and it felt as if I were missing out on something. It got quite annoying as the story progressed.

Another issue I had with the story was when Cassie was with Father Forest, so many things happened to her that should have killed the baby growing inside her, even though Father Forest, and everyone else was trying to prevent any harm from happening to the baby. Cassie was wrapped in a tight cocoon of vines that almost broke most of her bones, and forced to stay like that until she was starving and had wet herself, and she was forced into back-breaking labour, such as cleaning and using incredibly hardcore cleaning products (though, the fumes from such cleaning products can be harmful; pregnant women are advised to steer clear of using such things for most of their pregnancy, especially the last 2 trimesters). The baby should have either died or been born with serious defects from everything that it had gone through.

At odd times, it seemed as if the characters were too modern at times, especially the ones that are originally a few hundred years old, like Bear, Father Forest and the North Wind. But despite that little flaw, they were all extremely awesome and I loved each of them, they all had depth, were understandable and were a delight to follow, even the minor characters.

The ending seemed a bit abrupt and too fast-paced, as if Durst was trying to wrap things up as quickly as possible, in as few words as she possibly could, but still, it worked in some way, retaining some logic and epicness.

Overall, a pretty epic book, one of my favourite YA's/retellings.

Cover Art: 3
Plot: 5
Characters: 5
Writing: 5
Level of Interest: 5

Total: 5/5 stars

Review: Beastly

Beastly by Alex Flinn

Pages: 304, hardcover

ISBN: 9780060874162

Publisher: HarperTeen

Date Released: October 1st, 2007

Genre: Fantasy/Young Adult / Romance

Source: library

Premise:

I am a beast.

A beast!

Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright. I am a monster.You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll,stay this way forever—ruined—unless I can break the spell.

Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly.
(Taken from Goodreads)

I was eager to begin reading this book, as it is a Beauty and the Beast retelling, and one of my WIPs is also a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Basically, I picked up this book mainly for research. Also, I maybe love fairytale retellings way too much.

I had recently read A Kiss in Time, also by Alex Flinn, and really enjoyed it, and guess what: I wasn't disappointed with this one.

Firstly, the cover, because despite the saying telling us not to judge a book by its cover, I'm pretty sure most everyone does. I know I do. The cover was simplistic, yet it worked. I love covers like that, it isn't overcrowded, and random stuff isn't overflowing; it directs us straight to the centre, allowing us to immediately take in the information before us. The rose and the thorns--or, the main imagery featured in the book--allows the reader what to expect. I, for instance, automatically assumed that it was a retelling of Beauty and the Beast for that very reason, so I knew what to expect.

As for the plot, I think that it progressed nicely. It was an interesting take on the classical fairytale, featuring two teenagers stuck in present-day New York, both finding themselves abandoned by the world. It seemed almost believable, and that was what was so magical about it.
Unlike most other books, I found that the plot didn't falter, that it flowed well, and each minute detail presented coincided with the story, that were from the original stories, from the roses, to the magic mirror.
I overlooked their youngness (I tend to find love at the age of 16 or so to be quite unbelievable), and found myself sighing at the advances in Lindy and Kyle/Adrian's relationship, thinking that it was the most loveliest, sweetest thing in the world. In fact, I even ended up asking myself where my own 'Beast' was.
What bugged me the most was the irrelevance of the chat room (well, I found it irrelevant). There were times where I was more interested in the other fairytale creatures that were featured, and I kept asking myself: Why were they in that position? What were they up to, and what were they doing to reach their happy ending? I don't know, it seemed to hinder the pacing of the story.

The characters were loveable, my definite favourite being Will. He was just awesome because he was blind, yet despite this hindrance, guided Kyle/Adrian to change, to become a true hero.
What I usually find to be important in a novel is the change a character goes through, how they evolved, how they've grown. Their journey towards this change makes the novel, I believe, and this story fully incorporates Kyle/Adrian's change, to the point where it is a major theme.

The writing was as one would expect from a YA writer, nothing flashy. Though, I was impressed, yet annoyed at the use of the chat room language. I liked it because it kept the characters in check, and showed their individual personalities, and was an interesting concept (despite not being necessary to the story). But I disliked it because I just generally hate that sort of writing in books (in fact, I HATE Melissa Marr's Ink Exchange simply because on page 110, the word WTF is used. And I think OMG or something similar is used in Wicked Lovely. I would have loved the books a whole lot more if it weren't for that, but more on that at a later date).

Overall, I think that if you want a simple, sweet retelling of Beauty and the Beast, set in modern times, check out this novel. It's a quick read, and easy to get through, and was a really fun experience.

Cover Art: 3
Plot: 4
Characters: 3
Writing: 3
Level of Interest: 4

Total Rating: 4/5 stars.

**On another note, there is a film coming out based on this book starring Vanessa Hudgens and Alex Pettyfer. (And Neil Patrick Harris, I believe, which will be the main reason I want to see it! :P)

Review: East

East by Edith Pattou

Pages: 516, paperback

ISBN: 9780152052218

Publisher: Magic Carpet Books / Harcourt

Date released: May 1st, 2003

Genre: Fantasy/fairy-tale retelling/romance

Source: bought

Premise:

Rose has always felt out of place in her family, a wanderer in a bunch of homebodies. So when an enormous white bear mysteriously shows up and asks her to come away with him—in exchange for health and prosperity for her ailing family—she readily agrees. The bear takes Rose to a distant castle, where each night she is confronted with a mystery. In solving that mystery, she loses her heart, discovers her purpose, and realizes her travels have only just begun.
As familiar and moving as "Beauty and the Beast" and yet as fresh and original as only the best fantasy can be, East is a novel retelling of the classic tale "East of the Sun, West of the Moon," a sweeping romantic epic in the tradition of Robin McKinley and Gail Carson Levine. (Taken from Goodreads)

~~~

So, what can I say about this book? For one, it is one of the best fairytale retellings I have ever read. It kept me on my toes, it made me emotional and wanting more.

The story is broken up, told in the view points of 5 characters: the father, Neddy, Rose, the Troll Queen and the White Bear. At times, I thought that the extra point of views were unnessecary and confusing, mostly the random excerpts by Neddy and the father, and they slowed the pace of the story, especially near the end when Rose was travelling towards Niflheim. It just hindered the flow of the story, ruining exciting and fast-paced moments.

The writing was very simplistic, what one would expect from a YA novel, and often, I found that the language flowed wonderfully, and was different in tone for each character. On that note, I LOVED the White Bear's POVs before he turned back into a human. They were short, poetic and very jumbled, perfect for the lonely bear that can barely manage a sentence.

The story was brilliant, a wonderful mix of East of the Sun, West of the Moon, and Beauty and the Beast, and the heroine was loveable and independant, the kind of person I would like to read about. One issue with Rose was her eye colour. It wasn't actually relevant to the story AT ALL. It would actually be more fitting if she had dark brown eyes. I just don't understand why she needed purple eyes, other than the fact that she's special and whatnot.

Overall, a quick and easy read. Something I'd read if I don't want to spend too much time thinking about it, and just get on with it.

Cover: 4
Plot: 5
Characters:4
Writing: 3
Level of Interest: 5

Total Rating: 5/5

Review: Daughter of the Forest

Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier

Pages: 552, paperback

ISBN: 9780330424417

Publisher: Pan Australia

Date Released: November 1st, 2008 (first published 1999)

Genre: adult/ fantasy/ romance / retelling / historical

Source: library

Premise:

A beautiful retelling of the Celtic "Swans" myth, Daughter of the Forest is a mixture of history and fantasy, myth and magic, legend and love... To reclaim the lives of her brothers, Sorcha leaves the only safe place she has ever known and embarks on a journey filled with pain, loss and terror. When she is kidnapped by enemy forces and taken to a foreign land, it seems that there will be no way for Sorcha to break the spell that condemns all that she loves. But magic knows no boundaries, and Sorcha will have to choose between the live she has always known and a love that comes only once.

(Taken from Goodreads)

Buy it from: The Book Depository / Amazon

It was about time that I started this book. I'd heard nothing but stellar reviews about this book. The fact that Marillier lives in Australia (albeit the Western part, which is literally desert)and being born in New Zealand made this even more irresistible.

When I first started this, I sort of really disliked it. My thoughts were "WTF is this? It's so slow, nothing's happening! I don't care about her family! How do you pronounce that?" It takes some getting used to, because the writing is so thick and verbose. This is not a quick read. This is the kind of book you slowly savour, reading it and relishing in the beauty of the words. Everything comes to like around you, the smells and sounds of the forest, the hardships that Sorcha had to deal with, everything. By the end of the first chapter (which is 30 pages long, but feels like 300), I was loving it. I loved how the reader got to know every detail about Sorcha's family, no matter how grizzly and dark it may be. I loved the relationships between Sorcha and her brothers, how they all felt real and different from each other, which I think is quite a feat when too many characters are introduced at once. You really get to know all the characters in such a way that they become important to you, and not only do you see a growth in Sorcha, but in everyone else.

Sorcha is a very strong young woman; despite her gift for storytelling, she keeps silent, even when it costs her her life. She does all she can to break the spell that the Lady Oonagh cast on her brothers. She lives through her hardships, seemingly by herself, but she had Red to help her, and her brothers, who believe in her persistence and patience.

The story, based on the Celtic Swans myth, adds so much depth to such a fairytale. I absolutely love fairytales, and this one is one of the best that I've read so far. It still retains the magical properties of a fairytale, while having its own element.

This is a novel that doesn't shy away from the hard stuff. There is rape, abuse, torture. It really feels like a kick in the gut. So why read it, then, if it's so heavy? Well, there are also moments of hope and love--both romantic love and familial love.

Cover Art: 3
Plot: 4
Characters: 5
Writing: 5
Level of Interest: 5

Total Rating: 5/5 stars