Genre: Fairytale

Stealing Snow ~ ARC Review

23 Jun, 2016 by in bloomsbury, fairytale retelling, fantasy Leave a comment

I received this book for free from Bloomsbury USA Children's in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Stealing Snow

by Danielle Paige
Published by Bloomsbury USA on September 20, 2016
Genres: Fairytale, Fantasy, Young Adult
Pages: 384
Format: ARC
four-stars
Source: Bloomsbury USA Children's
Buy the BookGoodreads
Seventeen-year-old Snow has spent the majority of her life within the walls of the Whittaker Institute, a high security mental hospital in upstate New York. Deep down, she knows she's not crazy and doesn't belong there. When she meets a mysterious, handsome new orderly and dreams about a strange twisted tree she realizes she must escape and figure out who she really is.

Using her trusting friend Bale as a distraction, Snow breaks free and races into the nearby woods. Suddenly, everything isn't what it seems, the line between reality and fantasy begins to blur, and she finds herself in icy Algid--her true home--with witches, thieves, and a strangely alluring boy named Kai, none of whom she's sure she can trust. As secret after secret is revealed, Snow discovers that she is on the run from a royal lineage she's destined to inherit, a father more powerful and ruthless than she could have imagined, and choices of the heart that could change the fate of everything . . . including Snow's return to the world she once knew.

This breathtaking first volume begins the story of how Snow becomes a villain, a queen, and ultimately a hero.

I haven’t read fantasy or a fairy tale retelling in a long time, and I’d forgotten how rich the world building can be. With magic, a band of gypsy-like thieves, mythical creatures and a love triangle, there’s plenty to keep each reader intrigued. The series reminds me a bit of Julie Kagawa’s Iron King series.

Snow, labeled as insane is locked away with her childhood love Bane. When her dreams lead her to another land after Bane is kidnapped, Snow finds herself transported to the magical kingdom Algid in attempt to bring him home. Her power is snow and ice, fueled by anger and emotion. I am excited to read the two prequel novellas, one of which comes out in 3 days. While the plot was at times confusing and not fully fleshed, I’m hoping the series will tie everything together and resolve what’s going on with three interesting characters–Bane, Kai and Jagger. Vivid imagery and multi faceted magical creatures make this one an escape for a day.

Content- mild swearing, some violence, dark elements

 

about_ the_authorDanielle lives in NY. Before turning to YA, she worked in television & was nominated for several Daytime Emmy’s. Dorothy Must Die was her first novel.

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Becoming Beauty by Sarah Boucher Blog Tour and Review

25 Nov, 2014 by in blog tour, fairytale retelling, sweetwater books Leave a comment

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

Becoming Beauty by Sarah Boucher Blog Tour and Review

Becoming Beauty

by Sarah Boucher
Published by Sweetwater on November 11, 2014
Genres: Adult, Fairytale
Pages: 256
Format: Paperback
three-half-stars
Source: Sweetwater Press
Goodreads
Claws. Long, filthy, and dangerously sharp.

They’re the first thing Bella sees after what’s been the worst day of her life. If Bella were the quintessential Beauty—gorgeous, kindhearted, and self-sacrificing—she might have a chance at transforming this monster into a man, but she’s never been the toad-kissing kind. Obsessed with landing a wealthy nobleman and escaping her humdrum life, Bella will stop at nothing to achieve her goals. Which is precisely what landed her here, at the mercy of the Beast.

In this imaginative retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Bella's sense of entitlement strains both her family's finances and patience. As punishment for her selfishness, she's sent into the Beast's service where she must choose whether to follow the path she's always dreamed of—or risk it all for something even greater.
Becoming Beauty Blog Tour Banner

 

I have really mixed feelings about Becoming Beauty. The book was well written and it’s a great twist in a fairytale we all know. The cover is gorgeous! However, I just couldn’t relate to or fully fall in love with the main characters. There were three of them, and I just kept holding out, hoping I could connect– but it never happened. Belle is incredibly self- centered and selfish for quite a bit of the opening scenes, and then at times she is overly pushy and dramatic. Beast has his control freak, grumpy, “slight” anger managements issues going boiling beneath the surface. And, Jack–well, he seems a bit to self sacrificing and codependent for my liking. I wanted to see more relationship development between Belle and the man she gives her heart to, it seemed rushed. While I didn’t fully connect with any of them, I will say I enjoyed the story.

The author adds plot twists, shows transformation of characters and weaves in a lot of magic with a cursed, or maybe enchanted ruby pendant. There is romantic tension and a great lesson at the end about family. It’s a clean read, and a creative re-working of Beauty and the Beast. Well done and I’m interested in reading any more fairy tale twists Sarah Boucher comes up with! And a request to Sweetwater Books…more covers like this one please!

About the Author unnamed (1)

Mild-mannered kindergarten teacher by day and self-proclaimed scribbler by night, Sarah’s inner fairytale junkie takes center stage with the release of her premier novel Becoming Beauty.
The discovery of a mystery about pants (penned in the second grade) reveals both her lifelong love of storytelling and cute clothes.  With countless stories about makeovers cluttering up her hard drive and a walk-in closet bursting with sassy high heels and handbags, Sarah’s obsession with dressing up is unmatched.  That, paired with her interest in fairytales, led to the birth of Bella, the heroine of Becoming Beauty.

When she’s not embroiled in either teaching or penning a new tale, cheesy music, movies that cause her to snort while laughing, baking (especially if chocolate is involved), and more British television than anyone this side of the Atlantic has any business watching, keep Sarah entertained.

A native Utahn, Sarah graduated from Snow College and Brigham Young University.  She currently lives and teaches in Ogden, Utah.

Contact Sarah on her website SarahEBoucher.com, or find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, or Goodreads.

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