BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR: Rose Red Undead (Fablenoir book 2) - Vic Sinclair

After descending into the terrifying underbelly of magickal New York and uncovering unspeakable crimes, Detective Jackson Slade and the fierce outlaw Goldilocks must face a whole new level of death and destruction festering from a strange world below the earth.

Meanwhile in Los Angeles, an orphan nicknamed Snow White reunites with her black-winged guardian angel Lucifer as he appears during her shift in the night cafe. When the archangel convinces Snow her magickal abilities are needed to stop the darkness consuming New York City, harrowing memories are brought to the surface as she’s forced to face the demonic creatures from her past.

As paths of chaos cross and uncertain alliances are tested, the reanimated sorceress known as Rose Red stands at the center of a decaying world, leaving utter destruction in her wake.

With the wolves closing in and the butchered bodies piling high, it’s up to Jack, Goldilocks, and Snow to try and put an end to this nightmare of a fairy tale.

 

What did I think?

Having absolutely loved Fablenoir I couldn't wait to to read the sequel, Rose Red Undead,  and once again Vic Sinclair takes the reader on a dark and twisted journey with an unusual cast of characters.

The characters are all inspired by fairy tales, nursery rhymes and children's literature but they are nothing like the originals.  Jack (of beanstalk fame) is a detective who is addicted to magic beans and turns to outlaw Goldilocks to fight the powerful sorceress Rose Red, the sister of Snow White.

Although it's a different story to Fablenoir with some new characters, I would advise reading Fablenoir first as it's brilliant but also gives you the story behind the Jack and Goldilocks partnership.  I sometimes got a bit confused about the characters, especially those who had several names like Elizabeth Snow, who is also Lili and Snow White.  I was reading too fast though so part of the confusion was my own greed in devouring every dark and delicious word as fast as I could.

The plot is very dark and gripping and Vic Sinclair's writing is breathtakingly evocative, resulting in a book that is difficult to put down and impossible to forget.  Rose Red Undead is an original and imaginative urban fantasy novel that is well worth a read.

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the LBT bookstagram tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Waterstones

Amazon

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BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR: Fablenoir - Vic Sinclair

Fifteen years after climbing the beanstalk, giants are the least of Jack’s concerns…

Twisted fairy tale figures roam our world in this deliciously dark, exhilarating new Urban Fantasy series, featuring familiar characters from mythology and fables clashing and conniving in a metropolitan cesspit that runs on chaos.

Amid rumors of necromantic cults, children vanishing from the city's streets and men crying werewolf, down-and-out Detective Jackson Slade of the NYPD is at his lowest. Blacklisted by the corrupt department he works for, he finds himself winding up in the same grimy bars every night, nearly drinking himself to death and relying on mysterious magick beans to pick himself back up.

Until, one night, he stumbles upon a gruesome crime scene that will change the course of his life dramatically. When he finds the shattered corpse of egg-shaped billionaire media mogul Dick Dumpty, Jack finds himself reluctantly teaming up with the notoriously cold-blooded outlaw Goldilocks, and together they spiral into the horrifying magickal underbelly of New York City, caught in the middle of a war between the corrupt and the even more corrupt.

Coming up against forces such as the grizzly gang leader Papa Bear and the crooked giant-descendant head of the NYPD Chief Cole, Jack and Goldilocks set in motion an explosive chain of events that will change the world, for better or for so much worse…

What did I think?

Whoa! What have I just read?  Fablenoir is an urban fantasy fairy tale and I've never read anything like it before - I loved it!  This isn't a retelling but it is filled with recognisable characters from fairy tales, nursery rhymes and children's literature as you've never seen them before.  Prepare to fall down the rabbit hole into Fablenoir.

Jack (of beanstalk fame) is a detective in New York but his addiction to magick beans sees him fall from grace.  Talking of falls, that's what happens to Dick Dumpty and Jack is first on the scene.  It should be Jack's case but Chief Cole sends him packing...right into the path of Goldilocks who is doing her own unofficial investigation.  Jack and Goldilocks are such a great team and I loved how their (non-romantic) relationship developed over the course of the book. 

The writing is incredibly atmospheric and it's like watching an old black and white detective movie coming to life before my eyes as I read Vic Sinclair's evocative and immersive words.  I absolutely loved the refreshing and unique take on such well-known characters as they are rewritten very firmly into the dark side.

Dark, imaginative and atmospheric, Fablenoir is impossible to put down once you pick it up.  I was completely mesmerised from the very first page and loved ever second of this original, bumpy and wild ride.  I can't wait to continue the adventure in book two, Rose Red Undead.

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the LBT bookstagram tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Waterstones

Amazon

About the author:

Vic Sinclair is a writer from the north of the UK. He spends most of his time curating ridiculously intricate character playlists and thinking up plotlines for them on long walks. This is how the grimdark epic urban fantasy series FABLENOIR was born.

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Lochbound - Rebecca Templeton

There is no happily-ever-after . . .

Kilmara, Scotland. 1725. For fifty years, Iris has accepted the curse that blighted her life. By night, she is a heartbroken woman, destined to walk the misty shores of Kilmara without growing older. By day, she is Moireach, a terrifying monster imprisoned in the murky depths of Loch Moine.

When bodies begin appearing on the shore, the villagers are convinced Moireach is responsible. So a hunter - the rugged, ruthless Henry Carver - is summoned to slay the monster of the loch.

Iris must break her curse before she is killed for crimes she cannot believe she has committed. But as Kilmara's hunt for the monster becomes ever more fevered, she and Henry are drawn together in a dangerous game of impossible attraction.

And when a figure from Iris's past suddenly reappears, she must choose what - or who - she is willing to sacrifice to win her freedom.

. . . when you are the monster.

A glitteringly dark reimagining of The Little Mermaid set in eighteenth-century Scotland, this enchanting and gothic historical fantasy is perfect for fans of Rosie Andrews's The Leviathan, Georgia Leighton's Spellbound and anyone who loved Outlander. 

What did I think?

Oh my goodness, I adored this beautiful book; it is as stunning inside as out.  Lochbound is Rebecca Templeton's debut novel and it is exceptional.  It is a retelling of The Little Mermaid but it also reminded me of Beauty and the Beast.  

Iris has been cursed to spend her days as Moireach the monster in the loch but by night she becomes Iris again.  The curse can only be broken by true love's kiss but the boy Iris loves disappeared when she became a monster and she is still searching for him.  With mutilated bodies turning up by the loch, time is running out for Iris as the laird has tasked a hunter to find the monster before any more villagers are killed.  

The enchanting story is told from various points of view: Iris, her old friend Duncan, Henry the hunter and Moireach.  It is deliciously dark and, with witches, curses and monsters, it is one of the best adult fairy tales I have ever read.  The writing is so beautiful and spellbinding that I had to double check that Lochbound is Rebecca Templeton's debut - it really is!  Put this exciting new author on your watchlist, readers!

Haunting, mesmerising and atmospheric, Lochbound is a breathtaking debut novel that captivated, entertained and delighted me from the first page to the last.  I couldn't put it down and I will definitely be reading it again.  I would give it more than five stars if I could; it's absolutely exquisite and I can't recommend it highly enough.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

BLOG TOUR: Little Red Death - A. K. Benedict

ONCE UPON A TIME LIKE YOU'VE NEVER READ IT BEFORE . . .

 

DI Lyla Rondell is on the case of a lifetime. Tasked with investigating a series of perplexing deaths, the only lead she has is that each appears to be based on a different classic fairy tale. Far from the stuff of bedtime stories, the press is having a field day with what they have named the Grimm Ripper Murders.

 

But as the bodies stack up, Lyla’s whole world is about to flip on its head. Because the killer’s bloody trail stretches deep into her own origin story, and when she discovers the truth, nothing will ever be the same again.

 

Faced with the fact that everything she knows is fiction, Lyla will have to take a little creative license of her own if she’s going to turn the final page on the killings . . . 

 

What did I think?

Little Red Death is described as "A mind-bending murder mystery like nothing you've read before".  Well consider my mind well and truly bent - I didn't know whether I was coming or going!

I love fairy tale retellings so I wanted to read this book as soon as I heard about it and it's a clever idea, although it sometimes felt a bit too clever for me.  I didn't particularly like any of the characters, although there is a very good reason for that (no spoilers here through).  One of the characters is an author who is forced to write dark fairy tales for the Grimm Ripper to bring to life and I rather enjoyed the book within a book part of the story.

There are some dark and gory scenes to shock and delight the reader and they are very vividly described.  I sometimes struggled a little with the descriptive writing as I just didn't get some of the analogies but they were quite entertaining. 

Little Red Death is an entertaining read that is imaginative and very dark.  I think it might appeal more to fantasy readers than crime thriller fans but give it a read and make your own mind up.

I received to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the author:

A. K. (ALEXANDRA) BENEDICT is a best-selling, award-winning writer of short stories, novels and scripts.  Educated at Cambridge, Sussex and Clown School, she has been an indie-rock singer, an actor, RLF Fellow,  and a composer for film and TV, as well as teaching and running the prestigious MA in Crime Thrillers at City University. She is now a full-time writer and creative coach. 

As A. K. Benedict, she writes acclaimed short stories, high-concept novels and award-winning audio drama  for Big Finish, Audible UK, Audible US and BBC Sounds, among others. She won the Scribe Award for her  Doctor Who radio drama, The Calendar Man, and was shortlisted for the eDunnit Novel Award for The Beauty of Murder and the BBC Audio Drama Podcast Award for Children of the Stones. As Alexandra Benedict she writes puzzle-filled Christmas mysteries, of which The Christmas Murder Game and Murder on the Christmas Express were both bestsellers and The Christmas Murder Game was longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger. Her most recent festive thriller, The Christmas Jigsaw Murders, was published in 2023. 

She lives on the south coast of England with writer Guy Adams, their daughter, Verity, and dog, Dame Margaret Rutherford. 

Follow her on X @ak_benedict and Instagram @a.k.benedict.

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BLOG TOUR: Regency Faerie Tales series - Olivia Atwater

I am delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for the fantastic Regency Faerie Tales series by Olivia Atwater.  So, instead of a single book review this is a triple book review!

First up, it's Half a Soul.

It's difficult to find a husband in Regency England when you're a young lady with only half a soul.

Ever since she was cursed by a faerie, Theodora Ettings has had no sense of fear or embarrassment - a condition which makes her prone to accidental scandal. Dora hopes to be a quiet, sensible wallflower during the London Season - but when the strange, handsome and utterly uncouth Lord Sorcier discovers her condition, she is instead drawn into dangerous and peculiar faerie affairs.

If Dora's reputation can survive both her curse and her sudden connection with the least-liked man in all of high society, then she may yet reclaim her normal place in the world. . . but the longer Dora spends with Elias Wilder, the more she begins to suspect that one may indeed fall in love, even with only half a soul.

Bridgerton meets Howl's Moving Castle in this enchanting historical fantasy, where the only thing more meddlesome than faeries is a marriage-minded mother.

Pick up HALF A SOUL, and be stolen away into Olivia Atwater's charming, magical version of Regency England!

 

What did I think?

I've been reading more fantasy novels lately and with books of such high quality as Half a Soul, it's quickly becoming one of my favourite genres.  If you're looking for escapism, then look no further than the Regency Faerie Tales series.

A list of characters is included at the start of the book in the form of a 'Dramatis Personae' and I loved reading the short, entertaining biographies of each one.  You don't have to remember them of course, as each character is introduced within the novel, but it's handy to refer back to if you forget who a particular character is.

Dora is a wonderful main character; she only has half a soul so she doesn't experience emotions and her interactions with others are often funny and charming.  Dora is drawn into solving an intriguing mystery with Elias Wilder, the Lord Sorcier, and their story is entertaining and delightful.

Olivia Atwater's writing style is completely breathtaking; mixing historical fiction with fantasy is absolute genius.  Half a Soul is a novel that has everything; the scandal and competition of Bridgerton, an intriguing mystery to solve, a surprising and charming romance, and a colourful and magical Faerie realm.  

Half a Soul is an adult fairy tale written in the style of a classic Jane Austen novel and it's brilliant.  I enjoyed it so much that I plan to read it again and again.  It deserves a place on my bookshelf along with my many copies of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (my comfort book) as I found Half a Soul to be equally comforting, magical and entertaining.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

~~*~~

The second book (and my personal favourite) is Ten Thousand Stitches.

Faerie godfathers are supposed to help young ladies find love. Unfortunately, no one told Lord Blackthorn that.

Effie has most inconveniently fallen in love with the dashing Mr Benedict Ashbrooke. There's only one problem; Effie is a housemaid, and a housemaid cannot marry a gentleman. It seems that Effie is out of luck until she stumbles into the faerie realm of Lord Blackthorn, who is only too eager to help Effie win Mr Ashbrooke's heart. All he asks in return is that Effie sew ten thousand stitches onto his favourite jacket.

Effie has heard rumours about what happens to those who accept help from faeries, but life as a maid at Hartfield is so awful that she is willing to risk even her immortal soul for a chance at something better. Now, she has one hundred days - and ten thousand stitches - to make Mr Ashbrooke fall in love and propose. . . if Lord Blackthorn doesn't wreck things by accident, that is.

From the author of HALF A SOUL comes a whimsical faerie tale set in a magical version of Regency England, with an enchanting Cinderella twist.

 

What did I think?

I loved Half a Soul, the first book in the Regency Faerie Tales series, so I couldn't wait to read Ten Thousand Stitches.  Not only did I love Ten Thousand Stitches, I completed adored it. 

Olivia Atwater's characters are so vividly depicted that they almost pop out of the book the moment you turn the page.  The main character of housemaid Effie is no exception and I loved her dream of falling in love with Benedict, a gentleman who is out of her league.  All is not lost for Effie though, as she makes a bargain with Lord Blackthorn, a faerie, who will grant her wish in exchange for sewing ten thousand stitches on his jacket.

With hints of Cinderella (my favourite Disney film), the well-known fairy tale is turned on its head and makes you question why on earth you would want to marry someone who can't see the real you.  Love is more than skin deep and Effie discovers that her Prince Charming may not be who she thought it was after all.

I loved meeting colourful new characters in Ten Thousand Stitches, as well as encountering some old friends from Half a Soul.  You can definitely read Ten Thousand Stitches as a standalone and there's a 'Dramatis Personae' included at the beginning which lists all the characters.  As much as it's a handy reference guide to the characters it's also very entertaining to read their little biographies, so don't be tempted to skip past it.

Part adult fairy tale, part regency romance, completely brilliant, Ten Thousand Stitches is a delightful tale with a twist.  I loved it and already want to read it again.  An easy five stars. 

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

~~*~~

And finally, the third book: Longshadow.

Proper Regency ladies are not supposed to become magicians - but Miss Abigail Wilder is far from proper.

The marriageable young ladies of London are dying mysteriously, and Abigail Wilder intends to discover why. Abigail's father, the Lord Sorcier of England, believes that a dark lord of faerie is involved - but while Abigail is willing to match her magic against Lord Longshadow, neither her father nor high society believe that she is capable of doing so.

Thankfully, Abigail is not the only one investigating the terrible events in London. Mercy, a street rat and self-taught magician, insists on joining Abigail to unravel the mystery. But while Mercy's own magic is strange and foreboding, she may well pose an even greater danger to Abigail's heart.

From the author of HALF A SOUL comes a queer faerie tale romance full of love and defiant hope. Pick up LONGSHADOW, and return once more to Olivia Atwater's charming, magical version of Regency England.

 

What did I think?

Longshadow is the third book in the wonderful Regency Faerie Tales series and I enjoyed it as much as the two previous novels, although this instalment is a little different as there is an LGBTQ+ element that transforms it into a queer faerie tale.

I love how the characters from the previous novels appear in Longshadow and I really did benefit from reading them one after the other as they were still fresh in my mind, although you could definitely read Longshadow (and the other novels) as a standalone.  A 'Dramatis Personae' is included at the start of the book to give a brief and entertaining bio of each character.

A spate of inexplicable deaths has an air of dark magic about them and Abigail, daughter of the Lord Sorcier, is determined to get to the bottom of it.  Her magic may not be enough to fight whatever is hunting young ladies but she joins forces with a mysterious stranger called Mercy and together their magic is a force to be reckoned with.

The magical element of the plot is stunning and the developing relationship between Abigail and Mercy is beautifully written.  Abigail's confusion over her feelings is portrayed sensitively, especially as she is living in an era when being attracted to the same sex would make ladies faint.

Olivia Atwater has stunningly mixed life in Regency England with the faerie realm and the glitz and glamour of society balls sprinkled with magic makes Longshadow hugely entertaining from start to finish.  This is an adult faerie tale for the 21st century and I highly recommend Longshadow and the whole Regency Faerie Tales series.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: Longshadow (Regency Faerie Tales Book 3) - Olivia Atwater

Proper Regency ladies are not supposed to become magicians - but Miss Abigail Wilder is far from proper.

The marriageable young ladies of London are dying mysteriously, and Abigail Wilder intends to discover why. Abigail's father, the Lord Sorcier of England, believes that a dark lord of faerie is involved - but while Abigail is willing to match her magic against Lord Longshadow, neither her father nor high society believe that she is capable of doing so.

Thankfully, Abigail is not the only one investigating the terrible events in London. Mercy, a street rat and self-taught magician, insists on joining Abigail to unravel the mystery. But while Mercy's own magic is strange and foreboding, she may well pose an even greater danger to Abigail's heart.

From the author of HALF A SOUL comes a queer faerie tale romance full of love and defiant hope. Pick up LONGSHADOW, and return once more to Olivia Atwater's charming, magical version of Regency England.

 

What did I think?

Longshadow is the third book in the wonderful Regency Faerie Tales series and I enjoyed it as much as the two previous novels, although this instalment is a little different as there is an LGBTQ+ element that transforms it into a queer faerie tale.

I love how the characters from the previous novels appear in Longshadow and I really did benefit from reading them one after the other as they were still fresh in my mind, although you could definitely read Longshadow (and the other novels) as a standalone.  A 'Dramatis Personae' is included at the start of the book to give a brief and entertaining bio of each character.

A spate of inexplicable deaths has an air of dark magic about them and Abigail, daughter of the Lord Sorcier, is determined to get to the bottom of it.  Her magic may not be enough to fight whatever is hunting young ladies but she joins forces with a mysterious stranger called Mercy and together their magic is a force to be reckoned with.

The magical element of the plot is stunning and the developing relationship between Abigail and Mercy is beautifully written.  Abigail's confusion over her feelings is portrayed sensitively, especially as she is living in an era when being attracted to the same sex would make ladies faint.

Olivia Atwater has stunningly mixed life in Regency England with the faerie realm and the glitz and glamour of society balls sprinkled with magic makes Longshadow hugely entertaining from start to finish.  This is an adult faerie tale for the 21st century and I highly recommend Longshadow and the whole Regency Faerie Tales series.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: Ten Thousand Stitches (Regency Faerie Tales Book 2) - Olivia Atwater

Faerie godfathers are supposed to help young ladies find love. Unfortunately, no one told Lord Blackthorn that.

Effie has most inconveniently fallen in love with the dashing Mr Benedict Ashbrooke. There's only one problem; Effie is a housemaid, and a housemaid cannot marry a gentleman. It seems that Effie is out of luck until she stumbles into the faerie realm of Lord Blackthorn, who is only too eager to help Effie win Mr Ashbrooke's heart. All he asks in return is that Effie sew ten thousand stitches onto his favourite jacket.

Effie has heard rumours about what happens to those who accept help from faeries, but life as a maid at Hartfield is so awful that she is willing to risk even her immortal soul for a chance at something better. Now, she has one hundred days - and ten thousand stitches - to make Mr Ashbrooke fall in love and propose. . . if Lord Blackthorn doesn't wreck things by accident, that is.

From the author of HALF A SOUL comes a whimsical faerie tale set in a magical version of Regency England, with an enchanting Cinderella twist.

 

What did I think?

I loved Half a Soul, the first book in the Regency Faerie Tales series, so I couldn't wait to read Ten Thousand Stitches.  Not only did I love Ten Thousand Stitches, I completed adored it. 

Olivia Atwater's characters are so vividly depicted that they almost pop out of the book the moment you turn the page.  The main character of housemaid Effie is no exception and I loved her dream of falling in love with Benedict, a gentleman who is out of her league.  All is not lost for Effie though, as she makes a bargain with Lord Blackthorn, a faerie, who will grant her wish in exchange for sewing ten thousand stitches on his jacket.

With hints of Cinderella (my favourite Disney film), the well-known fairy tale is turned on its head and makes you question why on earth you would want to marry someone who can't see the real you.  Love is more than skin deep and Effie discovers that her Prince Charming may not be who she thought it was after all.

I loved meeting colourful new characters in Ten Thousand Stitches, as well as encountering some old friends from Half a Soul.  You can definitely read Ten Thousand Stitches as a standalone and there's a 'Dramatis Personae' included at the beginning which lists all the characters.  As much as it's a handy reference guide to the characters it's also very entertaining to read their little biographies, so don't be tempted to skip past it.

Part adult fairy tale, part regency romance, completely brilliant, Ten Thousand Stitches is a delightful tale with a twist.  I loved it and already want to read it again.  An easy five stars. 

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: Half a Soul (Regency Faerie Tales Book 1) - Olivia Atwater

It's difficult to find a husband in Regency England when you're a young lady with only half a soul.

Ever since she was cursed by a faerie, Theodora Ettings has had no sense of fear or embarrassment - a condition which makes her prone to accidental scandal. Dora hopes to be a quiet, sensible wallflower during the London Season - but when the strange, handsome and utterly uncouth Lord Sorcier discovers her condition, she is instead drawn into dangerous and peculiar faerie affairs.

If Dora's reputation can survive both her curse and her sudden connection with the least-liked man in all of high society, then she may yet reclaim her normal place in the world. . . but the longer Dora spends with Elias Wilder, the more she begins to suspect that one may indeed fall in love, even with only half a soul.

Bridgerton meets Howl's Moving Castle in this enchanting historical fantasy, where the only thing more meddlesome than faeries is a marriage-minded mother.

Pick up HALF A SOUL, and be stolen away into Olivia Atwater's charming, magical version of Regency England!

 

What did I think?

I've been reading more fantasy novels lately and with books of such high quality as Half a Soul, it's quickly becoming one of my favourite genres.  If you're looking for escapism, then look no further than the Regency Faerie Tales series.

A list of characters is included at the start of the book in the form of a 'Dramatis Personae' and I loved reading the short, entertaining biographies of each one.  You don't have to remember them of course, as each character is introduced within the novel, but it's handy to refer back to if you forget who a particular character is.

Dora is a wonderful main character; she only has half a soul so she doesn't experience emotions and her interactions with others are often funny and charming.  Dora is drawn into solving an intriguing mystery with Elias Wilder, the Lord Sorcier, and their story is entertaining and delightful.

Olivia Atwater's writing style is completely breathtaking; mixing historical fiction with fantasy is absolute genius.  Half a Soul is a novel that has everything; the scandal and competition of Bridgerton, an intriguing mystery to solve, a surprising and charming romance, and a colourful and magical Faerie realm.  

Half a Soul is an adult fairy tale written in the style of a classic Jane Austen novel and it's brilliant.  I enjoyed it so much that I plan to read it again and again.  It deserves a place on my bookshelf along with my many copies of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (my comfort book) as I found Half a Soul to be equally comforting, magical and entertaining.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

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The Charmed Wife - Olga Grushin

 

And they lived happily ever after . . . didn't they?

Cinderella married the man of her dreams - the perfect ending she deserved after diligently following all the fairy-tale rules. Yet now, two children and thirteen-and-a-half years later, things have gone badly wrong.

One night, she sneaks out of the palace to get help from the Witch who, for a price, offers love potions to disgruntled housewives. But as the old hag flings the last ingredients into the cauldron, Cinderella doesn't ask for a love spell to win back her Prince Charming.

Instead, she wants him dead.

What did I think?

I love fairytale retellings and Cinderella was my favourite Disney movie as a child...who am I kidding - it still is!  So I was completely intrigued by Olga Grushin's take on what happens next after the happy couple rush down the steps into their waiting carriage.  Charles Perrault claims that they lived happily ever after but Olga Grushin points out elements of our favourite fairytale that suggest it was very unlikely indeed.

Much like a fairytale, you do have to suspend belief when reading a retelling.  I found The Charmed Wife very easy to read and enjoyable but it didn't quite manage to make me fall under its spell.  I loved the way it made me look at the Cinderella story in a new light.  I mean they don't even tell each other their names when they meet and the prince obviously can't remember what she looks like or he'd have gone looking for her himself instead of sending people out to see who the shoe fits!

One thing I didn't really like in the book was the little interludes with the mice story; it was ok at first but after a while I felt like it interrupted the flow of the main story and I couldn't read these parts fast enough to get back to the main event.  There is a point to the mice story which was well made as it shows the depth of Cinderella's character but there was just too much mousiness for me.

With a lecherous prince and a murderous princess, The Charmed Wife is a dark, sobering and modern adult fairytale.  It's challenging and thought-provoking, reminding us that life never turns out like a Disney movie.  

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC to read and review; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from

UK.bookshop.org

Amazon UK

BLOG TOUR: Poisoned - Jennifer Donnelly

 

Beautiful Sophie, with lips as red as blood, skin as pale as snow, and hair as dark as night, is about to come of age and inherit her father's throne. But Sophie's stepmother wants rid of her - beautiful she may be, but too weak and foolish to reign. And Sophie believes her, as she believes all the things that have been said about her - all the poisonous words people use to keep girls like her from becoming too powerful, too strong.

When the huntsman carries out his orders of killing Sophie, she finds a fire burning inside her that will not be extinguished, and sets off to reclaim what was taken from her.

Jennifer Donnelly turns her feminist eye to this most delicious of fairy tales and shows Snow White as she's never been seen before.

What did I think?

In my opinion, you're never too old for fairy tales and I love reading retellings of my favourite stories from childhood.  Before I say anything about the content of the book, I have to mention the amazing cover of Poisoned - the shattered red apple is so striking and of course links in to the story beautifully.

Poisoned is the story of Princess Charlotta-Sidonia Wilhelmina Sophia of the Greenlands, whose name is thankfully shortened to Sophie.  Sophie has always been told that she's too weak and too soft to be queen, which suits her stepmother just fine as it means that she can keep ruling with her iron fist.  Taking advice from her magic mirror, the Queen decides to get rid of Sophie once and for all and after being left for dead in the Darkwood, seven brothers take Sophie into their home.

Anyone familiar with the story of Snow White will recognise many elements of the story that keep it true to the original tale published by The Brothers Grimm in 1812.  Jennifer Donnelly puts her own slant on the story by adding a hefty helping of feminism that allows us to see Sophie evolving from a young naive girl to a strong confident woman.  It's actually rather thought-provoking as I'm sure I'm not alone in listening to that nasty inner voice that tells me I'm not smart, pretty, thin or good enough.  It's about time we took a leaf out of Sophie's book and tell our inner voice to shut the **** up!

I really enjoyed Poisoned; it's an absolutely fabulous version of Snow White for the 21st century.  It may officially be YA but it's definitely a book that can be read and enjoyed by adults, especially those who don't consider themselves too old for fairy tales.  Jennifer Donnelly has taken the magical ingredients originally gathered by The Brothers Grimm and whipped up an absolute feast for the eyes; I greedily devoured every single word and will definitely be back for more.

Wonderfully written and perfectly plotted, Poisoned is a magical and courageous tale with a feminist slant that upgrades a familiar story and brings it into the 21st century.   It leaves the reader with a strong message to believe in yourself and to listen to your heart rather than to other people.  A simply wonderful novel that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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About the author:

Jennifer Donnelly is the author of seven novels and a picture book for children. She grew up in New York State, in Lewis and Westchester counties, and attended the University of Rochester where she majored in English Literature and European History.

Jennifer's first novel, THE TEA ROSE, an epic historical novel set in London and New York in the late 19th century, was called 'exquisite' by Booklist, 'so much fun' by the Washington Post, a 'guilty pleasure' by People and was named a Top Pick by the Romantic Times.

Her second novel, A GATHERING LIGHT, won the Carnegie Medal, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the Borders Original Voices Award, and was named a Printz Honor book. Described as 'rich and true' by The New York Times, the book was named on the Best Book lists of The Times (London), The Irish Times, The Financial Times, Publishers Weekly, Booklist and the School Library Journal.

REVOLUTION was named a Best Book by Amazon, Kirkus, School Library Journal, and the Chicago Public Library, and was nominated for a Carnegie Medal. The audio edition was awarded an Odyssey Honor for Excellence.

In 2014, Jennifer teamed up with Disney to launch the bestselling WATERFIRE saga, an epic series about six mermaids on a quest to rid the world of an ancient evil. The first book in the series, DEEP BLUE, was released in May, 2014; the second book, ROGUE WAVE, launched in January 2015.

Jennifer Donnelly lives in New York's Hudson Valley with her husband, daughter, and two rescue dogs.

Follow Jennifer at www.jenniferdonnelly.com or on Twitter: @JenWritesBooks

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