Retellings

Book Review: The Murder of Mr. Wickham

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The happily married, Mr. Knightley and his wife Emma are throwing a house party, bringing together distant relatives and new antiquates, characters beloved by Jane Austen fans. It will be a delight for everyone but all that is dashed when a unwelcome guest, Mr. Wickham shows up and it’s very obvious that no one is thrilled to see him as his latest financial scheme has earned him a long list of enemies, including people attending the party. As the party starts, secrets are to be revealed and tensions start to flare with everyone wishing Mr. Wickham would’ve never come at all. But they’re all shocked when the uninvited guest ends up murdered. To solve the mystery, they need someone who isn’t a suspect in the case and that falls on two of the youngest guest, Jonathan Darcy and Northranger Abbey and the two must put aside their poor first impressions before an innocent person is hanged.

This was a really fun who-dun-it and I absolutely loved how it was a retelling featuring Jane Austen’s leading literary characters as she’s one of my favorite authors. I thought the story was nicely done but I do wish that she would’ve added a bit more suspense and action in some of them because it did feel a bit boring at times. It did get chunky but at least the ending didn’t feel so rushed and wasn’t something that I predicted. I am planning on reading more retellings of historical fiction mysteries because I did really enjoy this one and hopefully will find more as enjoyable. If you’re looking for a fun and entertaining who-dun-it than this is it for you!

Book Review: Dark Night, Golden Dawn

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“They complemented one another well, the perfect mix of dark night and golden dawn.”

In a place where the elite are just as powerful as gods, the season is about to begin in where The Immortal Orders will gather, pair and create a spectacle for all Nuva Troi to witness. But, if there is one person who isn’t interested unlike past years it’s Harlow Keane who is more concentrated on fixing her broken heart. Fate has other plans as when the season begins, the order comes to her with a job offer and they promise to back off, if she agrees to pair with their most eligible bachelor, Finn McKay. She has been burned by Finn before and knows that she’ll get burned again. But as the season goes on, strange things begin to happen and the balance of power between Immortal Orders and Humans is growing deadlier by the day. Only Finn and Harlow are the ones who notice what is going on and if they want to save their city, they must put aside their petty grudges and find out what is happening before it’s too late.

Although the start was a little slow, I’m glad it picked up and that I ended up enjoying it as it was a fun and exciting read and I feel like it lived up the what it was about. Sometimes, summaries can be very deceiving and there’s nothing worse than when a book doesn’t live up to it. Besides the beautiful world-building, I really enjoyed Harlow and her relationships especially wit her family, it was so comforting and wholesome. You could tell how much they truly cared for one another and they were all so interesting and unique, it’s not always you find secondary characters as fleshed out as the primary characters. So it’s always nice to have that and I did enjoy the banter between Harlow and Finn, I did fine the romance to be believable and that’s a good sign because there’s nothing worse than a forced romance. Overall, I really enjoyed it so if it sounds like something

JULY TBR

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Hey everyone! I’m excited to share all my choices with you! This is gonna be a good month!

Accidentally Engaged by Farah Heron
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Bi: The Hidden Culture, History, and Science of Bisexuality by Julia Shaw
Genre: Adult, LGBT, Non-Fiction

The Donut Enemy by Sarah Adams
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Float Plan by Trish Coller
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

My Killer Vacation by Tessa Bailey
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid
Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Fiction

The Magic of Found Objects by Maddie Dawson
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

The Meeting Point by Olivia Lara
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

No Rings Attached by Rachel Lacey
Genre: Adult, LGBT, Romance

Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah
Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Mythology

Something Wilder by Christina Lauren
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

The Wedding Game by Meghan Quinn
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Book Review: Iron Widow

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“Men wants us so badly for our bodies, yet hate us so much for our minds.”

While the boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with the girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant robots that defeat the mecha ailens that lurk beyond the great wall where the girls dread it as they often die from mental strain. But, not all the girls dread pairing up with the boys, there is one girl who is more than ready to take on the challenge in an attempt to have her revenge on the man who killed her sister. When Zietan is chosen, she ends up getting more she’s bargained for as she is successful in killing the man who killed her sister but comes out of it unscathed thus dubbing her the iron widow. Now, she is set on understanding how the pilot system works in hopes of preventing more girls from being sacrificed.

This gave me pacific rim vibes as soon I read the summary on Goodreads and it did have that vibe while getting into the novel even though it started a little slow. But, I’ll get to that in a bit as I did enjoy the characters as they were all deeply flawed with good development to understand their motives even if I didn’t like the character. But, the big flaw that made me less invested in it was the lack of development with the magic system and world-building as there were times where I was confused and needed a little more information. I love good world-building and sadly this one didn’t have it and I do feel if the author had done more with the magic system then maybe I would’ve enjoyed it more than I did. The themes that are discussed throughout the novel are very relevant to what is happening now and I felt as though Zhao does a good job of connecting them to the plot. Overall, it was a good book even though I felt a little disappointed but feel free to check it out if it sounds enjoyable to you!

Fantasy WRAP UP

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Here we go!

What a fun ride! This plot was super interesting and I do like how the it developed from the beginning to end. While I did enjoy the plot, I did have a bit of a hard time with characters as I don’t feel like they were full fleshed out to where I felt completely invested in them. Some of their decisions and choices seemed a bit odd and the reasons for the decisions didn’t convince me completely. That was really the only problem I had with the book because I loved everything else especially the writing so I am hoping in the next book the character building will improve as I’m dying to know what will happen next. This book was full of adventure with twists and turns that made it thrilling from beginning to end.

What a beautifully written debut! I’m still shocked that it’s a debut because it had everything a fantasy novel needed and the writing elevated it to another level.Not only was the writing so well done, it really helped with development of characters throughout the story especially Xingyin as I felt like I knew the so well. The characters will really leave an impression on you just as much as the writing. The plot developed nicely and I didn’t feel as though it was rushed and that’s always a good thing cause there’s nothing worse than a rushed plot. Another part of the story I loved was the representation as the author used women not just as plot devices and they were key characters throughout the story so that’s nice to see especially with a fantasy book. I loved all of it, this story was so good and I can’t wait for the sequel coming out later this year!

Well it’s always good when a book delivers and I was actually surprised with how much I enjoyed it as her books are hit and miss with me. But, this was a real treat even if the beginning was a little slow as it picked up and I didn’t want to put it down. One thing about Schwab that I’ve always liked regardless of whether I enjoyed her books as a whole is her writing. It’s so beautifully done and I envy how she can weave words together so well that makes you invested in the story. The writing definitely helped with getting into story and understanding the characters who were unique, flawed and interesting. As I mentioned, the beginning of it was a bit hard to get into and I do appreciate that she includes an author’s note with how and why she chose to write a story like this.

Holy shit! This is going to end up in my top 5 list of best books of 2022 because I loved everything about it! Mythology retellings are always hit and miss with me but the premise sounded interesting and unique. The plot wasn’t something that I’d read before and a lot of myth retellings are usually about Hades and Persephone, there are so many other stories that are just as interesting. So, when i saw this book on goodreads while looking for new recs, I decided to check it out and I was glad that I did because wow.

While it start off slow, I actually think it worked out well that way because it really did set up for the rest of the story. I thought the characters especially Hanne, were all multifaceted, interesting, and unique in their own ways. This was such a thrilling ride from beginning to end and learning about Finnish mythology as a real treat.

There’s nothing more disappointing when the second half of a book completely falls apart but that’s what happened here. The book started off strong even with a predictable plot but I’m a sucker for books like this so I didn’t really care that it was a plot that I’ve read before. The world-building was stunning and so well written and that’s something that will always get my attention. I’m a sucker for excellent world-building and Harper does a very good job at that. As for the characters and romance, the first half of the book was good and it did show development not only with the two main characters but others.

But sadly, the second half completely undid the first as the main love interest went back and forth with either being too controlling or too protective and it was so bad that I honestly wanted the main character to either find someone else or come to her senses and be find on her own. Plus, the writing got choppy and it felt forced at some parts. I’m bummed because I did like the beginning but the second half just sunk everything for me.

Lore Olympus by Rachel Symthe

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“I know it may seem overwhelming right now. If I were lucky enough to have somebody love me, I would try everything to make it work. You’re lucky to have that even if it hurts.”

Young goddess of the spring, Persephone, is new to Olympus but as the young woman who has promised to train as a sacred virgin is about to get more than she’s bargained for when she’s meets the mysterious, Hades during a night out with her new roommate and sister Artemis and her life is thrown into a chaos as she finds herself attracted to the older man who is charming yet very misunderstood ruler of the underworld. Now, Persephone must find her place among the world of Olympus all while navigating through the confusing politics and find her true power.

I know what you’re thinking! Great, another Persephone and Hades retelling? I hear ya I hear ya but this is one retelling that is guaranteed to keep you wanting more. Going into this, I thought it was going to be a similar retelling and it was the opposite and it did not disappoint as I loved everything about it especially the personalities of the gods especially Hades and Persephone. In addition to the fantastic characterization, the dynamics between the gods and chemistry between Hades and Persephone felt very real. They are so cute together and I can’t wait to read more of their adventures in the next book coming out this year but not until July, ugh that’s too long. Not only did it feel real but it was relatable at times especially with how Persephone was navigating through the political climate in Olympus while trying to figure who she is and what he wants to do with her life.

Definitely check this out if you love mythology but I think many people would actually enjoy this book as it was a wild, entertaining, and fun ride from beginning to end.

Nutcracked

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If there are two things that Georgie loves, it’s Christmastime and Ballet and this year is even more amazing as she is finally playing the part she was born to play in The Nutcracker as Clara. Her life long dream has come true as every time she dances with The Nutcracker, she enters a magical world where everything around her is larger than life. It’s so magical and amazing that Georgie can’t wait to return but what happens when the magic starts seeping into the real world and threatens to destroy Christmas for Georgie and her friends.

This was a cute book for the holiday season, I usually try and read books dedicated to the holiday as it’s always fun. Obviously, this is a middle grade book and I did like the characters, I found Georgie fun and adorable and enjoyed her relationship with her friends and The Nutcracker. The problem that I had with the book is that it started too slow and ended too fast. I felt like things were super slow and then all of a sudden everything got solved in such a short time that I actually had to reread the last few chapters to make sure I didn’t miss anything. I felt like it could’ve been fleshed out a little more with a few developments because that’s my big pet peeve with books. I’m not a fan of rushing things as it makes me feel like there I’m missing something but if you’re looking for a fun, cute, and quick read and you love retellings, then this is just for you!

Once upon A Broken Heart

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“Heroes don’t get happy endings. They give them to other people.”

Finding solace in her beloved father’s novelty shop, Evegeline Fox grew up on the legends of immortals such as the tragic Prince of Hearts. She knows his powers are mythic, his kiss is worth dying for, and that bargains with him never end well. But, when Evegeline learns that the love of her life is about to marry another, she is desperate to stop the wedding before it’s too late. She begs the Prince of Hearts to help and at first it seems like things are going her way but after their first kiss, she learns that the Prince has other plans for her and it will either end up with a happily ever after or the most exquisite tragedy.

This book is pure magic from beginning to end. I knew I was going to be in for a real treat as I have enjoyed Stephanie Garber’s previous books. Caraval was one of my favorite series to read, it was such a treat so I was hoping this book would be just as good and thankfully it was. What I loved about this book is that none of it felt predictable or cliche, there were so many twists and turns and just when you thought you had things figured out, it turned in another direction. But, she really knows how to spin retelligns of fairy tales, I would love to read more books if she did retellings. But like Garber’s other books, the way she develops her characters is what really stands out as they are always unique, interesting, and incredibly flawed. If you like retellings and lush worldbuilding, then this book is just for you!

Wendy, Darling by A.C. Wise

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TW: Abuse, Misogyny, Abandonment Issues, Death, Loss of Parents, War

She has the sudden impression that bits of his skin might lift away, like a mask hiding something terrible underneath.”

Wendy, Darling is a dark retelling of Peter Pan that focuses on the oldest child, Wendy and what journey she took after coming back from Neverland. Her brothers, Michael and John were able to condition themselves to forget their time in Neverland, Wendy wasn’t able to do and spent time in an Asylum thus damaging the relationship with her two brothers. She feels bitter and resentful towards them and spends time wondering if their parents hadn’t died on their cruise ship, would she have been put in the asylum or would things be different? Although she doesn’t speak of it, Neverland isn’t far from her mind and one night she gets a visit from the last person she expected to see. She finds out that Neverland is what it used to be and there is darkness lurking on the island and the visitor is looking for another Wendy, and before she knows it her young daughter Jane is taken in her place.

I love retellings and I have see a lot of Peter Pan retellings so I was looking forward to this. Sadly, it wasn’t what I expected it to be and it was a bummer. While the story was interesting, I felt it was a bit too dark for my liking and it was hard to invest in the other characters besides Wendy. I found her to be a very interesting and well written protagonist with a harrowing journey that makes you feel for her. I did like the alternating POV’s between Wendy and her daughter, Jane and reading about her adventures in Neverland and I was pleased with how it ended. But, the lack of depth in the characters made me struggle to stay invested so that was a bummer.