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Joelene Marie (28 KP) rated Whichwood in Books
Oct 1, 2018
Tahereh Mafi has an incredible gift. Her writing is beautiful in a way that isn't seen much these days. This companion to Furthermore is another glorious fairytale that I couldn't get enough of. I truly hope she continues this captivating series.
**Thanks to edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.**
**Thanks to edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.**
Megan Abbott recommended The Night of the Hunter (1955) in Movies (curated)
Kristina (502 KP) rated The Vixen and the Vet (A Modern Fairytale #1) in Books
Dec 7, 2020
A real-life twist on an old familiar fairy tale. It took me a little bit to get into this story, mainly because the tone was a bit stiff and formal. But once I did get into it, I fell in love. I enjoyed this story so much and I can't wait to read the rest of the Modern Fairytale series!
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Wild Swans ( Timeless Fairytales book 2) in Books
Jan 5, 2022
3of 230
Kindle
The Wild Swans ( Timeless Fairytales book 2)
By K M Shea
Elise is the foster-daughter of the King of Arcainia, a mathematician, and the country's treasurer. She is not a hero. But when her step-mother, a wicked witch, curses Elise's seven foster-brothers - the princes of Arcainia - and turns them into swans, Elise is the only one who can save them. To break the curse, she must knit seven shirts made of stinging nettles, but there's a catch. She has to complete the shirts without uttering a word, and if she doesn't finish the task, Arcainia and her foster-brothers will be lost. THE WILD SWANS is a retelling of the German Six Swans fairytale and the Dutch Wild Swans fairytale. It is a story of humor, love, adventure, and magic, and it is part of the top selling Timeless Fairy Tales series - a series comprised of loosely related adaptations of your favorite fairytales. All Timeless Fairy Tales take place in the same world and can be read all together, or as individual, stand-alone books.
I must confess I’d never heard of this fairytale where have I been!! This was beautiful and a sure sign of love and strength. I love K M Shea her books are just so well written. Definitely recommended to those that love retellings of fairytales.
Kindle
The Wild Swans ( Timeless Fairytales book 2)
By K M Shea
Elise is the foster-daughter of the King of Arcainia, a mathematician, and the country's treasurer. She is not a hero. But when her step-mother, a wicked witch, curses Elise's seven foster-brothers - the princes of Arcainia - and turns them into swans, Elise is the only one who can save them. To break the curse, she must knit seven shirts made of stinging nettles, but there's a catch. She has to complete the shirts without uttering a word, and if she doesn't finish the task, Arcainia and her foster-brothers will be lost. THE WILD SWANS is a retelling of the German Six Swans fairytale and the Dutch Wild Swans fairytale. It is a story of humor, love, adventure, and magic, and it is part of the top selling Timeless Fairy Tales series - a series comprised of loosely related adaptations of your favorite fairytales. All Timeless Fairy Tales take place in the same world and can be read all together, or as individual, stand-alone books.
I must confess I’d never heard of this fairytale where have I been!! This was beautiful and a sure sign of love and strength. I love K M Shea her books are just so well written. Definitely recommended to those that love retellings of fairytales.
Lottie disney bookworm (1056 KP) rated The Stars That Guide You Home in Books
Oct 25, 2021
Wow.
Just…wow.
Now I make no secret of the fact that I am a crier. Christmas TV ads, airport arrivals halls, old men crying, anything has the ability to set me off blubbing! So I am never entirely surprised when I start crying at a book, even my husband doesn’t mock me anymore. But this book? THIS BOOK had me crying the entire way through and just when you thought life for the characters couldn’t get any worse…Jemma Robinson says hold my coat!
Sophia and Tom live in a quaint little farmhouse in the town of Lowshore. Their life is a simple one but their happy marriage practically radiates from the page. However, Sophia never told her husband about her past and that past is about to catch up with her!
Whilst Tom is at work, Sophia is kidnapped from her happy home and forced to live the life that she tried so desperately to escape. Beaten, abused and powerless, Sophia manages to find two people worthy of her trust but will she ever escape? Can she ever regain the life that she used to have with Tom?
The beauty of this book is that it revolves around its characters. There is very little world building here but, honestly, it isn’t needed. Nothing matters to Tom and Sophia except one-another and that is reflected in Jemma Robinson’s writing style.
The characters themselves stay with you long after the final page: Sophia wears her heart on her sleeve, Tom is steadfast and passionately protective, James and Annalise are, in contrast, calm and collected individuals but Edmund is nothing short of a psychopath!
Edmund is no fairytale villain, despite the Lord Farquaad vibes I was getting from him. Robinson’s antagonist wouldn’t be out of place in Game of Thrones: he is truly revolting, controlling and revels in his absolute power over everything and everyone in his kingdom.
The Stars That Guide You Home is marketed as historical romance, not a fairytale, and with its medicine, photographs and labour camps then it does seem too modern to be considered a fairytale. However, I would argue that castles, arranged marriages, medieval torture and absence of any morally grey characters could push this into the category of dark fairytale.
There are a number of trigger warnings within this novel that I want to highlight. This is by no means a YA book – it is definitely Adult Fiction or New Adult at a push. These trigger warnings include rape, physical and mental abuse, animal cruelty, torture (in detail), kidnap, burns, suicide, miscarriage and general violence.
Dark fairytale still doesn’t seem enough… Sinister fairytale might just do it!
The Stars That Guide You Home is simultaneously beautiful, horrifying and inspiring. This book will break your heart over and over again and keep you coming back for more. Thank you to The Book Network for the opportunity to review this amazing novel, and thank you to Jemma, even though you did make me cry for 486 pages!
Just…wow.
Now I make no secret of the fact that I am a crier. Christmas TV ads, airport arrivals halls, old men crying, anything has the ability to set me off blubbing! So I am never entirely surprised when I start crying at a book, even my husband doesn’t mock me anymore. But this book? THIS BOOK had me crying the entire way through and just when you thought life for the characters couldn’t get any worse…Jemma Robinson says hold my coat!
Sophia and Tom live in a quaint little farmhouse in the town of Lowshore. Their life is a simple one but their happy marriage practically radiates from the page. However, Sophia never told her husband about her past and that past is about to catch up with her!
Whilst Tom is at work, Sophia is kidnapped from her happy home and forced to live the life that she tried so desperately to escape. Beaten, abused and powerless, Sophia manages to find two people worthy of her trust but will she ever escape? Can she ever regain the life that she used to have with Tom?
The beauty of this book is that it revolves around its characters. There is very little world building here but, honestly, it isn’t needed. Nothing matters to Tom and Sophia except one-another and that is reflected in Jemma Robinson’s writing style.
The characters themselves stay with you long after the final page: Sophia wears her heart on her sleeve, Tom is steadfast and passionately protective, James and Annalise are, in contrast, calm and collected individuals but Edmund is nothing short of a psychopath!
Edmund is no fairytale villain, despite the Lord Farquaad vibes I was getting from him. Robinson’s antagonist wouldn’t be out of place in Game of Thrones: he is truly revolting, controlling and revels in his absolute power over everything and everyone in his kingdom.
The Stars That Guide You Home is marketed as historical romance, not a fairytale, and with its medicine, photographs and labour camps then it does seem too modern to be considered a fairytale. However, I would argue that castles, arranged marriages, medieval torture and absence of any morally grey characters could push this into the category of dark fairytale.
There are a number of trigger warnings within this novel that I want to highlight. This is by no means a YA book – it is definitely Adult Fiction or New Adult at a push. These trigger warnings include rape, physical and mental abuse, animal cruelty, torture (in detail), kidnap, burns, suicide, miscarriage and general violence.
Dark fairytale still doesn’t seem enough… Sinister fairytale might just do it!
The Stars That Guide You Home is simultaneously beautiful, horrifying and inspiring. This book will break your heart over and over again and keep you coming back for more. Thank you to The Book Network for the opportunity to review this amazing novel, and thank you to Jemma, even though you did make me cry for 486 pages!
Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated The Hazel Wood in Books
Mar 2, 2018
A little too over the top
I think I completely lost the plot trying to follow this fairytale within a fairytale. A modern day version of a Brothers Grimm-style folklore, the story follows Alice, who is trying to find her missing mother, and discovers that all is not what it seems.
The main thrust of the novel asks whether Alice is a character in a tale herself? And if she can escape her fate by running away from her story. And while I can appreciate the author's creativity, there's very little character development and there appears to be a fair few loose ends. The prose is heavy in metaphors to the point that the first half seemed far too long.
While many have described the book as a dark and creepy fantasy, I think it may have been a little overhyped - it's more of a weird version of Alice in Wonderland. Interesting, but not for me.
The main thrust of the novel asks whether Alice is a character in a tale herself? And if she can escape her fate by running away from her story. And while I can appreciate the author's creativity, there's very little character development and there appears to be a fair few loose ends. The prose is heavy in metaphors to the point that the first half seemed far too long.
While many have described the book as a dark and creepy fantasy, I think it may have been a little overhyped - it's more of a weird version of Alice in Wonderland. Interesting, but not for me.
Kyera (8 KP) rated Mirrored (Kendra Chronicles, #3) in Books
Feb 1, 2018
As a fan of Alex Flinn's fairytale re-tellings, especially Beastly, I was anticipating this novel greatly. It was a unique take on the Snow White tale's Queen, Huntsman, Prince and happily ever after. As the story of Snow White is pretty well known, there's not much I can say without giving away how this re-telling decided to approach the story. Definitely recommended for those who enjoy fairy tales and happily ever afters.
Dalicat (20 KP) rated The Book of Lost Things in Books
Aug 30, 2018
A grimm fairytale
I haven't been so completely drawn into a book since I read Michael Ende's "Neverending Story" (hell mend you Disney for what you did to that exquisite novel). This is a heartachingly tender story of childhood bereavement and bewilderment. The tale is so skillfully woven I walked every step of the story with the lost and lonely little protagonist.