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Merissa (12654 KP) rated Mist on Water in Books

Apr 18, 2023  
Mist on Water
Mist on Water
Shea Berkley | 2015 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is a fairy tale going back to the ways of old - there are layers of meaning with this tale and not a Disney princess in sight! Reading this story, I am immediately reminded of the Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Andersen - Fairy Tale Tellers Extraordinaire who seemed to specialise in tales with a twist, a darker kind of fairytale, the kind that gave you shivers as you huddled beneath your blankets as your parent read your bedtime story.

This book is split into three different sections - Ryne, the Nix and Nari. Ryne is our young hero whose whole life has been affected by tales of the Nix, although he has yet to see any proof that she exists. The nix is the villain of the piece that I actually felt sympathy for. Yes, she was evil and twisted but there were reasons for that, which just about broke my heart! Nari is our spitfire heroine, not content to sit back and be rescued, she is the one doing the rescuing.

Well written and with a smooth plot and timeline, this is a new 'old' fairytale that I thoroughly enjoyed. Definitely recommended.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
 
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Oct 8, 2015
  
196 of 230
Kindle
Dawning Ascent ( The Pearson Prophecy book 1)
By Jen L. Grey
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Power comes with a price.

Treated like an outcast in her own kingdom, Ariah learned to live in the shadows. But as she comes into her powers, she catches the eye of her life long crush and an unlikely ally. Trusting either of them could help her along a dangerous journey... or could bring her journey to a dangerous end.

When enemies come to light and distrust spreads, Ariah's safety is put in jeopardy. If she places her trust in the wrong people, her hidden powers will be unveiled to those who wish to use them against her.

To survive, Ariah must learn who has her best interests at heart. If she chooses wrong, it could mean not only her own death, but the crumbling of the entire country.


I did enjoy this book it had a good premise and the characters were easy to get along with. My one issue was this, the world building suggested it was very fairytale kingdom without modern technology etc which was great! But the author then throws in a coffee machine and a shower yet things like hospitals and modern equipment is not there. Just didn’t really make sense to me and took away from that fairytale feeling. It should be all or nothing I think.
  
A Court of Thorns and Roses
A Court of Thorns and Roses
Sarah J. Maas | 2015 | Young Adult (YA)
9
8.7 (107 Ratings)
Book Rating
Characters (2 more)
Plot
Descriptions of places
Loved it
Well where to begin?

At first I thought this would be a generic rewrite of Beauty and the Beast- but, while it holds hints of the fairytale, it is completely it's own thing.


The characters seem extremely realistic to me, they have depth and interesting backstories. The descriptions of the areas within the story are so well written that I find myself picturing them easily and whisking I could be there.


I love the surprising twists and turns that the plot takes it isn't predictable and that makes me want to read more.


Overall I adore this book.
  
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Red (24 KP) rated Tiger Lily in Books

Aug 10, 2017  
Tiger Lily
Tiger Lily
Jodi Lynn Anderson | 2013 | Fiction & Poetry
10
8.0 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
It gave you an unknown part of the classic tale that answered questions you didn't even know you had. (0 more)
It was a short read. (0 more)
An Untold Tale
I didn't know, judging by the title, that the story would in fact be told from quite a different point of view. You not only get one untold side from Neverland, but two. Once I got into it, it was hard to stop reading which made it a short read. However, it was still one of the best teen books I've read in awhile that was involved in the fairytale realm. Any fan of Disney & the story of Peter Pan should read it!
  
The Bear and the Nightingale
The Bear and the Nightingale
Katherine Arden | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
9.4 (17 Ratings)
Book Rating
Strong female protagonist (1 more)
Reminiscent of Grimm Fairytales
Favourite book read in 2018 (so far!)
The first thing I have to say about this book is wow. I went into it not knowing what to expect but was completely blown away by the storyline of Vasya as she navigates becoming a young woman who is powerful, in a time when women were not; whilst using old school magic to try to help her people.
The Russian folklore gives this book a modern fairytale feel, however the darkness echoes that of the original Grimm Fairytales.
Altogether, this is a very well written epic, not to be missed, and that I very much enjoyed.
  
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KM Watts (12 KP) rated Cinder in Books

Sep 9, 2018  
Cinder
Cinder
Marissa Meyer | 2012 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
9
8.5 (96 Ratings)
Book Rating
Fantastic characters (2 more)
Imaginative world building
Wonderful plot
The villain could have been a bit more dangerous (0 more)
A wonderful reimagining
This book is the first in the series. This book was on my list for awhile, but I had been holding off reading it. I’m glad I finally did. It was a fast paced adventure with a sprinkle of romance. It had me rooting for Cinder the whole time, and there were enough twists to keep everything interesting. The villain was good, though I think she could have been given stonger motives. This was a fantastic retelling of an old fairytale, with an awesome sci-fi twist. I would highly recommend it.
  
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ClareR (5846 KP) rated The Rain Heron in Books

Aug 23, 2021  
The Rain Heron
The Rain Heron
Robbie Arnott | 2020 | Dystopia, Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Rain Heron has a dreamlike, fairytale quality to it that I loved. In fact, the first part of the novel is exactly like a fairytale: an unlucky farmer is rewarded by becoming more prosperous, but in remembering the hard times that they had, the farmer shares their wealth. However, a jealous neighbour soon makes their feelings felt, and no one comes out of the situation well.

Further away, near the sea, another mans jealousy of nature has terrible consequences, causing poverty and abandonment of a seaside village.

These threads of story are interwoven with that of a woman who lives alone in the mountains in order to escape the effects of a military coup. But the soldiers come looking for her - and for the Rain Heron.

This is a book about mans need to control nature and their inability to. The more man tries to control it, the more damage is done.

I loved the feel of this novel. It’s a fable of our modern times, about how our actions are having a lasting and devastating effect on our climate and nature.

I would most definitely recommend this book, and Arnott’s previous book as well, Flames, if you haven’t read it. Both are masterpieces in magical realism. Rain Heron is a timely book as we come to realise just what an impact climate change is having on our world, and comes highly recommended from me!