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ClareR (5879 KP) rated Things In Jars in Books
Sep 22, 2019
Victorian England, a female detective and a touch of the supernatural - what’s not to like?
Things in Jars is set in Victorian London. Bridie Devine is a female detective who is called on by Sir Edmund Athelstan Berwick, a baronet, to find his secret daughter, Christabel, who has been kidnapped. However, he doesn’t want to involve the police (this is where alarm bells start to go off!). Very few people in his household know about the existence of Christabel, and she is shut away, ostensibly to protect them from her. Because Christabel is not an ordinary child: she has supernatural powers that can harm people. Bridie doesn’t believe this, of course. So with the help of Cora, her 7 foot tall housemaid and Ruby, the ghost of a prizefighter, she sets out to rescue the child.
I absolutely loved this book. I was never sure if the mythical, fairytale elements were real, or whether Bridie believed them to be real. The seedy, macabre side to London, the sights and smells of the winding streets and the general atmosphere were so well described, that I could have been standing next to Bridie, watching the moving tattoos across Ruby’s torso! Bridie is an excellent character. She feels compelled to find Christabel, mainly because she is coming to the job with a failure weighing heavy on her shoulders, but also she can remember being alone in the world as a child.
Mrs Bibby is a superb villain - she has her conspirators dancing to her tune. She has a gun (and a limp!) and she’s not afraid to use it! Her macabre ‘fairytales’ really ramped up the atmosphere, and showed how truly awful she was. There was a real menace about her.
Other than what I’ve said here, all I can really say is - go and read this book! I loved it (I’ve said that already, I know!), go and read it - you won’t be sorry!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.
I absolutely loved this book. I was never sure if the mythical, fairytale elements were real, or whether Bridie believed them to be real. The seedy, macabre side to London, the sights and smells of the winding streets and the general atmosphere were so well described, that I could have been standing next to Bridie, watching the moving tattoos across Ruby’s torso! Bridie is an excellent character. She feels compelled to find Christabel, mainly because she is coming to the job with a failure weighing heavy on her shoulders, but also she can remember being alone in the world as a child.
Mrs Bibby is a superb villain - she has her conspirators dancing to her tune. She has a gun (and a limp!) and she’s not afraid to use it! Her macabre ‘fairytales’ really ramped up the atmosphere, and showed how truly awful she was. There was a real menace about her.
Other than what I’ve said here, all I can really say is - go and read this book! I loved it (I’ve said that already, I know!), go and read it - you won’t be sorry!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.
Lottie disney bookworm (1056 KP) rated Cold Hearted in Books
Aug 30, 2021
When you’re eight books into a series such as the Villain Tales by Serena Valentino you would think that I wouldn’t be smug anymore! You would think that I wouldn’t go into the book saying “I won’t end up feeling sorry for this villain”.
You would also think that I know I am always wrong!
Lady Tremaine is one of the easiest villains to hate in the Disney universe: she worked Cinderella to the bone, denied her a decent party and then locked her in the attic for good measure! These are hardly the actions of some misunderstood soul.
Until Serena Valentino comes along of course! Valentino has a truly unique way of humanising these characters that we love to hate and, with the help of the Odd Sisters, proves to us time and time again that there is more to our fairytales than meets the eye.
The previous book in the villain tales, Evil Thing, took the reader outside of the Many Kingdoms for the first time. Valentino takes advantage of this, neatly using Cold Hearted to join together Lady Tremaine’s life in London with both the Fairylands and the Many Kingdoms. This timeline means that the readers meet Lady Tremaine before her role as stepmother: we learn of her worries over indulging her two daughters and her unwillingness to move on after her husband’s death.
Cold Hearted skips time periods slightly so the reader is actually experiencing Nanny and the Fairy Godmother reading Lady Tremaine’s story. Don't worry: this doesn't mean we are deprived of our favourite creepy sisters, although this book may have you looking at the Odd Sisters in an entirely new light.
The 8th villain tale continues Valentino’s reign of brilliant, alternative views of our villains. Lady Tremaine was to be the heroine of her own fairytale; all she wanted was her own happily ever after. Where did it go so wrong?
You would also think that I know I am always wrong!
Lady Tremaine is one of the easiest villains to hate in the Disney universe: she worked Cinderella to the bone, denied her a decent party and then locked her in the attic for good measure! These are hardly the actions of some misunderstood soul.
Until Serena Valentino comes along of course! Valentino has a truly unique way of humanising these characters that we love to hate and, with the help of the Odd Sisters, proves to us time and time again that there is more to our fairytales than meets the eye.
The previous book in the villain tales, Evil Thing, took the reader outside of the Many Kingdoms for the first time. Valentino takes advantage of this, neatly using Cold Hearted to join together Lady Tremaine’s life in London with both the Fairylands and the Many Kingdoms. This timeline means that the readers meet Lady Tremaine before her role as stepmother: we learn of her worries over indulging her two daughters and her unwillingness to move on after her husband’s death.
Cold Hearted skips time periods slightly so the reader is actually experiencing Nanny and the Fairy Godmother reading Lady Tremaine’s story. Don't worry: this doesn't mean we are deprived of our favourite creepy sisters, although this book may have you looking at the Odd Sisters in an entirely new light.
The 8th villain tale continues Valentino’s reign of brilliant, alternative views of our villains. Lady Tremaine was to be the heroine of her own fairytale; all she wanted was her own happily ever after. Where did it go so wrong?
ClareR (5879 KP) rated The Sisters Grimm in Books
Feb 25, 2020
The Sisters Grimm sounds like it’s going to be a fairytale, doesn’t it? But it isn’t in the childish sense of the word. If you’ve ever read any of the original Grimm’s fairytales, they’re rather more macabre - and people don’t always get their happy endings.
Sisters Grimm don’t actually know that that’s what they are. They may have vague memories (pre-puberty - and this is important) of playing in a fairytale wood, where they can do magical, amazing things, but they put it down to dreams later. That is until they approach their 18th birthdays, and some of these dream-like abilities start to manifest themselves.
This story is based around four girls who first met at 8 years old in the fairytale dream-world, Everwhere, forget one another after their 13th birthdays, and begin to remember closer to their impending 18th birthdays. They all have a different mother, but the same father who they will meet in Everwhere on the evening of their birthday. And it’s really important that they find one another again prior to this confrontation - where they will discover the truth about themselves.
I really enjoyed this. It says on Goodreads that it’s a Young Adult novel, and whilst it’s immaterial whether I agree with this or not, I do agree that it’s about reaching an age where you are finding out more about yourself and your impending independence, and that can’t be a bad thing for young people to read about.
I liked the darkness in this book - it’s no twee fairytale. There’s death, murder in fact, as a pretty major theme. And people aren’t necessarily nice. They lie, they’re selfish and they keep secrets that are best known.
The only negative I can think of, is that I really thought that this was going to be set up for the first part of a series. The end seemed quite rushed to me, and I’d love to know more about what happens afterwards. Well, that’s not really a negative, is it? That’ll be why I gave it top marks, to be honest - it’s a great book!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this book - another great choice!
Sisters Grimm don’t actually know that that’s what they are. They may have vague memories (pre-puberty - and this is important) of playing in a fairytale wood, where they can do magical, amazing things, but they put it down to dreams later. That is until they approach their 18th birthdays, and some of these dream-like abilities start to manifest themselves.
This story is based around four girls who first met at 8 years old in the fairytale dream-world, Everwhere, forget one another after their 13th birthdays, and begin to remember closer to their impending 18th birthdays. They all have a different mother, but the same father who they will meet in Everwhere on the evening of their birthday. And it’s really important that they find one another again prior to this confrontation - where they will discover the truth about themselves.
I really enjoyed this. It says on Goodreads that it’s a Young Adult novel, and whilst it’s immaterial whether I agree with this or not, I do agree that it’s about reaching an age where you are finding out more about yourself and your impending independence, and that can’t be a bad thing for young people to read about.
I liked the darkness in this book - it’s no twee fairytale. There’s death, murder in fact, as a pretty major theme. And people aren’t necessarily nice. They lie, they’re selfish and they keep secrets that are best known.
The only negative I can think of, is that I really thought that this was going to be set up for the first part of a series. The end seemed quite rushed to me, and I’d love to know more about what happens afterwards. Well, that’s not really a negative, is it? That’ll be why I gave it top marks, to be honest - it’s a great book!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this book - another great choice!
Wuwu & Co. - A magical picture book
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* WINNER OF WORLD'S BIGGEST CHILDREN'S BOOK FAIR AWARD * ** WINNER OF BEST CHILDREN'S GAME IN NORDIC...
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Marsh King's Daughter in Books
Mar 15, 2018
The Marsh Kings Daughter was huge before and around the time of its release. People were raving about the novel for a long time and they still are, so I was really excited to read it. While I did love it, I think all the hype made me expect something different to what I got, hence a 4 star rating, not a 5.
What I loved about this book was that it didnt hold back on some more contraversial opinions and thoughts that came from Helena. For instance, that she still adored her father even after everything, and that she had trouble caring about her mother at times. I think it was nice Dionne didnt write things that would please all readers. There were definitely some uncomfortable moments for me.
The writing in this book is stuff of dark fairytales. Its so dark and disturbing but you cant stop reading becasue the way in which its written is beautiful and flows perfectly. Dionnes writing takes you away, whether its into the marsh or trekking through the forest, you are planted directly into the scene, you lose your real surroundings.
One thing that I found disappointing about this novel was that most of it is set in the past, not in the present. From the way the synopsis writes the story, I was expecting this to be a lot more about a life and death chase between daughter and father. And OK, while it is technically about a life and death chase, its far more about Helenas life growing up in the marsh, all that she was taught and all that she learnt. While this is essential to the way the plot plays out, I think the book could have been marketed differently so I didnt have such a clear idea on how I expected the story to go.
This novel is a gripping, sometimes shocking, sometimes emotional fast paced action thriller with a lot to offer any reader. If youre not so much a thriller fan, this one could still be a terrifc read for you, as at times this novels feels more literary fiction than anything else.
Will I read Karen Dionnes work again? Oh sure, most definitely. I just wish this book was the one Id imagined in my head.
What I loved about this book was that it didnt hold back on some more contraversial opinions and thoughts that came from Helena. For instance, that she still adored her father even after everything, and that she had trouble caring about her mother at times. I think it was nice Dionne didnt write things that would please all readers. There were definitely some uncomfortable moments for me.
The writing in this book is stuff of dark fairytales. Its so dark and disturbing but you cant stop reading becasue the way in which its written is beautiful and flows perfectly. Dionnes writing takes you away, whether its into the marsh or trekking through the forest, you are planted directly into the scene, you lose your real surroundings.
One thing that I found disappointing about this novel was that most of it is set in the past, not in the present. From the way the synopsis writes the story, I was expecting this to be a lot more about a life and death chase between daughter and father. And OK, while it is technically about a life and death chase, its far more about Helenas life growing up in the marsh, all that she was taught and all that she learnt. While this is essential to the way the plot plays out, I think the book could have been marketed differently so I didnt have such a clear idea on how I expected the story to go.
This novel is a gripping, sometimes shocking, sometimes emotional fast paced action thriller with a lot to offer any reader. If youre not so much a thriller fan, this one could still be a terrifc read for you, as at times this novels feels more literary fiction than anything else.
Will I read Karen Dionnes work again? Oh sure, most definitely. I just wish this book was the one Id imagined in my head.
Carma (21 KP) rated Taking a Shot in Books
Jun 17, 2019
Taking a Shot is the first book I’ve read by this author but apparently, reading more information about the series, I’ve found Brett was one of the most requested characters fans asked to get his own book. And I can definitely see why. Brett and Chelsea have undeniable chemistry that you can almost feel popping off the page. As a first read, it caught my attention and held it for the entire read.
Brett Sillinger is a hockey player that is on the back end of a very illustrious career. After a few bad choices, including a disastrous marriage, he is starting over at a franchise in Montanta. After landing in his new “hometown” he makes his way to the hotel bar to relax and unwind thinking he’d find himself alone. Too bad a marketing convention had just let out and the men hightailed it to the hotel bar. He was starting to use that “cursed” word again when a gorgeous woman bumped into him spilling his drink. Well, this could change things.
Chelsea London was tired of being the good girl. Tired of having lists and clipboards and doing or saying the right thing all the time. After her ex broke up with her for being too “boring” she finds herself on a mission. A one night stand kinda mission. It goes against everything she feels right down deep in her soul but she needs to try something wild for once. She picks the perfect spot, a hotel bar with lonely men attending a marketing conference and away she goes. Too bad these men are totally not doing anything for her libido. She wants fire, she wants spark, instant attraction that happens once in a lifetime. Bump And there he is.
Brett and Chelsea, though seemingly opposite on paper, find themselves in all too familiar surroundings and expectations. They both fight the attraction they have for one another tooth and nail but realize in the end, they are who they both want and need in their life. Fairytales and clipboards, who knew they made they best combinations.
4.5 star read for Taking a Shot (Montana Wolfpack series) from this reader. I received a copy without expectation for review that I enjoyed very much. I will be adding this author to my go to list of authors for the future. Any and all opinions expressed above are my own.
Brett Sillinger is a hockey player that is on the back end of a very illustrious career. After a few bad choices, including a disastrous marriage, he is starting over at a franchise in Montanta. After landing in his new “hometown” he makes his way to the hotel bar to relax and unwind thinking he’d find himself alone. Too bad a marketing convention had just let out and the men hightailed it to the hotel bar. He was starting to use that “cursed” word again when a gorgeous woman bumped into him spilling his drink. Well, this could change things.
Chelsea London was tired of being the good girl. Tired of having lists and clipboards and doing or saying the right thing all the time. After her ex broke up with her for being too “boring” she finds herself on a mission. A one night stand kinda mission. It goes against everything she feels right down deep in her soul but she needs to try something wild for once. She picks the perfect spot, a hotel bar with lonely men attending a marketing conference and away she goes. Too bad these men are totally not doing anything for her libido. She wants fire, she wants spark, instant attraction that happens once in a lifetime. Bump And there he is.
Brett and Chelsea, though seemingly opposite on paper, find themselves in all too familiar surroundings and expectations. They both fight the attraction they have for one another tooth and nail but realize in the end, they are who they both want and need in their life. Fairytales and clipboards, who knew they made they best combinations.
4.5 star read for Taking a Shot (Montana Wolfpack series) from this reader. I received a copy without expectation for review that I enjoyed very much. I will be adding this author to my go to list of authors for the future. Any and all opinions expressed above are my own.
ClareR (5879 KP) rated The Inheritance Games in Books
Sep 8, 2020
I have read and enjoyed countless YA books, and The Inheritance Games was no exception. It’s touted as a rags-to-riches, Cinderella type story, and there is most certainly a fairytale feel to this. I like fairytales. They’re a gateway drug in to fantasy as a child, I think. Or at least they were for me.
Avery Grambs wants more from her life than living hand to mouth, as she seems to be doing with her sister. Her mother has died, she has no contact with her father. She decides that the best way to change her life is to get a good education at a very good college, with the help of a scholarship. Indeed, she does seem to be very clever.
And then a young man comes to her school, and tells her that she has inherited some of the fortune of Tobias Hawthorne - a man she has never met and knows nothing about. In order to keep her inheritance and deprive the rest of the Hawthornes from getting their hands on the money, Avery has to live for a year in the Hawthorne mansion. Sounds easy, but it’s not. It’s a sprawling, maze-like place, with secret corridors and countless rooms. And the Hawthorne grandsons, on the whole, don’t seem to be hugely keen on her living with them, and neither does their mother.
No-one, including Avery, can understand why she should inherit the Hawthorne fortune. Tobias Hawthorne has one last Rick up his sleeve - a treasure hunt of sorts, that he set before his death for his grandsons and Avery. Just the thing to bring them together - or is it?
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Yes, it’s a bit far-fetched, but who hasn’t wanted to become the equivalent of a billionaire? To never need to worry about money? To have the house version of the Tardis?! This last bit, actually, would totally do it for me - as long as I could cleaners!
I think this will be the first in a trilogy, and I have a sneaking suspicion that I’ll be reading the next one. YA isn’t just for the kids, you know!
Many thanks to the Pigeonhole for making sure I read another one of my NetGalley books, and the publisher for an ebook copy.
Avery Grambs wants more from her life than living hand to mouth, as she seems to be doing with her sister. Her mother has died, she has no contact with her father. She decides that the best way to change her life is to get a good education at a very good college, with the help of a scholarship. Indeed, she does seem to be very clever.
And then a young man comes to her school, and tells her that she has inherited some of the fortune of Tobias Hawthorne - a man she has never met and knows nothing about. In order to keep her inheritance and deprive the rest of the Hawthornes from getting their hands on the money, Avery has to live for a year in the Hawthorne mansion. Sounds easy, but it’s not. It’s a sprawling, maze-like place, with secret corridors and countless rooms. And the Hawthorne grandsons, on the whole, don’t seem to be hugely keen on her living with them, and neither does their mother.
No-one, including Avery, can understand why she should inherit the Hawthorne fortune. Tobias Hawthorne has one last Rick up his sleeve - a treasure hunt of sorts, that he set before his death for his grandsons and Avery. Just the thing to bring them together - or is it?
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Yes, it’s a bit far-fetched, but who hasn’t wanted to become the equivalent of a billionaire? To never need to worry about money? To have the house version of the Tardis?! This last bit, actually, would totally do it for me - as long as I could cleaners!
I think this will be the first in a trilogy, and I have a sneaking suspicion that I’ll be reading the next one. YA isn’t just for the kids, you know!
Many thanks to the Pigeonhole for making sure I read another one of my NetGalley books, and the publisher for an ebook copy.
Joelene Marie (28 KP) rated The Fifth Doll in Books
Oct 1, 2018
*3.5 stars, rounded up to 4*
I originally requested this after coming across it on Netgalley during a random browse thru the sci-fi/fantasy category. The description sounded interesting so I thought I'd give it a shot. It sat on my Kindle carousel for a good while (so many books, so little time…) so it was a few days after it was released before I actually got around to starting it. I had seen The Fifth Doll mentioned in several posts and compared to Naomi Novik's Uprooted and Catherynne Valente's Deathless, two books that I love dearly. I decided to go back and check the Goodreads reviews to get an idea of the accuracy of that comparison and from there decided to read the first chapter or two to see if it hooked me like those two had. I was about 40% thru before I realized that it absolutely did have that “unputdownable” quality like the others and had to force myself to put it down and go to bed lol. After finishing it, I can say with certainty that the comparisons do indeed fit.
I have a weak spot for anything 'fairytale-esque’ and this definitely falls into that category, as it is a retelling of the origin of Russian matryoshka dolls. The mc’s name, Matrona, is a nod to this as well. This story is very well written and so imaginative. It definitely kept me guessing until close to the end when the truth about Slava, the creator of the dolls, is revealed. I liked that the Japanese nesting doll is where Slava found the inspiration to create his dolls, it's a small detail but one that ties this retelling to the real history of the matryoshka dolls.
I thought Matrona was developed pretty well but others, especially Slava, could have used a little more fleshing out. I would have also liked a little more backstory on Pavel and Oleg and the symbolism of the white horse. The writing style was solid and the pacing was just right in my opinion. The romance was subtle and didn't overshadow the main plot, which was nice for a change. The main thing I wasn't really happy with was the magic system. There's very little explanation of any of it or how it really works, only that it does. As a fan of fantasy and fairytales, I appreciate a well developed magic system as part of solid world building and that was sorely lacking here for me. Overall, it was an enjoyable read but I feel there was potential for it to be more.
**Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC! All opinions are my own.**
I originally requested this after coming across it on Netgalley during a random browse thru the sci-fi/fantasy category. The description sounded interesting so I thought I'd give it a shot. It sat on my Kindle carousel for a good while (so many books, so little time…) so it was a few days after it was released before I actually got around to starting it. I had seen The Fifth Doll mentioned in several posts and compared to Naomi Novik's Uprooted and Catherynne Valente's Deathless, two books that I love dearly. I decided to go back and check the Goodreads reviews to get an idea of the accuracy of that comparison and from there decided to read the first chapter or two to see if it hooked me like those two had. I was about 40% thru before I realized that it absolutely did have that “unputdownable” quality like the others and had to force myself to put it down and go to bed lol. After finishing it, I can say with certainty that the comparisons do indeed fit.
I have a weak spot for anything 'fairytale-esque’ and this definitely falls into that category, as it is a retelling of the origin of Russian matryoshka dolls. The mc’s name, Matrona, is a nod to this as well. This story is very well written and so imaginative. It definitely kept me guessing until close to the end when the truth about Slava, the creator of the dolls, is revealed. I liked that the Japanese nesting doll is where Slava found the inspiration to create his dolls, it's a small detail but one that ties this retelling to the real history of the matryoshka dolls.
I thought Matrona was developed pretty well but others, especially Slava, could have used a little more fleshing out. I would have also liked a little more backstory on Pavel and Oleg and the symbolism of the white horse. The writing style was solid and the pacing was just right in my opinion. The romance was subtle and didn't overshadow the main plot, which was nice for a change. The main thing I wasn't really happy with was the magic system. There's very little explanation of any of it or how it really works, only that it does. As a fan of fantasy and fairytales, I appreciate a well developed magic system as part of solid world building and that was sorely lacking here for me. Overall, it was an enjoyable read but I feel there was potential for it to be more.
**Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC! All opinions are my own.**
EmersonRose (320 KP) rated Dodger's Doorrway in Books
Nov 20, 2019
Dodger’s Doorway, by Alessandro Reale, is a fantasy adventure story that explores retelling classic fairy tales and fables in unique and fun ways. The book follows main character Mark ‘Dodger’ Bishop, a teenager from our world who is tired of his life. While struggling with divorcing parents, and school bullies, and getting through his senior year of high school, Dodger finds a doorway to another world. This world is inhabited by the fairytale characters of our childhoods. Dodger meets Humpty Dumpty and Rumpelstiltskin and many more classic characters. Dodger is taken on an exciting journey which has its dangers and challenges. Along the way, Dodger must work to not only save Storyworld but work through his own fears and struggles.
Dodger’s Doorway is a fantastical adventure that makes for a super fun read. The melded fairytale worlds is a theme we have seen more and more of, which I love, and I think that Reale did a masterful job of combining the magical nostalgia of the characters we know and love as well as bringing in a unique twist and creating new life in this classic characters. I particularly liked the portrayal of Humpty Dumpty. I think that Humpty is a character that is often veered away from as being too hard or not interesting enough to expand upon, but Reale takes him and makes him into an exciting warrior, which I thought was very clever. Reale’s Storyworld combines the magical innocence and dark origins of the stories and characters he chooses which gives the story a real sense of danger and epic adventure that makes the book a quick and thrilling read. Reale took inspirational from a wide range of stories; from Hansel and Gretel, Jack and the Beanstalk, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, and many more. I loved the variety and enjoyed seeing Reale’s spin on the characters.
The book itself is well-written, and the arc works well to make for a book that is hard to put down. Dodger is a great character in that he has a lot of growth throughout the book and creates real feeling relationships with the fairytale characters he meets. I liked that Reale brought the book to a young adult read instead of a children’s book by playing with the dark sides of fairytales, as well as making Dodger a teenager dealing with very real young adult issues.
Dodger’s Doorway is an enchanting story with a lot of heart. I very much enjoyed reading it. If you are a fan of fantasy stories, particularly tales where characters find magical worlds, a personal childhood dream of mine and many others I am sure, then I would highly recommend giving this book a read!
Dodger’s Doorway is a fantastical adventure that makes for a super fun read. The melded fairytale worlds is a theme we have seen more and more of, which I love, and I think that Reale did a masterful job of combining the magical nostalgia of the characters we know and love as well as bringing in a unique twist and creating new life in this classic characters. I particularly liked the portrayal of Humpty Dumpty. I think that Humpty is a character that is often veered away from as being too hard or not interesting enough to expand upon, but Reale takes him and makes him into an exciting warrior, which I thought was very clever. Reale’s Storyworld combines the magical innocence and dark origins of the stories and characters he chooses which gives the story a real sense of danger and epic adventure that makes the book a quick and thrilling read. Reale took inspirational from a wide range of stories; from Hansel and Gretel, Jack and the Beanstalk, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, and many more. I loved the variety and enjoyed seeing Reale’s spin on the characters.
The book itself is well-written, and the arc works well to make for a book that is hard to put down. Dodger is a great character in that he has a lot of growth throughout the book and creates real feeling relationships with the fairytale characters he meets. I liked that Reale brought the book to a young adult read instead of a children’s book by playing with the dark sides of fairytales, as well as making Dodger a teenager dealing with very real young adult issues.
Dodger’s Doorway is an enchanting story with a lot of heart. I very much enjoyed reading it. If you are a fan of fantasy stories, particularly tales where characters find magical worlds, a personal childhood dream of mine and many others I am sure, then I would highly recommend giving this book a read!
Lorey L. (3 KP) rated The Hazel Wood in Books
Mar 7, 2018
Loved! Would recommend for fans of chilling fairytales.
Immediately after finishing Albert's dark tale, I took to Goodread's knowing other's had been left with the same tingly sensation of bloody good wrongness. Unfortunately, I found for many this was not the case. The story was dark, creepy and had all the good bad things that make you listen too closely at bumps and stare too intensely at shadows.
First, the writing is completely breathtaking. The imagery in Albert's style is superb. It made me want to wrap up in a blanket with a hot cup of tea and a roaring fire and wish for her words to never end.
With that being said, I did find that at times it could get a little thick and hard to sludge through, but for me, that was infrequent enough to not give me too much of a bother. I felt there was a lot of backstory that could have been told in a more fluid manner, but nevertheless, it was (mostly) needed backstory.
The world Albert created in Hinterland... I need more. If more/most of the story had taken place in the Hinterland, I feel it would have been closer to 5 stars. But, being mostly set in New York it did still leave the storyline curious and mysterious enough to lure you in if given half a chance.
Secondly, the characters are... horrible and good and missing things. Personally, once I figured out who Alice was, I understood why she was written the way she was (more on that in a bit). Unfortunately, I felt most characters, outside of Alice, were mostly one-dimensional. More fully fleshed out and I may have found myself falling a little in love Finch, desperately wanting to know Ella, or even more curious about the mysterious Althea. They just needed a little... more.
Thirdly, the artwork. Oh good Lord in Heaven, I am in love with the cover art of this book. Dark and shiny and filled with images that beg to be understood. Jim Tierney should be praised almost as much as the author for lending the right mindset for this dark story.
Further, my favorite parts of this book were by far the snippets of Althea's Hinterland Stories. Even if you don't like the book- you will LOVE these stories. They are the perfect amounts of creepy, mysterious, weird, and wonderful.
Finally, a more in-depth look. I'd like to begin with Alice. I feel it's not that her character is "misunderstood" but that she is almost too understood. Mean, angry, violent. With little too no explanation for her outbursts... Except for the simple fact that many readers seem not to care about (and understandably, to a degree. She's not the most likable person). She was spun that way. With an icy core she is unable to control, a darkness she fears.
**"I'd let myself drift too close to the dark continent at the core of me, a lawless place I tried never to visit."**
*SPOILER* Alice Three Times is basically the villain of a dark fairytale. She is made up of rage and ice and blackness. The fact Ella helps her control it even a little is amazing. Understanding this allowed me to view Alice in a different way than I had other heroines. She was, in the end, simply trying to become an ex-Story. To try and be the normal girl she never had the chance of being. *END SPOILER* This made her annoying, unexplained, angry outbursts easier to understand and accept,
for me.
Finch, the only character we know to be a person of color (note: many characters within the book, as previously mentioned, are far from being fully-fleshed out. For most, ethnicity isn't even mentioned), is nerdy and verging-on-fierce, but kind-of, off-putting in some instances. For example, because he is such a "fan" there are several times he ignores the fact that he is making Alice uncomfortable, and especially *SPOILER* when he basically sells her to the Hinterland Stories for entry to their land*END SPOILER*
*SPOILER*I also wanted to quickly talk about the confrontation with the police that leads Finch to try and explain why he's mad, which in turn leads to Alice acting very Story-ish. I felt for Finch in a big way here. I was angry with her stupid, selfish reaction as well. I applauded him for standing up for her and got annoyed that she acted so irrationally and privileged. But, I realized after reading the section through again, Alice is not a person. She is a Story. And although she was raised a human, her "ice core" sometimes ruled her actions more than her mind- which seemed to agree with Finch, even though her actions, words, and anger said otherwise:
**"...You think rich matters in this situation? You think a cop looks at me and sees <i>rich?</i> You're pretending you don't get it, but you do."
<b>I did get it, I did. And the shame of it boiled into something darker.</b> Before my brain could catch up, I jerked the wheel and turned the car off the road, sending us rattling toward the trees."** *END SPOILER*
This isn't a book for everyone. I enjoy reading both the positive and negative reviews, as they shed new light on different aspects of the story! I loved it and I can't wait for Melissa Albert's book of Hinterland Stories- and maybe even a second Hazel Wood! If you do choose to give this book a try, go in with an open mind... and maybe a light on.
First, the writing is completely breathtaking. The imagery in Albert's style is superb. It made me want to wrap up in a blanket with a hot cup of tea and a roaring fire and wish for her words to never end.
With that being said, I did find that at times it could get a little thick and hard to sludge through, but for me, that was infrequent enough to not give me too much of a bother. I felt there was a lot of backstory that could have been told in a more fluid manner, but nevertheless, it was (mostly) needed backstory.
The world Albert created in Hinterland... I need more. If more/most of the story had taken place in the Hinterland, I feel it would have been closer to 5 stars. But, being mostly set in New York it did still leave the storyline curious and mysterious enough to lure you in if given half a chance.
Secondly, the characters are... horrible and good and missing things. Personally, once I figured out who Alice was, I understood why she was written the way she was (more on that in a bit). Unfortunately, I felt most characters, outside of Alice, were mostly one-dimensional. More fully fleshed out and I may have found myself falling a little in love Finch, desperately wanting to know Ella, or even more curious about the mysterious Althea. They just needed a little... more.
Thirdly, the artwork. Oh good Lord in Heaven, I am in love with the cover art of this book. Dark and shiny and filled with images that beg to be understood. Jim Tierney should be praised almost as much as the author for lending the right mindset for this dark story.
Further, my favorite parts of this book were by far the snippets of Althea's Hinterland Stories. Even if you don't like the book- you will LOVE these stories. They are the perfect amounts of creepy, mysterious, weird, and wonderful.
Finally, a more in-depth look. I'd like to begin with Alice. I feel it's not that her character is "misunderstood" but that she is almost too understood. Mean, angry, violent. With little too no explanation for her outbursts... Except for the simple fact that many readers seem not to care about (and understandably, to a degree. She's not the most likable person). She was spun that way. With an icy core she is unable to control, a darkness she fears.
**"I'd let myself drift too close to the dark continent at the core of me, a lawless place I tried never to visit."**
*SPOILER* Alice Three Times is basically the villain of a dark fairytale. She is made up of rage and ice and blackness. The fact Ella helps her control it even a little is amazing. Understanding this allowed me to view Alice in a different way than I had other heroines. She was, in the end, simply trying to become an ex-Story. To try and be the normal girl she never had the chance of being. *END SPOILER* This made her annoying, unexplained, angry outbursts easier to understand and accept,
for me.
Finch, the only character we know to be a person of color (note: many characters within the book, as previously mentioned, are far from being fully-fleshed out. For most, ethnicity isn't even mentioned), is nerdy and verging-on-fierce, but kind-of, off-putting in some instances. For example, because he is such a "fan" there are several times he ignores the fact that he is making Alice uncomfortable, and especially *SPOILER* when he basically sells her to the Hinterland Stories for entry to their land*END SPOILER*
*SPOILER*I also wanted to quickly talk about the confrontation with the police that leads Finch to try and explain why he's mad, which in turn leads to Alice acting very Story-ish. I felt for Finch in a big way here. I was angry with her stupid, selfish reaction as well. I applauded him for standing up for her and got annoyed that she acted so irrationally and privileged. But, I realized after reading the section through again, Alice is not a person. She is a Story. And although she was raised a human, her "ice core" sometimes ruled her actions more than her mind- which seemed to agree with Finch, even though her actions, words, and anger said otherwise:
**"...You think rich matters in this situation? You think a cop looks at me and sees <i>rich?</i> You're pretending you don't get it, but you do."
<b>I did get it, I did. And the shame of it boiled into something darker.</b> Before my brain could catch up, I jerked the wheel and turned the car off the road, sending us rattling toward the trees."** *END SPOILER*
This isn't a book for everyone. I enjoy reading both the positive and negative reviews, as they shed new light on different aspects of the story! I loved it and I can't wait for Melissa Albert's book of Hinterland Stories- and maybe even a second Hazel Wood! If you do choose to give this book a try, go in with an open mind... and maybe a light on.