Title: Dorthy Must Die Author: Danielle Paige Published by: HarperCollins; Reprint edition Publication date: April 1, 2014 Pages: 469 Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Retelling Summary from Goodreads: I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero. But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado - taking you with it - you have no choice but to go along, you know? Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little bluebirds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still a yellow brick road - but even that's crumbling. What happened? Dorothy. They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe. My name is Amy Gumm - and I'm the other girl from Kansas. I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked. I've been trained to fight. And I have a mission. I usually finish books. Even if I don't love where the story is going, or the characters annoy me, I tend to see it through. I started Danielle Paige's Dorthy Must Die knowing it was going to be a different kind of story. That Oz would be different, the wicked would be good, and a new power-hungry Dorthy would need to be put in her place, or, you know....die. Sadly, this is my first DNF (did not finish) in a long time.
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Title: The Summer of Chasing Mermaids Author: Sarah Ockler Published by: Simon Pulse Publication date: June 2, 2015 Pages: 416 Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Fairy Tale Retelling Summary from Goodreads: The youngest of six talented sisters, Elyse d’Abreau was destined for stardom—until a boating accident took everything from her. Now, the most beautiful singer in Tobago can’t sing. She can’t even speak. Seeking quiet solitude, Elyse accepts a friend’s invitation to Atargatis Cove. Named for the mythical first mermaid, the Oregon seaside town is everything Elyse’s home in the Caribbean isn’t: An ocean too cold for swimming, parties too tame for singing, and people too polite to pry—except for one. Christian Kane is a notorious playboy—insolent, arrogant, and completely charming. He’s also the only person in Atargatis Cove who doesn’t treat Elyse like a glass statue. He challenges her to express herself, and he admires the way she treats his younger brother Sebastian, who believes Elyse is the legendary mermaid come to life. When Christian needs a first mate for the Cove’s high-stakes Pirate Regatta, Elyse reluctantly stows her fear of the sea and climbs aboard. The ocean isn’t the only thing making waves, though—swept up in Christian’s seductive tide and entranced by the Cove’s charms, Elyse begins to wonder if a life of solitude isn’t what she needs. But changing course again means facing her past. It means finding her inner voice. And scariest of all, it means opening her heart to a boy who’s best known for breaking them . . . I picked up Chasing Mermaids because it seemed like a fun, summer read loosely based on The Little Mermaid, and I was intrigued by the premise about a girl coping with the monumental lose of loosing her voice. It’s also exciting to read a book with diverse characters. Elyse is from Tobago, a small island in the Caribbean. Sarah Ockler writes wonderfully, and I was at ease reading through the prose. The thing I like most about Chasing Mermaids is the topic of figuring out life when all your expectations and opportunities are removed. Elyse has no choice but to move on, because her dream depended on having an auditory voice. She has to face her fears, learn to depend on others, and discover who she is when all her hopes and dreams are washed away. She’s going through all the stages of grief. Despite the things I like about this book, like the faithful girl friendships and some strong family ties. Chasing Mermaids left me feeling MEH in the end. Here’s why: Christian is a playboy and I’m so tired of this character. Why authors regularly default to this kind of love interest is confusing to me. Is it the fantasy of taming the boy? I don’t know. I also don’t like that there never seems to be any consequences for these playboys and the womanizing life they’ve been living. They get to sleep around with lots of girls and still get the girl in the end, but there’s never any thought about dealing with the guys past in the new relationship. If you think there wouldn’t be conflict in a relationship with a history like that, you’re delusional. The mysticism, magical references were confusing and didn’t add to the story for me. (Minor spoilers, so skip to next paragraph if you’re not interested) I understand the need for Elyse to face this magical presence in the end, but I didn’t like that facing Atargatis was the means to Elyse’s recovery. Maybe it was supposed to be metaphor, but I thought she could’ve accomplished healing outside of Atargatis. Would I let my teen read this book? I don’t think this should be Young Adult. The characters are adults (18-20), and the sexual content is more graphic than what I think kids who can pick up books in the YA section should be exposed to (as young as 12…advanced readers age 8-9 in some cases). I’ve recommended 17 and up for this book. Ideally, this could be a good book to read with your teen, since there are many good discussion topics. Age recommendation: 17 Language – moderate; 4-5 F-bombs Drugs & Alcohol— Underage drinking at parties Sex – The sex scenes were a little graphic, with some details. Elyse masturbates in her room at night; two sex scenes Violence – none My Goodreads rating: 2 out of 5 stars Buy The Summer of Chasing Mermaids on Amazon.com The Splintered Series Author: A. G. Howard Books: Splintered Unhinged Ensnared Published by: Amulet Books Genres: Fantasy, Fairy Tale Retelling, Romance “I’ve been collecting bugs since I was ten; it’s the only way I can stop their whispers. Sticking a pin through the gut of an insect shuts it up pretty quick.” The bugs and flowers whisper to Alyssa Gardner. Alyssa is an artist. She creates imaginative landscapes with the bugs she collects and pins to her pieces. What she doesn’t realize is that she’s recreating images from the real Wonderland—not the cutesy Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Everyone knows that Alyssa is related to Alice Liddell, the girl who inspired Carroll’s story. But what people don’t realize is that she also comes from a long line of women plagued with Wonderland delusions. Her mother, Alison, has been mentally unstable since she was a little girl. Alison even warned Alyssa about the day she would “become a woman” and the whispers would follow. Alyssa tries to ignore the whispers, but worries she’s going to end up committed like her mother. These whispers are part of a curse that was put on the Alice line of women, and when Alyssa sets out to break the curse, she discovers there’s much more to the story. Wonderland is a simultaneously dark and vibrant place. You’re introduced to many familiar characters from Carroll’s story, but their true characters are more freakish than the fairy tale. Madness still reins in Wonderland and Alyssa finds herself drawn to it. Her childhood friend, Jeb, who she loves, and a new mysterious acquaintance, Morpheous, accompany Alyssa on her journey. Jeb is a faithful protector. Morpheous is a deceiving, self-serving, snarky-snark. Throughout the books Alyssa is drawn to both men. Jeb appeals to her human side, and Morpheous ignites her wonderland side. It’s a love triangle. I don’t really like love triangles, and I was frustrated with this one. I thought that Alyssa could actually easily give up one of them and still manage to balance herself, but you’ll have to read the series to find out how this web is unraveled. Did I mention that Morpheous is a bug? This series totally reminded me of this song: I'm not sure how I even know Ugly Bug Ball, but I REMEMBERED THE WORDS. I feel so old. I borrowed these books from the library, but I just noticed that the first book in the series, Splintered, is only $3.99 on Amazon for Kindle now. Would I let my teen read this series? The Splintered series is imaginative, mysterious, and exciting. I liked A.G. Howard’s unique take on the Alice story. I would’ve preferred a little less romantic tension, and I thought the books dragged in some areas, but I like the series overall. I think these books are appropriate for high school students. There’s some sexual content. Most of the sexual content is referenced to, and there’s a few heavy kissing scenes. Age recommendation: 14 Language – mild Drugs & Alcohol – none Sex – Morpheous, particularly is a fan of sexual innuendos; Alyssa and Jeb plan to do “it.” Several heavy make-out scenes where characters are pressing up against each other; Sex is often referenced Violence – Some, mostly referenced with little graphic detail Buy Splintered on Amazon.com, now only $3.99 Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses Author: Sarah J. Maas Published by: Bloomsbury USA Childrens Publication date: May 5, 2015 Pages: 432 Genres: Fantasy, Fairy Tale Retelling, Romance Summary from Goodreads: When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world. As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever. This is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, which is my favorite Disney movie. Tamlin doesn’t feel like a real beast, though. He’s a shape-shifting Fae. Although Tamlin and his court are cursed with masks covering their faces, Feyre knows he’s a beautiful man, which feels a little un-beast-like. Feyre might hate him because he’s Fae, but could anyone avoid falling in love with a kindhearted, handsome MAN? Doubtful. Feyre is a self-taught hunter and all-around regular Bear Grylls—you get the feeling she could survive anywhere. Awesome. Ah, but Feyre is not one-sided; she loves beautiful things too. She dreams of capturing beauty on paper, and studies Tamlin’s Fae paintings for pleasure. Sarah J. Maas writes beautifully. She has a way of drawing you into a new world with interesting characters. Details about paintings and scenery could have become monotonous, but Maas kept my attention. I think Maas also writes great action sequences, I just wish there were more in this book! The book’s cover totally raised my expectations for an exciting, action-pact story. The majority of the 432 pages is relationship building between Feyre and Tamlin. We don’t even learn too much about Tamlin’s world because some details must be kept from Feyre (Though the second book in the series will probably be enlightening). One of the most exciting parts of the book is in the last 100 or so pages, which made for a great conclusion with twists, new relationships, and a set up for the next book in the series. Would I let my teen read this book? Maas is a popular YA author. Her Throne of Glass series, about a teenage assassin fighting for her freedom, won her many fans. However, I would not let my teen read this book. I think it’s more appropriate in the New Adult or Adult category. Unsurprisingly, this was a sensual book. It’s represented that way in some of its descriptions, and books about Fae tend to lean in that direction. I was disappointed when the sex veered toward an adult paperback romance. This was a sort of sexual relationship I don’t think teens need to be reading. Because Tamlin is a beast underneath his skin, these characteristics come out in their intimate scenes, like biting, and his claws digging into her hips when they have sex… There’s some violence, and the villain is a dark, evil woman. These things combined with the sexual content really confused me about the Young Adult categorization. Here’s some of the details below. Age recommendation: 18 Language – mild Drugs & Alcohol— Feyre gets drunk on fairy wine Sex –Feyre imagines what it would feel like to kiss Tamlin, and what it would feel like to have him touch her in intimate ways, for example: his fingers brushing her breasts; There’s a sexual ritual that transfers Tamlin’s magic back to the earth (or something) – he’s in some sort of primal sexual haze when he finds Feyre afterwards, tells her he looked for her, but when he couldn’t find her he took another woman who asked him to not be gentle, he then bites Feyre’s neck in a sort of warning and marking of territory (YIKES!); There are 2 sex scenes with some graphic details. Violence – The dark Fae are really bad. There are threats of skin being peeled off, rape, and other forms of torture and horrific death; One character finds a severed head on a stake in the garden; A young girl is tortured (unseen) and displayed after she dies as a warning by the villain; Feyre suffers great injuries at the hands of the villain, too. My Goodreads rating: 2 1/2 out of 5 stars Buy: A Court of Thorns and Roses on Amazon.com |
Lindsey Learn
I read a lot. I'm a Mom. I'm officially in my 30s, but strangers often don't believe I'm old enough to drink. I love Young Adult fiction, and thought it was worthwhile to help teens and adults find age-appropriate options. Categories
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