Review: Towering by Alex Flinn

 

Towering by Alex Flinn

Publication date: May 14th, 2013

Pages: 296

Synopsis:

High in my tower I sit. I watch the birds fly below, the clouds float above, and the tall green forest stretch to places I might never see.

Mama, who isn't my mother, has kept me hidden away for many years. My only companions, besides Mama, are my books--great adventures, mysteries, and romances that I long to make my reality. But I know that no one will come to save me--my life is not a fairy tale after all.

Well, at least no one has come so far. Recently, my hair has started to grow rapidly and it's now long enough to reach the bottom of the tower from my window. I've also had the strangest dreams of a beautiful green-eyed man.

When Mama isn't around, I plan my escape, even if it's just for a little while. There's something--maybe someone--waiting for me out there and it won't find me if I'm trapped here Towering above it all.

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Review:

I am sure everyone has seen the movie Beastly, but I am also sure that many people do not know about the book that started the movie. That book was written by the same author of this book, Alex Flinn. Alex clearly has a wide imagination and her fairytale retellings are astounding works of art that bring the stories generations of children grew up knowing and turning them into a modern day mystical read the likes of which we have never seen before.

Such is the case with Towering.

This book opens on a girl, Rachel, trapped in a tower. The only thing she knows of the world is what she has learned within the pages of her books. She knows nothing of the outside world except that there are dangerous men who with to harm. Rachel's only companion is woman she called Mama who is not actually her mother at all since her mother was killed by the men Rachel is not running from. Eventually she starts to dream about a mysterious boy with green eyes who will rescue her and free her from her tower.

Wyatt came to Slakkill to avoid his past. He has faced a great tragedy that has completely wracked his world and caused him to question his mere existence. He moves in with an elderly lady named Mrs. Greenwood and hopes that the quiet of this desolate town will give him a fresh outlook on life. However, this slow town is anything but. He encounters dreamland ghosts and hears soft singing that no one else seems able to hear. With curiosity peaked, he sets out to find the source of the weirdness he is encountering.

Wyatt and Rachel enter into an unusual romance of a captive girl with fast growing hair and a emotionally dead boy. Between them they seek to set themselves free from the chains that bind them and they know that they are the only two that can help the other.

This book was a retelling of sorts I have never seen. It stuck to the core of the story of Repunzel but elaborated on it and set it in modern time. Does a girl with ever growing hair living in a town seem plausible? No, but fantasy books are not MEANT to be plausible. They are meant to be thrilling, riveting, and fun. Mission accomplished.

The romance between Wyatt and Rachel was a bit hard to swallow. I love a good romance, but I have noticed in a lot of the books I have read recently, these grand confessions of love. It's a bit tedious. I can only hear "I loved you from the first moment I saw you. You're so beautiful. You complete me. I can't live without you" so many times before it just feels forced. While the romance aspect of the book seemed a bit... sappy, I enjoyed the book anyway. But then again, I enjoy everything I read by Alex Flinn. She is a master of fairytales that would rival Hans Christian Anderson and the Brothers Grimm.

Towering is a story of captivity of the soul as well as the body. It is a book that brings it's reader back to the childhood tale of Rapunzel they grew up knowing and brings it to the present. Towering is a must read for fairytale buffs everywhere.

Review: Invisibility by Andrea Cremer & David Levithan

Invisibility by Andrea Cremer & David Levithan

Publication date: May 7th, 2013

Pages: 358

Synopsis:

A magical romance between a boy cursed with invisibility and the one girl who can see him, by New York Times bestselling authors Andrea Cremer and David Levithan.

Stephen is used to invisibility. He was born that way. Invisible. Cursed.

Elizabeth sometimes wishes for invisibility. When you're invisible, no one can hurt you. So when her mother decides to move the family to New York City, Elizabeth is thrilled. It's easy to blend in there.

Then Stephen and Elizabeth meet. To Stephen's amazement, she can see him. And to Elizabeth's amazement, she wants him to be able to see her--all of her. But as the two become closer, an invisible world gets in their way--a world of grudges and misfortunes, spells and curses. And once they're thrust into this world, Elizabeth and Stephen must decide how deep they're going to go--because the answer could mean the difference between love and death.

Available at:

Review:

When I saw this book adorning the shelves of my local library and spotted the two well-known authors who collaborated to create it, I made a mad dash to the checkout line, bouncing on my toes in excitement and muttering soft 'come on, come on, come on' encouragements to the doddering librarian. I could not get it home fast enough. Unfortunately, I had some review books I had to read before I could sink my teeth into this story. I had never read anything by David Levithan, but I had read a few by Andrea Cremer. I found myself constantly wondering who wrote what throughout the story. There were moments of humor that I suspect was David's touch, and some swoonworthy confessions of love that had the distinct Andrea air to it.

This story is essentially a well laid tale about a cursed invisible boy and the love affair he has with the only girl who can see him. Why is she the only one who can see him, you may ask? You will only find the answer in the pages of this book. I am not one for spoilers.

Elizabeth and Stephen, together, learn that the world is not what they once imagined it to be. There is actual magic running rampant through the streets of their NYC home, as well as around the world. This realization spurs the pair into action where, with the help of a creepy "witch" and Elizabeth's jokster of a gay younger brother, they seek out an end to Stephen's invisibility plight. This means tracking down Stephen's malicious grandfather who's only ambition is to cause as much suffering and strife as possible.

To avoid giving away too much I will keep the generalization of the book to a minimum. It is an adventure the reader must take for themselves. Trust me, it won't be a waste of time.

I think what I liked best about this book was the WAY it was written. Don't get me wrong, the story was splendiferous as well, but in most romance driven books it is hard to balance the humor. It either falls flat or turns the book into a mockery. There is a fine line and these two authors navigated it perfectly. However, I did sometimes find Elizabeth and Stephen's romance a bit forced at times. They were together for a short period of time and were already in love and willing to die for each other? Very Romeo and Juliet. Stephen seemed a little too meek for me at some points. I wanted him to "man up" a bit (that's right, Laurie... I said 'man up'!). Those are only a small (microscopic really) part of the book that was so-so for me.

This book read like the beginning of a series. Dare I hope that this may be true?!

Invisibility is the perfect combination of humor, romance, adventure, and magic. It sweeps the reader into a world where unlucky situations or unfortunate circumstances may actually have a reason behind the existences. David Leviathan and Andrea Cremer are a dynamic duo worthy of worship. We're not worthy, David and Andrea! We're not worthy!

Review: The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan @PageMorganBooks

 

The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan

Series: The Dispossessed #1

Publication date: May 14th, 2013

Pages: 341

Synopsis:

After a bizarre accident, Ingrid Waverly is forced to leave London with her mother and younger sister, Gabby, trading a world full of fancy dresses and society events for the unfamiliar city of Paris.

In Paris there are no grand balls or glittering parties, and, disturbingly, the house Ingrid's twin brother, Grayson, found for them isn't a house at all. It's an abandoned abbey, its roof lined with stone gargoyles that could almost be mistaken for living, breathing creatures.

And Grayson has gone missing.

No one seems to know of his whereabouts but Luc, a devastatingly handsome servant at their new home.

Ingrid is sure her twin isn't dead--she can feel it deep in her soul--but she knows he's in grave danger. It will be up to her and Gabby to navigate the twisted path to Grayson, a path that will lead Ingrid on a discovery of dark secrets and otherworldly truths. And she'll learn that once they are uncovered, they can never again be buried.

Available at:

Review:

I picked up this book at my local library almost as soon as it became available (I jumped the gun on requesting it and beat everyone else to the punch). I was excited about delving into my first historical fiction book. I am not normally into those sort of reads. I think it's because I tend to find the future more intriguing than the past. I am more awestruck by zombie apocalypses or restructured societies than the time when women lived an oppressed life or countries warred at the drop of the hat. Strangely, I found myself requesting this book regardless of the fact that it took place in Paris, 1899.

The story opens with two prim and proper Londoners moving to Paris with their mother to pursue her dream of opening an art gallery. Gabby, the outgoing and spunky younger sister, and Ingrid, the quiet and studious sister, have come to live in an abandoned abbey that Ingrid's twin brother, Grayson, had chosen for them. When they first lay eyes on the place, they are aghast to see hideous gargoyles marring the rooftops of the abbey as horrific sentries. Little do they know that the horrific decor is the least of their problems and may be the soul reason they were forced into living in the abbey.

Soon enough Gabby and Ingrid come to the realization that their brother, Grayson, is missing. While most would rather sweep it under the rug, the sisters refuse to give up on their brother. Ingrid in particular knows that Grayson is somewhere hurt and scared. She has a special connection with her womb mate and is more determined then anyone to see him home safely once more.

In Gabby and Ingrid's search for their missing brother, they come face-to-face with things only found in books. Stone gargoyles who are set to protect those who inhabit their territory with their lives, demons who reek havoc and misery upon the sisters and the Parisians living around them, and a secret society of humans bent on protecting the humans outside of the gargoyle's duties. On top of everything, Ingrid has started developing mystical powers that she knows nothing about and insights fear and discord among the human society and gargoyles alike.

The Beautiful and the Cursed was a twisted tale of good and evil where even those suspected of having no soul at all, can turn into a hero, and those meant to be heroes can become villains themselves. It twists the folklore of the gargoyles often seen in prestigious buildings like Notre Dame and makes it into a gripping story of heaven, hell, and the in between.

This book was middle-of-the-road for me. It had it's good points and it had it's bad points. There was nothing overtly hypnotic enough to draw me into a book binge, but it kept me reading. I liked that it was something new. No vampires. No werewolves. Gargoyles. Hasn't been done before; at least not in the books I have read. Extra points for originality.

I also enjoyed the connection between Ingrid and Luc. The forbidden love aspect is always great to me, and nothing is more forbidden then an 18th century noblewoman and a damned gargoyle punished to live out life as a protector to beings they would sooner equate to insects. The romance was toxic yet all-consuming. I wanted more!

I would recommend this to those who are tired of the monotony of vampires and werewolves and wish to branch out. Also, those who thoroughly enjoy historical fiction will find it most enjoyable I wager.

Review: The Originals by Cat Patrick @seecatwrite

 

The Originals by Cat Patrick

Publication date: May 7th, 2013

Pages: 296

Synopsis:

Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey Best grew up believing they were identical triplets.

Then they learned the truth...

and no one else can know.

Now, to the outside world, the Best family appears to consist of a single mother with one seventeen-year-old daughter named Elizabeth. Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey take turns going to school, pursing extracurriculars, and even dating.

Then Lizzie meets Sean Kelly, the one person who can help her realize she's not a carbon copy of the others - she's an individual with unique dreams and desires. Digging deeper into her background and her mother's role in her life, Lizzie begins to dismantle the delicate balance of an unusual family that only science could have created.

Available at:

Review:

Clones! Why is the first book that I have picked up that had such an original (fitting) idea? To be fair, I hadn't even read the synopsis before I was digging through my library books and selected this one on a whim. I opened it up, read the inside cover, and gasped openly. How had I not read this yet? Must remedy this posthaste.

The Originals is a story about three girls who live one life. They are clones and should be identical in personalities as well as appearance and DNA, correct? Not so much. It soon becomes evident that Ella is the preppy goodie-two-shoes, Betsey is the inquisitive detective, and Lizzie is the angsty rebel. They live as one, but are, in fact, three very different people.

Their differences become even more pronounced when they are permitted to date but only one guy. The choices are between David Chancellor, the popular, cocky, football playing student government officer, or Sean Kelly, the artsy, laid back heartthrob. You would think that this would be further evidence of their differences to their mother, but she still seems oblivious, as if wishing them to be the exact same to make her life easier.

Throughout the girls' desire to know the truth about their creation, their need to have their own lives, and their avoidance of attention from government officials, Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey have their hands full. Something perhaps even three people can't handle through combined efforts.

This story made me more angry than happy throughout it's reading. I found myself absolutely hating their mother. Who makes three very different girls act as one? Who only allows their children out of the house during their allotted time? Who treats their children more like lab rats than their daughters? This woman, apparently. I felt terrible for Lizzie who fell hard for the sexy photographer, Sean Kelly, because she was not permitted to be with him. She was forced to sneak around, hide her bliss, and hope that things would change one day so she could finally be happy and have a life of her own.

Through Lizzie's unwavering determination, the Best clones set out on a journey to find out whether the original of their cloning was still alive and what that would mean as far as their mother's lies to them. How much of their life is fiction and how much is reality? This is what The Originals  is all about. Truth, reality, and being who you wish to be no matter who approves of it.

The Originals takes it's readers into a world of science and self-discovery where individuality could cause drastic consequences. For Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey they are prisoners of their mother's making and forced to live and act as is dictated to them.

I liked the scientific aspects of the book, although some of it was rather confusing. I definitely liked the rebellious nature of the girls over time. I loathed the mother character. I do think this book may have done well as a series, but I am a series addict so that could just be personal preference.