A Life of Her Own, With a View

Published:  January 27th, 2015

Love, Lucy

By: April Lindner

Poppy

ISBN-13:  9780316400695

While backpacking through Florence, Italy, during the summer before she heads off to college, Lucy Sommersworth finds herself falling in love with the culture, the architecture, the food and Jesse Palladino, a handsome street musician.  After a whirlwind romance, Lucy returns home, determined to move on from her "vacation flirtation."  But just because summer is over doesn't mean Lucy and Jesse have to be, does it?

Review

       I'll go right out there and say that I don't think this book is for everyone and it definitely could have been better.  The original source material for this retelling is A Room With a View by E.M. Forster.  It is a comedy of social errors and the class divide, somewhat reminiscent of a Jane Austen novel, but not quite.  This is less about following the rules of society and finding love with someone who might be slightly inappropriate, in terms of class.  But in say, Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth at least has some social graces and knows how to act in society.  Also, she's not THAT far beneath Darcy, no matter what his pride says.  She's a gentleman's daughter.  Lucy Honeychurch in the original Room, falls in love with a young man named George who has no social connections, isn't rich and can't offer her anything other than his love.  She has to choose between socially unacceptable happiness and marrying a man named Cecil (for whom she feels nothing), who could give her every comfort she's used to and more - plus she'd still be accepted in society with her family/friends if she married Cecil.

       When you're adapting a story like that for a modern-day audience, set in the modern United States, it's difficult to translate quite what Lucy would have been giving up by marrying outside her social circle, in a downwards direction.  So Lindner tries to resolve this by making Lucy an actress, who is going to the college her father wants, majoring in business and never acting again, all so he'll pay for college.  That alone is somewhat far-fetched, due to the type of family she lives in and the time period.  It's an upper-middle class, caucasian family, with no obvious religious affiliations and no real obvious reason for this strict point of view.  Also, he forbids her to even continue acting as a hobby.  Alrighty then...and she's supposed to take a trip to Europe in exchange for forgetting her dreams?  On the trip, which she takes with Charlene (the daughter of her Mom's friend), she meets Jesse in Italy and he forces her to question how easily she's giving in to her parents about her future.  I did like the little love-hate thing they had going on at first, but once she's into him she ditches Charlene and is downright mean to her, which I wasn't super fond of.  Being a bitch to your traveling companion is just wrong, even if it's supposedly true love at stake.

       Probably the stupidest thing about this for me, was Lucy's romantic life once she gets to college.  While growing a backbone about being in plays/acting, she seems to lose all sense of self in regards to dating.  Thinking that it's over between her and Jesse, Lucy starts dating someone who seems like the absolute perfect guy.  Yet, she doesn't really have feelings for him.  But he's the perfect guy, so she should just stay with him anyway, right?  Then Jesse comes back to town, to be with Lucy, so she sleeps with him and goes on a date with the other guy the next day anyways, a "weekend away" on which he thinks they're going to have sex (I'm pretty sure it was the next day, I could be mistaken, as it's been a little while since I read this one).  It's like she just wants to miserable.  I think this novel should have been adapted in a different country/culture/place with other social expectations.  Or at least there should have been better reasoning behind Lucy's actions and lack of self-worth.  It made for an unlikeable protagonist which is never fortunate, unless it's on purpose.  Sadly, I don't think it was on purpose in this instance.  Overall, I give this one three stars because I could see the original glimmering underneath.  I also know what it's like to give up the direction of your life to the needs/wants of others.  But there was a lot of wasted potential in this one.  Maybe as a fluffy beach read, if you decide to pick it up?

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

Another Murder, Another Day...

Published:  August 12th, 2013

Sleepy Hollow

By: Dax Varley

CreateSpace

ISBN-13:  9781499785999

Katrina is still haunted by her encounter with the Headless Horseman -- the night he beckoned to her.  Now he has risen again, slashing heads and terrorizing the quiet countryside.  Her only joy during this dismal darkness comes when Ichabod Crane, a gorgeous young man from Connecticut, moves to Sleepy Hollow and their attraction turns to romance.  When the Horseman marks Ichabod as his next victim, Katrina, despite dangerous efforts to save him, sees no other choice than for them to flee.  But the Horseman awaits.  Now it's up to her to sever the horror and alter the Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

Review

       Another retelling of the original Washington Irving story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.  I went into this excited, but wary, because as a retelling from the female perspective (Katrina) it was a bit of a dicey concept.  You're talking about a girl from the late 1700s.  Just how interesting could she be, without the author making her too modern for the novel to work in the context it's meant to be in?  And that kind of turned out to be the biggest problem for this particular book.  In making Katrina a strong, independent girl, with dreams that extended beyond her life in the Hollow, the author also made her home life a bit unbelievable.  She and her friend Elise are entirely unchaperoned and allowed to chase after young men like there's no tomorrow.  Elise's obsession with Ichabod and the way she is all up on him is decidedly inappropriate for the late 1700s - it would have been absolutely disgraceful in real life.

       Also, the mystery of the Headless Horseman riding again, the murders and his motive for them, was very boring once it was revealed.  You spend the entire book trying to figure out how everything ties together and then in the last few pages finding out the identity of the "Horseman" really didn't make any sense and the reason for his haunting was stupid.  It had no connection to Katrina, so it really was weird why he haunted her - he had no reason to, as she wasn't part of his revenge.  And the hinting at the original Horseman haunting her was never followed up on, which was also disappointing.  The killing of Brom Bones disappointed me too, especially after Katrina seemed to realize that he was the better choice, over Ichabod Crane anyways.  He rescues Katrina from an impossible situation and almost certain death (while Ichabod just sits back and watches it all happen!) and then oops; Sorry, he's beheaded too!  He spent most of the book seeming like an asshole, then in his last few pages he became someone I cared about.  Brom also had hella more personality than Ichabod (even if it was mostly annoyingness and sexism).

     The romance between Ichabod and Katrina was very lackluster, insta-love type stuff and his behavior is very rakish towards her for the time period.  The way they carried on was absolutely scandalous.  And no one does anything about it!  All in all, it did have some wit to it and was amusing to read at certain points.  But mostly this book was boring, with characters who acted averse to their historical time period and a badly thought-out mystery.  I would recommend that if you're looking for a Hollow retelling, that you read Crane by Stacey Rourke instead!

VERDICT:  2.5/5  Stars

*I  received this book from CreateSpace, on NetGalley.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book was published on August 12th, 2013.*

You Left Me Feeling Cold

Expected Publication:  January 27th, 2015

A Cold Legacy (The Madman's Daughter #3)

By: Megan Shepherd

Balzer + Bray/Harper Collins

ISBN-13:  9780062128089

After killing the men who tried to steal her father's research, Juliet -- along with Montgomery, Lucy, Balthazar, and a deathly ill Edward -- has escaped to a remote estate on the Scottish moors.  Owned by the enigmatic Elizabeth von Stein, the mansion is full of mysteries and unexplained oddities: dead bodies in the basement, secret passageways, and fortune-tellers who seems to know Juliet's secrets.  Though it appears to be a safe haven, Juliet fears new dangers may be present in within the manor's own walls.

Then Juliet uncovers the truth about the manor's long history of scientific experimentation -- and her own intended role in it -- forcing her to determine where the line falls between right and wrong, life and death, magic and science, and promises and secrets.  And she must decide if she'll follow her father's dark footsteps or her mother's tragic ones, or whether she'll make her own.

Review

       There are only a couple of other reviews posted for this book as of right now, but I feel like I'm the only one who was disappointed by the ending of this series, that I loved so well in the beginning.  I think the main problem for me though, is that after two books and some horrible experiences due to men trying to play God using science, Juliet still seems to not have learned ANYTHING.  In this one we go with Juliet and Co. to an estate on the Scottish moors, owned by the mysterious Elizabeth von Stein, the daughter of Juliet's late guardian - and also the last descendant of the infamous Dr. Frankenstein.  They are on the run from her father Lucy's men, after Juliet killed some people to make sure her father's work stayed unfinished and forgotten.  Elizabeth had claimed that the secrets of Frankenstein had been destroyed, but the servants at the estate are definitely not quite normal and after an incident at a bonfire celebration, she finally tells Juliet the truth about why she has been brought there - to continue the family legacy.

       We do see Juliet still struggling with her curiosity, which seems to verge on something unholy when it comes to experimental science.  Probably the part that annoyed me the most was her inability to completely quash her inner naievte when it came to the "good" that such science could do for people.  After the events of the first two books, you'd think Juliet would finally understand that some risks are just too high to be worth it and that playing God can have horrific and long-lasting consequences.  She seems to think that the greed of her curiosity is worth it though, high cost (i.e. lives) and other consequences be damned.  I did like the ending and the way that the new creation went off in search of the original Dr. Frankenstein's monster, to find someone else like him.  Also, I feel like Juliet finally gets it in the end, and won't be doing anything else monumentally stupid.  The narrative was interesting and I did enjoy the twist to the original Frankenstein tale.  But since I spent most of the novel wanting to wring Juliet's neck, I can't say it was my favorite in the series or that I was completely satisfied.

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

**I reviewed this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication date is January 27th, 2015.**

We're Off To See The Wizard

Published:  November 12th, 2013

No Place Like Home (Dorothy Must Die #0.5)

By: Danielle Paige

HarperCollins

ISBN-13:  9780062280763

In this digital original novella, Dorothy travels back to Oz to reunite with old friends, but her story may not have a happy ending.  No Place Like Oz is a prequel to the forthcoming novel Dorothy Must Die.

After returning to Kansas, Dorothy Gale has realized that the dreary fields of Kansas doesn't compare to the vibrant landscapes of Oz.  And although she's happy to be reunited with Aunt Em, she misses her friends from the yellow brick road.  But most of all, Dorothy misses the fame and the adventure.  In Kansas she's just another prairie girl, but in Oz she was a hero.  So Dorothy is willing to do anything to get back, because there really is no place like Oz.  But returning to land she left comes at a price, and after Dorothy is through with it, Oz will never be the same.

Review

     So anyone who actually knows me in real life, knows that I am completely obsessed with The Wizard of Oz in all of its forms!  Mostly the movie from 1939, but also the book and re-imagined SyFy T.V. miniseries Tin Man.  There is just something about the story that attaches itself to my imagination and places an ache in my wanderer's heart.  So while I was keenly interested in reading this novella and the following book that's released in April, I was also wary.  After all, it turns Dorothy into a villain instead of a heroic, lost girl from Middle America.  But even with my doubts, I can never resist a retelling if it even sounds halfway good!  So I went into it with an open mind and an adventurous spirit.  To understand anything, you need to know that the story starts two years after Dorothy returns to Kansas from Oz.  She was at first, something of a novelty in town for surviving the twister after no one thought she was alive.  But now she is sixteen and without friends, completely disillusioned with life as an average prairie girl in dusty, boring Kansas.  She would do anything to go back to Oz.  Anything to be important and the center of attention again.

     And that is where we find the biggest problem in this novella.  Dorothy is never satisfied with what she has.  She always wants more, no matter the cost or the pain to others because of it.  Dorothy wants fame, attention and things that don't belong to her.  She feels like she's better than everyone else in her town, including her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, whom she finds boring and unimaginative.  So when Dorothy is given some ruby slippers on her sixteenth birthday after a disastrous party, she puts them on hoping to go back to Oz like nothing changed.  Only things have changed since she's been gone.  Glinda is missing, the Scarecrow is no longer King and a mysterious girl named Ozma is ruling the Emerald City now.  Dorothy finds it up to herself to free Oz from Ozma and put the rightful ruler back in control.  Also, she must free Glinda the Good Witch from her imprisonment!  But is everything really quite the way Dorothy thinks it is?  And when she starts using the magic of Oz, will Dorothy herself be corrupted beyond all saving?

     Overall, I found this to be an interesting concept and was surprised that the novella was almost 200 pages long.  It was longer than most are, which gave it a lot more plot development and allowed an actual story to unfold.  It was nicely blended from the 1939 film and the Oz books, with mythology from both.  My favorite nugget was when Dorothy talks about the silver slippers from her previous journey - a thing from the book.  And also her pet hen Bilina, and the whole history of Ozma being disguised and hidden away until it was her time to rule.  The mythology of the ruling line of Oz being born from flowers was beautiful and if it was Baum's concept or Paige's, it was a nice touch either way.  Yet something was missing with Dorothy as the narrator.  I got truly annoyed quite a bit trying to wade through her inner monologue and really had little sympathy for her.  Especially after the way things go down between her and Ozma.  Also, the way she treats her Aunt and Uncle is horrendous.  That detracted from my true enjoyment of the novella.  Also, the preview for Dorothy Must Die in the back of the novella had me fearing that I wasted my time altogether reading it.  I did not like the protagonist of it AT ALL and am now really ambivalent of the whole thing.  I guess I'd recommend this if you're curious about the idea.  Otherwise, avoid it with all your might.

VERDICT:  3.5/5  Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available online as an ebook only.**

The Animal I've Become

Expected Published:  January 28th, 2014

Her Dark Curiosity (The Madman's Daughter #2)

By: Megan Shepherd

Balzar + Bray

ISBN-13:  9780062128058

To defeat darkness, she must first embrace it.

Months have passed since Juliet Moreau returned to civilization after escaping from her father's island - and the secrets she behind.  Now, back in London once more, she is rebuilding the life she once knew and trying to forget Dr. Moreau's horrific legacy -- though someone, or something, hasn't forgotten her.

As people close to Juliet fall victim one by one to a murderer who leaves a macabre calling card of three clawlike slashes, Juliet fears one of her father's creations may have also escaped the island.  She is determined to find the killer before Scotland Yard does, though it means awakening sides of herself she had thought long banished, and facing loves from her past she never expected to see again.

As Juliet strives to stop a killer while while searching for a serum to cure her own worsening illness, she finds herself once more in the midst of a world of scandal and danger.  Her heart torn in two, past bubbling to the surface, life threatened by an obsessive killer -- Juliet will be lucky to escape alive.

Review

     Juliet thought that she might be able to have some semblance of a normal life after she left the island behind - along with all its twisted 'experiments', the creatures and her now dead father.  She is starting to become part of polite society again and has been taken under the wing of Professor Von Stein, her father's former colleague, who is now her guardian.  But Julitet is still unable to let it all go, because her illness is steadily killing her.  Without a cure soon Juliet will die, so she's been studying her father's diary and notes looking for an answer - for a serum that will end her suffering.  Keeping a secret appartment and selling hybrid roses to buy ingredients, Juliet is horrified when people with a connection to her begin to turn up murdered.  They have a signature mark, three clawlike scratches, that are familiar to Juliet.  Turns out not everything died on that island and something is more obsessed with her than ever.  If he can't have Juliet, no one can.  Can Juliet find the killer before Scotland Yard does?  And will the situation turn out to be even worse than she ever dreamed?

     This book was a slight bit of a slow starter, with Juliet by herself trying to hybridize roses, and come up with a cure for herself - in secret.  I enjoyed the quite obvious allusions between Shepherd's story and the original tale of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.  It's really hard to write a comprehensive review that compares the two though, unless I want to give out some pretty major spoilers!  The murders were pretty gruesome and the identity of the killer, while pretty obvious from the start to people who read book #1, still had some puzzle pieces missing in regards to motive, etc.  There is a really great camraderie between Lucy and Juliet, who have renewed their frienship now that Juliet is back in the city and society.  They are both involved with the murderer (knowingly and unknowingly), have connections to the experiments of Juliet's father and are connected to up and coming Scotland Yard Detective John Newcastle.  Probably my least favorite part of this book was the love triangle.  It carried over from the first book, and while I could understand it somewhat, it did make Juliet loose some backbone when making decisions for herself.  There are some points where she gets downright pathetic about it too.  Probably the least historically realistic to me was Juliet engaging in premarital sex.  It's the Victorian Era!!!  And she absolutely NEVER struck me as the type to do something like that, even if she was a societal outcast.  Just way out of character for me.  Overall I greatly enjoyed this book and it was an extremely strong follow up to The Madman's Daughter.  The plot twist at the end of the book was completely unexpected, had me shaking in surprise and slapping myself on the forhead saying D'oh! for not realizing it sooner!

VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, Balzar + Bray (Imprint of Harper Collins), via Edelweiss.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication date is January 28th, 2014.*

My Bloody Valentine

Published:  April 9th, 2013
Grimm Fairy Tales Presents: Sleepy Hollow
By: Dan Wickline
Zenescope Entertainment
ISBN-13:  9781937068813

A legend is about to become all-too real! When a prank goes deadly wrong, those responsible will learn the truth behind the legend as the Headless Horseman returns to exact a horrifying vengeance none will never forget! From the writer of Salem's Daughter: The Haunting comes a tale of horror and terror that will leave you on the edge of your seats. Hold on to your hats...and your head!

Review

 

     This story is yet another version of the ever infamous American folk-tale, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving.  In this one, it was fiction but based upon true events involving the ancestor of the protagonist.  A soldier was led out to a ditch and beheaded by some traitors from his regiment.  He became the headless horseman.  The horseman's descendant is Craig, an avid history student at the local college, who is kidnapped by the basketball team who want him to give the answers to a test so one of the players can keep his scholarship.  When Craig refuses, they tie him to what they think are abandoned train tracks.  So of course he gets beheaded by an oncoming train.  The team covers up the incident, but when they begin to be picked off one-by-one, in brutal beheadings they're forced to admit that maybe The Legend of Sleepy Hollow isn't such a legend after all.  I absolutely LOVED the historical aspect of this that explained the 'true' story of Ichabod Crane and Brom von Brunt.  It was a plausible story of what the truth could be, if Sleepy Hollow was based on some factual events/people.  And the artwork for those panels was wonderful, with just the right combination of creepy and colorful.  The plot set in the present day was very clichéd and predictable.  Not necessarily in a bad way, but also not in a really good way either.  It was a very horror movie of the month story.  The main character is betrayed by people close to him and comes back for revenger a killer with powers from Hell itself.  I did enjoy it all the same, but the ending left me feeling very ambivalent in general.  I prefer to be wowed by a book, rather than to just like it in an 'okay' way.  The artwork throughout was very well done and even though there was a lot of violence and gore (almost gratuitous) but with a Headless Horseman as the killer that's no surprise.  Plus the author has written for the 30 Days of Night series.  Enough said right there.  Overall, a graphic novel/comic that had great potential and I feel that it only partially achieved what it was capable of.  A fun quick read, but don't be expecting a complicated or involved plotline.  All the same, I'd recommend it for any Sleepy Hollow fan. 

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published April 9th, 2013.*

Something There That Wasn't There Before...

Published: January 2nd, 2013
Catherine
By: April Lindner
Poppy
ISBN-13: 9780316196925

A forbidden romance. A modern mystery. Wuthering Heights as you’ve never seen it before.

Catherine is tired of struggling musicians befriending her just so they can get a gig at her Dad’s famous Manhattan club, The Underground. Then she meets mysterious Hence, an unbelievably passionate and talented musician on the brink of success. As their relationship grows, both are swept away in a fiery romance. But when their love is tested by a cruel whim of fate, will pride keep them apart?

Chelsea has always believed that her mom died of a sudden illness, until she finds a letter her dad has kept from her for years—a letter from her mom, Catherine, who didn’t die: She disappeared. Driven by unanswered questions, Chelsea sets out to look for her—starting with the return address on the letter: The Underground.

Told in two voices, twenty years apart, Catherine interweaves a timeless forbidden romance with a compelling modern mystery.

Review

 

     This review is going to skip the usual recap of the plot summary and just dive right in people! :)  I had been waiting for this books release ever since I read the author's first novel, Jane and fell completely in love with her version of Jane Eyre.  I was a little bit wary though, because Wuthering Heights is a lot more melodramatic with the emotions, whereas although batshit insane stuff happens to Jane, she is usually collected on the outside through it all.  This one, I was prepared for it to be over the top - and maybe not in such a great way.  I did like the fact that the reader gets insight into both Catherine and her daughter, Chelsea unlike in the original novel.  However, it also detracted from the narrative because I felt like Chelsea was there mostly to investigate what happened to Catherine and not to be a character in her own right.  Split narratives are always very tricky and I give the author major props for a somewhat successful attempt.  The decision to set it in the punk music scene of the 1990s in Greenwich Village was interesting, and made the whole music royalty versus nobody conundrum work, in place of the gypsy verus semi-genteel family problem of the original.       Catherine has a very distinct personality and feels things very passionately.  Hence is kind of an enigma and we never really do find out where he came from, or why he left there in the first place.  All we ever know is that he loves his music and is obsessed with/loves Catherine just as intensely.  Catherine's Dad was an interesting contrast with his son, Quentin, in his absolute openmindedness and true love of his work.  Quentin was a bigoted, jealous, bitter jackass and verging on insanity for most of the book, before he finally went over the edge.  I felt like Lindner went a little too far with that characterization, because in the original you can see the brother character's metamorphosis a little bit more, as he loses the little kindness and depth he has as a person.  This was too cartoonish of a revisit for my liking.   

     My main problem with Chelsea is that she was a plot device.  By the end of the novel I still felt like I knew Catherine (at least a little bit) and only knew that Chelsea was missing her Mom, therefore searching for the truth.  This was an issue most likely with how short the book happens to be.  I feel like it flew past, almost like she was rushing into the different events.  This is one that could have stood to add at least another hundred pages just for some filler.  This is a book where the filler was necessary for some even build-up and just not there like it should have been.  The conclusion of what happened to Catherine was also a little too predictable and had me rolling my eyes in disbelief and annoyance.  Seriously, that's how she chose to wrap things up?  I loved the nugget near the beginning of the book when Chelsea was surfing Nico Rathburn's fansite.  That made me smile, with it's connection to Jane, however small of a link it was.  Overall, I felt like everyone in this book suffered from under characterization or cartoon personality disorder.  I still finished it because the plot was fairly well conceived and I wanted to see how it would play out.  I just wasn't satisfied though and wouldn't recommend it too highly to anyone.

 

VERDICT:  2.5/5  Stars

 

* *No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

Let Down Your Hair...

Expected Publication: February 12th, 2013

Rapunzel Untangled

By: Cindy C. Bennett

Cedar Fort, Inc.

ISBN-13: 9781462111565

Rapunzel is not your average teenager. 

For one thing, she has a serious illness that keeps her inside the mysterious Gothel Mansion. And for another, her hair is 15 feet long. Not to mention that she’s also the key to ultimately saving the world from certain destruction. But then she meets a boy named Fane, who changes all she has ever known, and she decides to risk everything familiar to find out who she really is. 

Filled with romance, adventure, and mystery, Rapunzel Untangled is one story you won’t want to put down. Discover the true meaning of love and friendship in this modern twist to the classic fairytale.

*SPOILER ALERT!*

Review

     Rapunzel is just a normal teenage girl.  If you ignore the fact that she's never left her house, lives locked in a tower, has hair fifteen feet long and her Mother thinks she will save the world someday.  But Gothel has also told Rapunzel that she has SCID - Severe Combined Immunodeficiency disorder which means that she will probably die if she goes outside the house.  Only supposed to use the computer for schoolwork, Rapunzel follows the rules to the letter until one day she stumbles onto Facebook and befriends a boy from the local high school.  When Fane begins to communicate with her, Rapunzel starts to realize just how much she's really been missing from the world outside.  As she questions the real reasons for why she's locked up and what the truth about her family is, Rapunzel gathers strength in realizing that she can have everything she's ever  wanted - if she can only break free!   Will Rapunzel be able to survive when the chilling truth is revealed?  This was an interesting concept - a modern retelling of Rapunzel, using Facebook as the outlet into the real world that introduces her to her 'prince' and liberates her.  I really enjoyed the fact that Rapunzel is not written as a stupid character, in an attempt to portray innocence.  The author showcases instead the naivness that her isolation has ingrained into her whole personality.  Fane was a fun, class clown type of guy and I was glad that he and Rapunzel's relationship was done so sweetly.  If he had been the least bit 'mature' about the situation in the typical ways, it would have turned creepy pretty fast.  Romantic moments between them were innocent, which was a a refreshing change, with how fast a lot of the YA book romances move nowadays.  The idea that Gothel is a deranged occultist was definitely not something I'd ever seen before (the immortality obsession in Tangled probably comes the closest).  The eventual showdown between Rapnuzel, Gothel and the cult leader felt more than a little over-dramatic and bordering on fantasy (which was a stark, obvious change from the rest of the book's realism).  Other than that hiccup in the inherent genre and pacing of the book, it was extremely well written.  My only other complaint would be the complete lack of resolution over the kidnapping with Rapunzel's real parents.  I was smiling almost the entire time I was reading and it was finished in almost one sitting.  I couldn't put it down.  Overall, this book was worth reading and fresh in the re-telling side of the fairy tale genre that keeps getting beaten like a dead horse.  At least this corpse was a horse of a different color.  I would recommend it to people like me who are huge fairy tale fans, but don't mind the modern age colliding with the classic tales.

VERDICT:  4.5/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is February 12th, 2013.*

Little Women, India Style

Published:  September 6th, 2012
Little Women In India
By: Jane Nardin
New Dawn Publishers, Ltd
ISBN-13: 9781908462077

In Jane Nardin’s debut novel, we have a lively and witty updating and reimagining of Alcott’s classic, interspersing the standard Victorian female preoccupations of housekeeping and husband-hunting with less usual activities such as escaping mutineers and learning how to make charcoal. Nardin’s Little Women are more than Alcott’s pilgrims in progress; they are recognizably modern. . . . Readers will find this an interesting, well-paced novel with likeable and energetic characters.

Susan Ang, author of The Master of the Rings: Inside the World of J.R.R. Tolkien and The Widening World of Children’s Literature

Nowadays, Abe Lincoln fights vampires and Mr. Darcy is the least of Elizabeth Bennet’s problems, what with zombies and all. Could Little Women in India compete with that? Absolutely! It's fun, insightful and crammed with illuminating information. These sisters live a frugal life, with romance and a growing social consciousness, in colonial India--19th century Little Women with 21st century values.

Review

 

     Imagine what the classic book Little Women by Louisa May Alcott would be like, if instead of being set in America, was set in India during Victorian times and British occupation?  Also what if the sisters' ages were switched around a little bit?  Throw in an uprising of the impoverished people of India, and you have Nardin's novel.  It was extremely interesting to me to read this, and compare it to the original novel.  Being British and having grown up in India DID alter the personalities of the once-familiar May (a.k.a March) girls quite a bit.  Catherine (Jo) is the oldest, then comes Jane (Meg), Elizabeth (Amy) and Fanny (Beth).  Once I had figured out who was who, I spent the majority of the novel watching them grow and change, into less selfish and more socially concious individuals.  They all began to think of more than husband hunting when the rebellion broke out and they were forced to flee to a poverty stricken village to hide from the rebels (who were skewering any English, including women and children).  I went into this book not knowing much about the politics of India in the late 1800s and I was given quite the education, in a very enjoyable way.  It did seem to take about a third of the book before the action picked up, but once it did it was constant and thrilling.  The one thing that confused me very much throughout the book, was the humor.  I felt like Nardin was poking fun at the original characters from Alcott's novel and as a result made hers into something of a caricature.  It gave me a struggle when I tried relating to them, or even liking them at all.  I did appreciate the self-righteousness of the original book when it was sneakily pointed out, but it did take something from her re-telling that to me was crucial.  But because of how absolutely well done the setting, history and descriptions were, I found myself ignoring the characters' more stupid moments.  All in all and enjoyable book and I would recommend to both fans and detractors of the original work! :)

 

VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

 

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published on September 6th, 2012.*