ARC Review: Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly

Okay, guys, I have had this book a few months and I am already well into a re-read because it is just such a perfect mix of empowering and heart-warming, so I may ramble more than usual in this review. All I can say now is go buy it! I usually put that at the end but I will say it now because it is seriously an amazingly powerful book, that I think everyone really needs to read it.

Here it is:

'In an ancient city by the sea, three sisters - a maiden, a mother, and a crone - are drawing maps by candlelight. Sombre, with piercing grey eyes, they are the three Fates, and every map is a human life . . .'

Stepsister takes up where Cinderella's tale ends. We meet Isabelle, the younger of Cinderella's two stepsisters. Ella is considered beautiful; stepsister Isabelle is not. Isabelle is fearless, brave, and strong-willed. She fences better than any boy, and takes her stallion over jumps that grown men fear to attempt. It doesn't matter, though; these qualities are not valued in a girl. Others have determined what is beautiful, and Isabelle does not fit their definition. Isabelle must face down the demons that drove her cruel treatment of Ella, challenge her own fate and maybe even redefine the very notion of beauty . . .

Cinderella is about a girl who was bullied; Stepsister is about the bully. We all root for the victims, we want to see them triumph. But what about the bullies? Is there hope for them? Can a mean girl change? Can she find her own happily ever after?

You will probably know by now that I love a good re-telling or re-imagining of the classics, and as soon as I saw this was a retelling of one of the Ugly Stepsisters I knew that I needed to read it. I was lucky enough to get given a free ARC copy for review by Hot Key Books, and I powered through the first read in a few days it was so good - I actually even went on to re-read the book within a month of my first read because it really resonated with me.

But, when you first open the book to a dedication that says: "To anyone who's ever felt that they're not enough.", you know that there is definitely going to be something interesting within the pages - and I was most definitely not disappointed.

I could actually speak about this book for ages, there were so many passages and so many quotes that just jumped out at me and really resonated with me, so much so that my book was covered in little sticky notes during my re-read (I'm current about 2/3 of the way through the re-read and so far there are 10 sticky notes). I've never actually sticky noted a book before, so you can tell how much I loved it just from that.

I really connected with Isabelle as a character - and I think anyone that ever thought they weren't enough, or who thought that they shouldn't/couldn't be who they really are, or even those that tried to fit into the box that they were put in growing up will connect with her too. Isabelle is strong, and slowly learns to believe in herself and who she really is through the book - you see her push through her problems and self-worth issues and decide she is no longer going to be who her mother wants her to be, instead she is going to be who she was supposed to be all along. It's such a powerful transformation and Jennifer writes about the struggle of the transformation beautifully, adding in one of my favourite characters of Tanaquill the Fairy Queen to help Isabelle find the missing pieces of her heart.

Okay, I have probably rambled enough - it's been a while since I've rambled so much for a book - but I don't want to have you reading forever, so I will sum up this book in one sentence: This is a beautiful story about learning to carve out your own path when everything is against you - even Fate.

(p.s I just have to say I have found a new book crush in Chance, and I think everyone who has read this will agree with me he's such a charming character)

Stepsister is out in a few days (May 15th) and I think you should all go buy a copy, this is going to be one book that I will definitely read again and again, and I think this is going to be one of my top reads of 2019! I give this: 5 Cats (and so many more if I could)

Review: The Witch's Kiss by Katharine & Elizabeth Corr

So, this book has been on my TBR list for a while, after it was introduced to me by another book blogger. I love me some fairytale adaptations, and well, yet again, the cover of this book drew me in.

Yes, yes, I know, I have a problem with my obsession with pretty book covers, but I don't want to give up this particular obsession, it's gotten me some good books!

Anyways, onto the book:

Merry is an average teenager.

She's also a witch.

She is trying not to be, but she is.

Then Jack comes into her life and she can't help falling under his spell. One problem - he's part of an evil, centuries-old curse that Merry now has to break.

If Merry has lost her heart, will she lose her life too? Or can true love's kiss save the day?

Being a witch is dangerous - but being in love is even worse...

Okay, so, I admit, I haven't read many books that are actually set in the UK, in the current day, so it did take me a little while to get used it it, and connect with the characters like I usually do in a book. (I know, how weird is it that I can connect with other characters but not a modern-day UK character?).

However, as soon as I got to the 'Before' section of the book (the time where the curse in the book originated from) I was hooked. After that, I was fine with the whole modern day thing, in fact, I was more than fine, it made me remember the days when I used to read a lot more modern-day fiction while I was in school, and I loved that this book made me remember that.

As you all may know, I love fairy tale adaptations, and this had me guessing which fairy tale would be used from the very beginning! This book is a lovely little twisted version of Sleeping Beauty, in the fact that instead of the girl being the victim of the sleeping curse, it is the guy (and the weird creepy sorcerer too).

Well, what can I say about this book? It was amazing, and it had a very big twist at the end (I won't spoil it but I'll say I definitely didn't think it would end the way it did), and I know I probably won't even be able to begin to guess what will happen in the next book.

I loved all of the characters, and I loved the family dynamic in this book. Leo was one of my favourite characters, as the protective older brother that sticks with Merry no matter what happens, and it made me want a big brother like Leo in my life. I definitely hope to see more of him in the sequels.

All I can say is that although it took me a bit to get into the book, I am so glad I read it, it's taken me back to my younger years, and I just can't wait to read the next book (the prettiest cover for the second book has literally made me into the heart-eyed emoji). Definitely one I would recommend to younger readers, and people just branching out to the Fantasy YA genre.

I give this book: 4.5 cats!

Have you read this book? Do you agree with my opinions? Comment below!

Review: North Child by Edith Pattou

This book may also be known as East by some of you!

I first read this book while in senior school, and not just once, but many times. I borrowed it from my school library, and I must have been the one that filled the requests page with the many dates it had on the front page (I think I must have taken it out at least 6 times during my time at school).

I don't know what first made me like the book, maybe it was the cover, as I thought, hey, why is there a girl walking next to a polar bear? Maybe it was the description. Like I said, I don't know, but all I do know is that when I read it, I loved it, and hence, I took it from my school library so many times.

Then, passing a few years, I watch a TV show and it reminds me of the book I loved so much in school, so I immediately went to Amazon and bought this much loved book so I could read it again!

Well, here it is:

Superstition says that children born facing North will travel far from home, and Rose's mother is terrified that Rose, a North child, will face a lonely, icy death if she follows her destiny. But Rose is unaware of this, so when an enormous white bear appears and wants to take her away she agrees to his bargain.

Rose travels on the bear's back to a mysterious castle where a silent stranger appears to her night after night. Overwhelmed by curiosity, Rose does something that has terrible consequences. Now she must embark on an epic journey to save the one she loves and fulfil her true destiny.

So, this book starts with Rose, an eighth child, who was born facing North. Her mother though, refuses to admit that and instead insists she is an East child, because of a prophecy that she was given when younger that said that any North child she had would grow up to die a cold, horrible death, suffocating under ice and snow. As you can probably tell, Rose later finds out the truth and in rebellion she decides to go with the White Bear when he comes calling and offers a bargain to help stop the misfortune that has befallen Rose's family.

That is just the beginning of the book, as it is actually split into 4 different parts: East, South, West and North. I think this comes in handy for someone who only likes to read in small parts, as they could easily read just one part of the book and then come back later to the other parts if needed.

I did say I had no idea what drew me in to this book, but I must admit, usually it is the covers of books that catch my interest and then the blurb. This book's cover not only intrigued me with the girl and the white bear on the front, but the compass is beautiful on the front too.

And well, the blurb also mentions that this book is familiar to Beauty and the Beast, and as you'd expect, that made me all the more interested.

I admit, it actually does remind me a bit of Beauty and the Beast, with the fact that Rose was chosen to try and end an enchantment that was put upon the White Bear by the Troll Queen's father as a punishment. However, it differs slightly as Rose ends up sleeping next to an unknown person at night in the castle, and as the lights are enchanted to go out whenever the person enters the room she is unable to find out who it is. In fact, this book is based on a Scandinavian folk tale called East of the Sun and West of the Moon.

The main thing I think I adore about this book is the love that Rose feels for the White Bear, which makes her choose to go on a most difficult journey North to follow him and save him from another character, the Troll Queen. On this journey North, Rose meets many different people, including a drunk Viking (one of my favourite characters), and a settlement of Inuits.

This is a book that shows a girls journey to find herself, and also offers a tale of love and shows just what that girl would do to keep the love of a creature who is more of a beast than a man, and that is what had me reading this book over and over.

Have you read this book and if so what do you think of it?

Review: Fairest of All by Serena Valentino

So, a short and sweet review, for a short and sweet book aka Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen by Serena Valentino!

How did the Wicked Queen become so evil?

When the King asks for her hand in marriage, the beautiful daughter of a cruel mirror-maker accepts, hoping her fortunes will change for the better... but will they?

This is the untold tale of love, loss, and dark magic behind the classic story of Snow White.

Okay, so, I felt like reading something to do with Disney this morning (you should all know I'm also obsessed with Disney) and I've had some of Serena's books in my bookshelf for a little while now and decided to have a quick morning read.

And what can I say about this book? Wow. That about sums it up. I love fairy tales and books that show a different side to fairy tales, and this book covers the other side of the Snow White story perfectly. Covering the Wicked Queen's start (marrying the King) and how it all came to the end where the Queen decides to try and kill Snow White. I think it was amazing to see the way that the Wicked Queen developed from a lonely, sweet woman into what she was in the original Snow White Story.

One thing about this book I found is that it could interest readers of all ages, and as it is quite a short book it may even be a great book to recommend to people who don't like to read much either. So, it could be said that this book could easily suck everyone into it's story if they chose to pick up the book (which I highly suggest you should).

So, to be short and sweet, I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves fairy tales, or even just someone who loves Disney. This book was amazing, and I expect I'll be just as amazed by the other Serena Valentino books I have in my TBR list aswell!