Sweetly by Jackson Pearce Review

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

I am in love with fairy tales, mythology, fables, and more. I love grimms and disney and all the other tales of princesses, witches and the mythological beings.

I just had to pick up this series when I saw that it was a retelling of Hansel and Gretel. I mean how could I pass up a retelling, I love hearing the way people interpret stories, it is so interesting to see how people think up differences and change things to fit the idea they have for the outcome of the tale.

I really liked the tone that is set for this book, giving the characters each a uniquely special voice and letting you see the story from quite a few points of views. Some being what really is evil, which seems to be a point in a lot of fairy tale type stories trying to make you think about who is really evil and who isn't.

The story is not very close to the original Hansel and Gretel story at all. It is a completely new retelling that shows you another way the story could have gone. I don't want to give away too much if you haven't read the story or any of her other stories. So I am not going to talk about major plot points.

This is truly a fun fairy tale-esque story that is well written and enjoyable.

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce A Review

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

This is a Little Red Riding Hood reimagined and redesigned. She has added in more characters, changed the thinking of our main characters and added a dash of modern days to the story line.

Our main characters are two sisters living with their grandmother. Like in the original story a werewolf kills the poor grandmother and maims the older of the two sisters. Leaving her without an eye and lots of scars. She becomes engulfed with the need to kill the werewolves that the killed her family. She has learned that there are things that go bump in the night and that they love to kill specifically young girls dressed in red, its an alluring color for them.

She has really written out characters you can relate to and characters you can feel for. Written in is a love between sisters, one sister feeling compelled to follow in her sisters footsteps because she saved her life when she was younger, and the love that springs up between two people during dire situations.

I love that she shows the determination of one and the desire to fly in the other giving them such different personalities but the same goals and desires. Making them seem at times like one but at other times two different girls from two very different worlds.

The Library

I went to the library and picked up some books and have been reading them as fast as I can..

LA TIMES BOOK FESTIVAL

Alrighty so last year I went and was underwhelmed with my experience, but this year I went with that in mind and decided I was going to have a nice time. Let me tell you I had a fabulous time. I talked to lots of people at different booths, got books signed, met folks, took tons of pictures. I even saw John Cusak, swoon.. He's one of my favorite actors, I think he's just beyond amazing.

I got to meet a lot of up and coming authors and talk to them, even tonight picked up a book by one to read this week. I also got to talk to different publishers. I got to do a bit of networking, which was really nice for me. I also have a book to giveaway signed by the author so look for that post coming up soon.

Picture of John Cusak

I got a little bit sunburned but that is totally my fault. Silly me.

So look forward to posts about the books I am reading because of the festival and other excitement coming up.. I have a Kindle full of books so lots of reviews to be coming your way.

Take Care my Bookworms,

Kitten

Destined by Jessie Harrell

Destined by Jessie Harrell

I picked up this book the other day because I had heard so many wonderful things about it and the cover art is truly to die for. It's so beautiful, I guess I was judging a book by its cover. Not only because of the cover but also the wonderful things said about it, really made me want to go out and see for myself what all the hype was.

Synopsis off amazon:

When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear.

As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined.

Destined is a fresh and heartachingly romantic retelling of the Cupid & Psyche myth from debut novelist, Jessie Harrell.

Now I am a huge lover of Greek Mythology and all things mythical so that really enticed me to read the book, I wanted to see her take on Psyche and Eros, and all the other Greek Gods. The best part is the book was so enjoyable to read. You really get into the story and want to know more about the characters and why they are doing the things they are doing. You root for the good guys, you hope the bad guys don't prevail, get shocked as you learn things. The characters struggles are relate-able, you want love to prevail.

The best part for me is all the mystery in the story, no one ever knows whats really going on. It keeps all the characters on their toes. I also love the Ferryman. The underworld is such a lonely place.

Pick up a copy of this book if you love romance, greek mythology and mythical creatures. I promise you'll be glad that you did.

Graveyard Games by Sheri Leigh

I picked up this book on a whim, when my kindle wasn't completely full and gave it a whirl. Firstly it's well written and I enjoyed it. There were lots of twists, some predictable story-lines but in general lots of fun to read, slightly graphic but not so much it makes you squirm. The characters are relate-able and draw you into there backgrounds, you want to know the story of what makes them, them.

I liked the relationships between the characters, especially between Dusty and her brothers best friend. I love the tension between them and the way there story is built up. I like the mood set in the book, the way all the different characters respond to grief and trauma. It's true to life in that way, no one deals the same way. So grab a hot cocoa, snuggle under a blanket and settle in for a night and get to reading.

The synopsis of the book is:

Dusty has always been the hothead in the pair -- her twin, Nick, he was the calm, cool and collected one. But now Nick is dead, found murdered in their local cemetery, and Dusty, on forced leave from her job as a Chicago police officer, goes back to her childhood home to attend the funeral.

It becomes quickly apparent to Dusty that the local authorities aren’t being straight with her, or anyone else, about what’s been going on in the little Midwestern town she grew up in. The detective in her kicks in and she decides to find out what--or who--has killed her brother, so she moves in temporarily with her father and stepmother, takes a job in a local bar, and starts asking questions.

Her focus soon fixes on Shane, her brother’s best friend--the town bad boy and bad seed. The tension between the two of them has always been palpable, and nothing has changed. Sparks fly as they collide, and while Dusty finds herself sinking in deeper with Shane, the mystery of what happened to her brother--and an ever growing list of victims--grows even stranger.

Dusty finds her past haunting her everywhere she goes as she continues to dig deeper into the circumstances of her brother’s death, and her future looms large as her fate as a police officer is about to be determined back in Chicago. With everything coming to a head, she focuses on one thing: What happened the night her brother was killed in the cemetery? She’s sure Shane knows... something... and she’s determined to find out what it is, one way or another.

It's 242 pages long. You can pick up a copy of the Ebook on Amazon right now for $2.99, I definitely say its worth it. Yes from time to time the story is a little too slow paced or too fast paced, or a little off the mark, but for the most part the characters are solid, the story line is moving in the right direction and you will find it hard to put down, you'll want to know what happened and what will happen next.

Doglands by Tom Wilcox

Doglands a new book by Tom Wilcox.

I sat down and read this wonderfully heartwarming, heartwrenching tale in an afternoon. If you are an animal lover you are gonna be pulled in by the story for sure. My mother read it after me, and kept saying " Thankfullly I didn't read this when I was a kid, I would have constantly been freeing dogs to run free." I believe it too, that's just the way she is.

Furgul is a puppy born in a slave camp for racing greyhounds, and he has a terrible secret--he is himself only part greyhound. When the cruel owner of the camp recognizes Furgul's impure origins he takes Furgul to be killed, but Furgal manages a spectacular escape. Now Furgul must confront the indifference, complexity, warmth, and ferocity of the greater world, a world in which there seem to be two choices: live the comfortable life of a pet and sacrifice freedom or live the life of a free dog, glorious but also dangerous, in which every man will turn his hand against you. In the best tradition of The Call of the Wild and Watership Down, novelist Tim Willocks offers his first tale for young adults, an allegorical examination of human life through a dog's eyes, infused with heart, heroism, and the mysteries of the spirit. From the Hardcover edition.

I fell in love with Furgul. He is such a courageous puppy and you just want to root for him. I really love the way the author writes from a dogs point of view so you really feel connected to Furgul and to all the other characters. The other thing I loved is even though the story is about dogs, I know a lot of people can relate to the things the dog is going through, like not knowing his dad, wanting his mother to be proud of him, not understanding everything that is happening around him, and wanting to stand up and fight when no one else is willing too.

I really enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to my animal loving friends, its not a hard read and you won't be disappointed in the story telling.