ARC REVIEW: Rapunzel Untangled by Cindy C. Bennett

Title: Rapunzel Untangled
Author: Cindy C. Bennett
Pages: 304
Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc.
Expected Publishing Date: February 12, 2013
Format: eBook
Source: Received from Publisher via NetGalley

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ B&N

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.
 

I absolutely adore fairytale retellings, so I jumped at the chance to read and review Rapunzel Untangled.  Writing a retelling has to be a very difficult thing for any writer.  How do you take a story that's been told for years and give it your own unique twist?  It's all been done before!  Well, Cindy Bennett has done an amazing job of giving us a unique and imaginative story while keeping to the basics of the classic fairytale.  This is probably the darkest Rapunzel story I've heard.  Most all have the same basic plot:  Rapunzel is kidnapped as an infant by the witch Gothel and grows up in a tower, trapped there for years.  Sometimes Rapunzel lives as a prisoner, sometimes as a daughter of Gothel.  This story is no different, but that is where the similarities end.  Rapunzel Untangled is modern and fun, but gives us a twist filled with darkness and horror.

Rapunzel is nearly 18 years old, and she has lived in her rooms in the tower of Gothel Mansion all of her life.  She has a serious illness that makes it impossible for her to go outside without getting sick.  Her mother, Gothel, is the only other person she has ever had contact with.  She does all of her schoolwork online, and when she accidentally finds this wondrous site called Facebook she realizes she can use it to connect with other people her own age.  This is how she meets Fane.  At first they only correspond online, but Rapunzel eventually agrees to meet him.  He climbs her tower and the two become close friends.  When Fane convinces Rapunzel to sneak out of her rooms one night, they find stairways that lead nowhere and doors that open up to cement walls.  There's also a creepy room covered with black scorch marks and decorated with 6's.  Soon Rapunzel starts questioning everything she's been told.  Things don't add up.  The more Rapunzel learns the more questions she has, and the answers aren't at all what she wants to hear.

I enjoyed the uniqueness of Rapunzel Untangled.  It was unexpected and refreshing to read a story that's so classic, yet it's turned into something so much more modern and fun.  Rapunzel transforms throughout the book from the quiet girl that obeys every order to a strong woman willing to risk everything just to live a real life.  What we see of Fane is great.  He's funny, and he's completely loyal to Rapunzel.  I'd like to have seen more of his personality.  This would have been a great book to have alternating points of view.  His mind had to have been blown by the circumstances surrounding Rapunzel, but we don't really see that.  I also found the ending bit incomplete.  It would have been nice to see more about Rapunzel's real family.  Without a doubt, Rapunzel Untangled was a great read, and a great fairytale retelling.

 

 

ARC REVIEW: Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

 

 

Title: Hopeless

Author: Colleen Hoover
Pages: 391
Publisher: Self-Published
Date Published: December 19, 2012
Format: eBook
Source: Received from Author for Honest Review

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Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

My Thoughts:

 

There is absolutely no way that I will be able to write a review that will do justice to how Hopeless truly made me feel.  I've read dozens of reviews that talked about how they read Hopeless in one sitting, never putting the book down.  It was totally the opposite for me.  The more I read, the more I had to pause.  Not because I didn't want to continue, but because my emotions were going crazy.  Even when I wasn't reading, Hopeless is all I thought about.  It consumed me and left me gasping for air.  It made heart skip a beat, only to send it pounding erratically later.  Emotionally, I simply couldn't keep up.  All of my emotions are still a jumbled up mess.  I wanted to laugh and I wanted to cry.  I needed to scream in fury and frustration, and I needed a hug.  A real hug, the kind where all of your pent up feelings burst free, and you wonder how you can even continue to stand upright. I loved every single word of Hopeless, and I hated every single word. There is nothing about Hopeless that I would change, yet I want to change everything. I know this makes no sense, and until you read Hopeless for yourself you really won't understand. I loved this book completely, but I have never had a fictional story break me so utterly. 

“It's amazing what the sound of a voice you've been longing to hear can do to your heart. He spoke five words just now, but in the time it took him to speak those five words, my heart was shredded and minced, then placed back inside my chest with the expectation that it should somehow know how to beat again.”

Sky is one of the most amazing characters I've ever met. She is so fragile, and she doesn't even realize it. From the outside looking in you see a sheltered, but normal teen.  She has a somewhat normal family life with her adopted mother, Karen, and her best friend, Six, lives next door.  While she puts up the front of a semblance of normalcy, she admits to having no feelings at all when it comes the boys she's had in her life.  But, all of that changes when she meets Holder.  He is the first guy that has ever given her that sense of butterflies, to make her heart skip a beat.  She finds herself swooning over a guy for the first time, yet there is also something about him that terrifies her.

 

“I can already tell he isn't the kind of guy a girl gets a simple crush on. He's the kind of guy you fall hard for, and the thought of that terrifies me.”

Dean Holder has his own demons. He has a bad boy reputation, but no one knows the real Holder. When he meets Sky he's drawn to her. Everything about Holder screams savior, yet he needs saving himself. Together, Sky and Holder open a floodgate of heart-breaking emotions, and they have no choice but to cling to each other and see it all through to the end. 

“You have to let it go. You can hold on to the hate and the love and even the bitterness, but you have to go of the blame. The blame is what's tearing you down, babe."

The dynamics of the relationship between Sky and Holder are mesmerizing. I love that even in the most messed up of situations Holder can manage to make Sky laugh. The connection between the two of them is so intense. I love the way Holder brings out such raw feelings in Sky. He manages to peel back the protective shell that Sky has around herself. He makes her feel.  

“We won’t go any further than this, I promise. But please don’t ask me to stop where we already are. I need to watch you and I need to hear you because the fact that I know you’re actually feeling this right now is so fucking amazing. You feel incredible and this feels incredible and please. Just… please.”

“And once again in my new world full of heartache and lies, this hopeless boy somehow finds a way to make me smile.”

Hopeless is dark. It's raw and heart-breaking, and it will leave you sobbing.  Just when you think you can't handle any more truth, things get uglier. When you think you have it all figured out...you don't.  But, it's also an amazingly beautiful story about friendship, love and truth and uncovering all of your scars so that you can learn to heal.  When you think it's all about to fall apart, the pieces begin to come together.  I fell completely in love with this book, even while it was breaking my heart into a million pieces.  Hopeless is a story that will forever be etched in my heart. 

 

 

 

   

REVIEW: Alone by Robert J. Crane

Title: Alone
Author: Robert J. Crane
Series: The Girl in the Box
Pages: 182
Publisher: Self-Published
Date Published: April 16, 2012
Source: Received from Author for Honest Review

Sienna Nealon was a 17 year-old girl who had been held prisoner in her own house by her mother for twelve years. Then one day her mother vanished, and Sienna woke up to find two strange men in her home. On the run, unsure of who to turn to and discovering she possesses mysterious powers, Sienna finds herself pursued by a shadowy agency known as the Directorate and hunted by a vicious, bloodthirsty psychopath named Wolfe, each of which is determined to capture her for their own purposes.

I didn't really put too much into my expectations of Alone.  Sci-Fi/Fantasy isn't usually my go-to genre.  It was recommended to me by my good (real life!) friend, Amy, over at Read to My Heart's Content.  She emailed me just gushing over this amazing self-published author she found and how great his books were.  While we have very similar tastes in books and authors, Amy's much more into Sci-Fi/Fantasy than I am, but I agreed to give them a try.  If there's one thing Amy's good at, it's making me explore outside of my comfort genres, and I'm nearly always thankful for her recommendations.  Alone is the perfect example of such a book.    

  

Sienna Nealon is 17 years old, and she's basically been a prisoner in her own home for years.  Her mother is extremely strict with her:  she never lets her leave, makes her wear long sleeves and gloves at all times and makes her train to fight for hours every day.  When her mother doesn't come home one night Sienna knows that something is terribly wrong.  When strangers break into her home with the intention of kidnapping her for a strange organization called the Directorate, Sienna wonders if it has anything to do with her mother's disappearance.  She has lots of unanswered questions, and the answers she does get only confuse her more.  But, with a a savage beast, Wolfe, hunting her, she knows she needs help from somewhere, even if she can't fully trust them.

 

Sienna is a great, well written character.  She's amazingly tough!  Her mother's taught her to fight, and she's good at it, beating the crap out of anyone that gets in her way.  I love heroines like this.  She's placed into an extremely difficult situation, and she has no idea who she can trust.  Everyone seems to have ulterior motives.  My favorite thing about Sienna is her snarky nature.  Some of her comebacks had me seriously cracking up.  I'm impressed that Crane was able to give such a perfectly snotty teenage personality to Sienna.   

 

The story is written from Sienna's point-of-view, so she's the only character I have a real feel for so far.  We also have a mysterious man, Reed, who keeps turning up at the strangest times.  I don't know yet who he is or what his intentions are, but I find myself drawn to him.  I want to know how he always seems to stay one step ahead and how he knows who Sienna is.  He's not very forthcoming on the answers to these, or any, questions!  We also have Zack, who works for the Directorate.  He's taken a special interest in Sienna, but I'm not sure yet if I trust him.  Wolfe is another character that is extremely well written.  Honestly, he scares the Hell out of me.  He's not just a wolf-man out to get the girl.  He's a psychopath Hell bent on torturing her just for the fun of it.  He longs to hear her scream.  He single handedly wipes out entire squads of agents, and kills people just to hurt Sienna.  He's scary...very realistically so.

 

Alone is a dark story with an interesting twist.  While comedic quips are tossed about, at it's core Alone is mostly terrifying.  Sienna has had a horribly twisted childhood, which is enough to give anyone nightmares.  But the real nightmare is still out there waiting to get his claws into her.  Sienna is placed into many brutal situations, and at times I found it hard to read.  Wolfe is one seriously scary guy.  Alone is mysterious, thrilling and ultimately a great read for any fan of a good exciting adventure.  This is a great beginning to what will certainly be an amazing series!

 

 

REVIEW & GUEST POST: Sprite by Leigh Michael

Title: Sprite
Author:  Leigh Michael
Series:  Annabelle's Story (Part One)
Pages:  161
 

Series summary:

Annabelle Walsh thought she had it all. She was the star of her swim team, had a loving family, a great boyfriend, and to top it off, she’d be starting at UCLA in the fall. One day, she’d be referred to as Dr. Annabelle Walsh.

She was living every girl’s dream – until her life was turned upside down. All starting with finding out that she's not just a human, but also a water spirit. Half-human, half-sprite to be exact. Although not just any sprite, Annabelle is prophesied to be the only one who can save both the sprites and mankind.

With a mix of current events, anecdotes from Greek mythology, tidbits of folklore, and Leigh’s own imagination, we join Annabelle in her journey to restore order beneath the sea. Each step of the way her mind, body, and soul are pushed to the limit begging the question, how much can one half-human, half-sprite take?

Sprite was such a unique story!  As a mythology lover I really enjoyed Leigh Michael's take on Hades, Zeus and Poseidon.  When Annabelle is kidnapped by a strange man and dragged into the sea she has no idea that she's about to be introduced to a whole new world.  Not only does she realize she can breathe under water, but she's also a descendant of Triton.  How cool is that?!  I really liked Annabelle's character.  While she was a bit irritating in the beginning, when she realizes she has a job to do she puts on her big girl panties and gets to work.  I also like the twists and turns of the story.  No one really is as they seem.  While at times a bit predictable, the action and adventure kept the pages turning.  Sprite was an enjoyable read, and I hope Kin (Part Two) keeps me just as intrigued. 

Sprite (Annabelle’s Story Part One) can be purchased at:

Amazon
Barnes& Noble

Smashwords

Kin (Annabelle’s Story Part Two)can be purchased at:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Smashwords

 

Leigh’s Indie ABCs

(Part one of a guest post by Leigh Michael)

When I released Sprite (Annabelle’s Story Part One) in April, I knew very little about the writing industry. Over the past 6 months, I’ve acted as a sponge for information. It’s been an amazing, gut-checking, rewarding, and humbling experience. Along the way, I’ve picked up a few tricks of the trade that I’d love to share with you all. Below is part one in what I’ve learned thus far in self-publishing my first series, Annabelle’s Story. Part two will be posted on Little Library Muse on October 17. Part three will be posted on Girls on YA Books on October 26.

Author website — Having one of these is important. It allows readers an easy way to learn about an author, their books, and where to buy ‘em. Check out my site at www.LeighMichaelBooks.com.

Beta readers — When I released the first part of Annabelle’s Story, I was too afraid to let others read my work. I just wanted to bite the bullet and publish. Not the best idea. Since then I’ve come to rely on beta readers to help me polish my work.

Carissa Katz — This young lady is an amazing designer. Actually, I already knew that. I just wanted to emphasize it. Carissa put together my covers for Annabelle’s Story and I couldn’t be happier. Check out her other work here.

Digital, not print — In “Self-publishing a book: 25 things you need to know” it says that print should be a secondary focus to ebooks. I’d have to agree. My digital versions sell a lot more than print editions. Still, I think having a paperback version for giveaways is important.

Editing — I’d like to go on the record to say that it’s so frustrating and difficult to remove every single typo/error from a manuscript. For both Sprite & Kin, I hired a professional proofreader to complete two rounds of reviews. Afterwards, I found additional errors. However, I think it’s crucial to take this step and hire another set of eyes.

Facebook fan pages — Seems like a no-brainer to create an author page on Facebook. In my initial research on how to market myself, this was one of the first things I’ve learned. Alas, I’ve created Facebook.com/LeighMichaelBooks. Like me!

Goodreads — I must admit that I’d never heard of Goodreads before writing Annabelle’s Story but it’s great. It’s where I find my next book to read. Check out my page on Goodreads to see what I’ve been reading.

Hashtags — There are so many of these on Twitter (and more are introduced every day). To start, I found 44 essential twitter hashtags that every author should know. I also love reading Sara Megibow’s #10queriesIn10tweets every Thursday.

Thank you for reading part one of my A through Z of industry learnings. Be sure to check out part two on Little Library Muse on October 17 and part three on Girls on YA Books on October 26.

So what’s next for me? I’ve thrown myself into a new series. This one is a historical fiction that I’m pretty thrilled about. I haven’t decided yet if I’ll pursue the traditional route or follow the same indie path. Who knows, there could be a “Leigh’s Bestseller ABCs” post one day. One can only hope!

Also, don’t forget to stop by Leigh Michael Books on October 31^st for a special Trick or Treat surprise!

 

 

Author Bio:
Leigh Michael is an author of YA fiction. She's worked within the advertising world for nearly a decade before writing her debut series, Annabelle's Story. Leigh lives in Washington, DC with her husband and goldendoodle. Please learn more about Leigh and her works atwww.LeighMichaelBooks.com.

Contact info:

 

Website

Twitter
Facebook
Email
Amazon
Smashwords
Goodreads

 

 

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost

Title: Once Burned
Author:  Jeaniene Frost
Narrator:  Tavia Gilbert
Series:  Night Prince (Spin-Off of Night Huntress Series)
Length: 8 hours, 30 min
Format:  Audio
Source:  Bought

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She's a mortal with dark powers...

After a tragic accident scarred her body and destroyed her dreams, Leila never imagined that the worst was still to come: terrifying powers that let her channel electricity and learn a person's darkest secrets through a single touch. Leila is doomed to a life of solitude...until creatures of the night kidnap her, forcing her to reach out with a telepathic distress call to the world's most infamous vampire...

He's the Prince of Night...

Vlad Tepesh inspired the greatest vampire legend of all—but whatever you do, don't call him Dracula. Vlad's ability to control fire makes him one of the most feared vampires in existence, but his enemies have found a new weapon against him—a beautiful mortal with powers to match his own. When Vlad and Leila meet, however, passion ignites between them, threatening to consume them both. It will take everything that they are to stop an enemy intent on bringing them down in flames.

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The Story:

I am a huge fan of Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress Series, so my excitement over the release of Once Burned was over the top!  Vlad Tepesh is one of my favorite characters.  He is, very literally, smoldering hot!  Thankfully, Once Burned did NOT disappoint.  This book was an amazing addition to the Night Huntress world.  I love Leila's character, and she is beyond perfect for Vlad.  She doesn't put up with his arrogance and puts him in  his place really quick.  Vlad is an extremely powerful vampire, but Leila has a few tricks at hand.  Once Burned is loaded with the violence and action  that you expect from Frost's novels, and the romance scenes mingled throughout are...hot.  For fans of the Night Huntress Series, think Chapter 32!  The ending leaves you at a great cliffhanger, and when it was over I was already craving more.  I cannot wait to find out what happens next for Vlad and Leila.  I would love to see this series drawn out as long as Night Huntress. 

The Narration:

Tavia Gilbert does the narration for all of the Night Huntress and Night World books, and they are all wonderfully done, so I was thrilled to see she was back to narrate Once Burned.  Her accents are beautifully done, as usual.  She is one of the most emotionally powerful narrators I've listened to.  During some scenes she had me blushing and I can't help but wonder how in the world she manages it with a straight face.  Tavia Gilbert is a narrator that takes what would otherwise be a great book and makes it truly amazing.

5 Stars * * * * *

Be sure to check out the Freedom to Read Giveaway Hop!  I am giving away 2 copies of Once Burned!

Still Missing

Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

On the day she was abducted, Annie O’Sullivan, a 32-year-old realtor, had three goals—sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever-patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor pulls up in a van as she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all.

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Reading Still Missing was like driving by a really bad car accident.  Even though it's horrible and you want to cover your eyes you can't help but stare. 

Annie O'Sullivan is a realtor that is abducted from an open house.  This book is her story as told during sessions with her psychiatrist after her escape.  She's drugged, thrown in the back of a van and driven to a remote cabin in the middle of who-knows-where.  Her abductor, whom she calls The Freak believes that he has saved her from her life.  He brings her to his home, which he has specially built just for her, complete with padlocks on the doors, drawers and even the refrigerator.  Her new life is a series of schedules.  Everything from eating, bathing, and even going to the bathroom are done only on his schedule.  For nearly a year Annie is held captive, rarely even getting to go outside.

This book is an outstanding debut novel.  It kept me riveted and on the edge of my seat.  As appalling as the story is, it is amazingly written.  I felt Annie's pain.  I felt her loathing of The Freak; I hated him for her.  And through all of the heartbreak I wanted to see Annie survive, not just her captivity, but the struggle after.  And quite frankly, the real horror begins when she gets home.

I gave Still Missing 5 stars and I look forward to seeing more of Chevy Stevens.

*I listened to the audiobook.