A White So Red Review

A White So Red

By K.D. Jones

Published September 25th, 2012 Pesante Press

410 pages

e-book version only

4 stars - Great retelling!

Take back what is yours.

Seventeen-year-old Snow’s life changed forever the night her stepmother, the Queen, sent her huntsman to cut out her heart. Fleeing for her life, Snow runs to the Silver Forest, a place as dangerous as it is enchanting, and begins an adventure she could never have dreamed.

With no one at her side but a rowdy band of carnivorous dwarves and an arrogant, rogue prince who’s too handsome for his own good, Snow must confront the challenge that’s been laid before her: Kill the Queen, and take back the kingdom that should have been hers.

But if she is to succeed, Snow will have to tap into a powerful, ancient form of magic, one that may have been sleeping inside her all along.

                                                                         ---------------

I really enjoyed this book and the fact that it was, in a way, a re-telling of one of my favorite stories, Snow White.  The fact that some parts were obviously the same and then the rest of the book was completely different was great. A White So Red is intense, suspenseful, magical and completely intriguing. The relationships forged in this book are amazing as well.

Seventeen year old Snow is doomed. She is hated by her Stepmother, the Queen, and is being hunted down in hopes of having her killed. Snow is the rightful heir to the throne and the best choice but with the Queen alive the throne will never be hers. So now she has to find her way through a magical forest full of dangerous creatures and work to stay alive because she has one person on her mind, her sister. If Snow doesn't make then Rose is as good as dead too. So will Snow find her way back to the kingdom? And will she take what is rightfully hers?

Snow is really just a false name for the princess Natalia and I like the fact that it isn't her real name because it just shows how different this is from the usual Snow White. Plus A White so Red is far more dark and sad in ways then the happy fairy tale Disney portrayed Snow White as. Though I do love both :). 

Right from the very start you can see that Snow is an extremely strong girl and has tremendous love for her sister. She is protective and loyal and is a pretty great older sister. She takes the abuse of the Queen and stays strong even though her life is far from how it was meant to be. She has lost both parents and takes her responsibility for her sister very seriously. I also love how she is able to make bad situations good and she sticks to doing what she knows is right, even if it's going to be horrible in the process. The dwarves are dangerous creatures, man-eating ones even, but I had a few of my favorites in the group. There is also a prince, Caspar, and he has a pretty big part in helping Snow claim her kingdom back but he doesn't always save her which I know most readers enjoy. Again, Snow is strong enough to save herself and of course she isn't very human either. But anyways I really loved Caspar, he was a great character and of course very charming. There are so many great characters in this story, like Via, one of Snow's new friends with a surprising past.

This version is a great version, its different and full of actual magic, danger and romance. There are different kingdoms that we learn of and the whole story is just completely intriguing and magical. It was a great read and the ending was definitely different than what I thought it would be but it was great as well. So check this one out and see for yourself!

Vanessa

How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True Review

How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True

By Sarah Strohmeyer

Published April 23rd, 2010 by Balzer+Bray

320 pages

4 stars - Charming and Funny!

From Sarah Strohmeyer, author of Smart Girls Get What They Want, comes this romantic comedy about one girl's summer job from hell. Think The Devil Wears Prada set in Disney World.

When cousins Zoe and Jess land summer internships at the Fairyland Kingdom theme park, they are sure they've hit the jackpot. With perks like hot Abercrombie-like Prince Charmings and a chance to win the coveted $25,000 Dream & Do grant, what more could a girl want?

Once Zoe arrives, however, she's assigned to serve "The Queen"-Fairyland's boss from hell. From spoon-feeding her evil lapdog caviar, to fetching midnight sleeping tonics, Zoe fears she might not have what it takes to survive the summer, much less win the money.

Soon backstabbing interns, a runaway Cinderella, and cutthroat competition make Zoe's job more like a nightmare than a fairy tale. What will happen when Zoe is forced to choose between serving The Queen and saving the prince of her dreams?

Review:

This was a truly entertaining and charming book. It's definitely one that you need to check out because it's a fun summer read. The characters are great and the problems and lessons you learn are just real.

Zoe is a great character and I really enjoyed reading the book through her. She has had challenges already in life and right now all she wants to do is have a chance at winning the competition for her cousin. Throughout the book we find out that Zoe is selfless and cares about her cousin and friends. She is loyal and kind. Even though she ends up becoming an overworked assistant she doesn't give up in hopes of getting the grant for her cousin. The other characters are great as well and I enjoyed how some of them ended up becoming more than I thought they were.

This book is full of funny, charming, and entertaining moments. I loved how they were at a sort of Disney Land type park and it's just cool to think about how much training people who work there would have to have. The feel of the book was magical in some ways but in the end it really was just a real girl going through the challenges that anyone would face. The ending is great and not how you would think it would end while reading the book. Once again it really is a great summer read and one that is quick and fun. So check it out and find out for yourself!

Vanessa

It's Been A Year!

Hey everyone! So I've been so busy with my outside life right now that I didn't notice that my blog just turned one year old! Haha, yeah I missed the day but I remember posting up all these reviews during this time just a year ago. Time sure does go by fast and I can't believe how successful I've been so far. I'm looking forward to the years ahead and hopefully I'll be able to grow with my reviews and just anything blog related. I'd also like to thank anyone who has been reading my reviews and I hope that they've helped you out. I started this blog because I wanted to be able to talk about books in a place where people wouldn't instantly become bored or annoyed. I've definitely been able to accomplish that and I've had fun telling about the books that I've come by. So Happy 1 year Blog0versary! 

Look forward to some more reviews and different types of post related to books, movies and much more! 

Vanessa

The Maze Runner Review

The Maze Runner (Maze Runner#1)

By James Dashner

Published October 6th, 2009 by Delacorte Press

374 pages

4 stars - Awesome Read!!!

The first book in the New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series—The Maze Runner is a modern classic, perfect for fans of The Hunger Gamesand Divergent.

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every thirty days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. 

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

Ok so I just started this series like a week ago and now I'm wondering why I never picked this book up before! To be honest the main reason I picked it up now was because I figured out that Dylan O'Brien would be playing Thomas in the Maze Runner movie. I had been intrigued by this book before but I just never thought to give it a try. Plus there was a huge wait list but I finally read it and now I am glad to say that I have a new series to add to my list of favorites.

Even though fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent might find this series to be right up there alley, it's still a work of it's own. Thomas is the main character and one of my favorite things as a female reader is to be able to stay intrigued in a book that is narrated by a male character. Oh and did I mention that there are only a couple of series were I've had this happen? So anyways we see everything that goes on in the Glade through Thomas' eyes and he doesn't have any of his memories. He doesn't know where he is or who all these boys are or even why he was dumped into the Glade by means of a huge Box. There are only boys living in the Glade and they don't get any older than about 18 years old. Some have lived there longer than others but they all have one thing in common, no one has any memories of a life before the Glade and the Maze. The language is different in some ways and they have a whole system of their own. So Thomas is the new kid but soon he becomes more than that. Things start changing the next day when a girl is sent up, something that doesn't happen every day. The walls wont close to the Maze where dangers lurk and a way out seems impossible to find. Or is it as difficult as it seems?

Thomas was a great character to be able to see things through. He was an all around good guy and was loyal and caring. He didn't want to see anyone get hurt and he was determined to find a way out of the Maze. I also enjoyed Tereasa and how strong she seemed to be even though everyone was suspicious of her. It was interesting to learn the reasons for the boys being stuck in a world that wasn't real. There were twists and turns and times of suspense. I even felt my heart racing at times hoping that Thomas and the others would get out safely. The ending is definitely a good lead into the next book and leaves you wanting more. You want to know what's going on in the outside world and why nobody has their memories. There are funny moments, heartbreaking ones and many moments of suspense and action. Dashner sure did a great job and grabbing my attention and now I can't wait for the movie to come out. So check this book out if you haven't yet! 

The Maze Runner movie comes out Feb. 14th, 2014!

Vanessa