Novella Review - The Witch of Duva by Leigh Bardugo (5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Size: 614 KB
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: June 5, 2012
ASIN: B0085UCUG4
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone (prequel to the The Grisha Trilogy, but separate story)
Source: Bought
Rating: 5/5 stars

This is a short story set in the same world as Bardugo’s Grisha series. This story is set in Ravka but it is a prequel (timeline wise) it also follows different characters and is more of a folktale than anything else. The story has a very traditional dark folklore tale feel to it and was absolutely engrossing. I was amazed at what a great story Bardugo wove in such a small space. The characters were absolutely engaging and the story just sucked me right in.

The woods outside of Duva are said to eat girls, at least that has what Nadya has been raised believing. She gets to test the tale when her evil stepmom forces her out of the house at night and she finds herself at the door of the Witch of Duva herself.

Bardugo has said that Hansel and Gretel influenced this folktale, and you can definitely see the influences here...although this tale kind of turns Hansel and Gretel on its head.

Nadya is an excellent heroine, she is so easy to sympathize with. She’s a young girl with an okay life, but then as circumstances change and her father marries another woman and things get worse and worse for her. She is forced into a desperate situation where she must flee into the forest and confront the very thing that has always haunted her.

I was surprised at how engaging and entertaining all of the characters in this story were. They are so well developed and really came alive for me even though this was a very short story.

The suspense behind who/what the witch of Duva is and around the strange case of the disappearing girls is absolutely engrossing. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time trying to figure out and predict what was going on.

There are a lot of twists and turns and by the end of the story no one is who you thought they would be and everyone is different from what you initially expected. The ending totally caught me by surprise, but then when I stopped to think about it I realized that there were a lot of carefully hidden hints throughout the story that supported the surprise ending. It takes a very masterful writter to mislead the reader so deftly and pull such a huge twist that is completely surprising but totally seamless with the rest of the story.

This is a dark and twisted folk tale and echoes many of the original Grimm fairy tales. Children are eaten and disappear, and dark things hunt the woods of Duva. Humanity follows a much harsher code and is much crueler than what we typically see in our day to day life now.

Overall an absolutely outstanding short story, I absolutely loved it. I immediately went out and bought The Too Clever Fox for my Kindle as well and can’t wait to read that. It is amazing that Bardugo can write not only spectacular novels but also spectacular short stories. In my opinion really well done short stories are very hard to write because you have to set up the world, characters, and plot is such a short amount of space. I highly recommend this short story to fans of the Grisha series and to fans of dark and grimm fairy tales.

Graphic Novel Review - 1001 Nights of Snowfall (Fables Prequel) by Bill Willingham (5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy/Graphic Novel
Size: 144 pages
Publisher: Vertigo
Release Date: March 5, 2008
ISBN: 978-1401203696
Stand Alone or Series: Prequel to Fables series
Source: Swapped
Rating: 5/5 stars


This is a prequel to the Fables series and it was very well done. I enjoyed learning the back stories on some of our favorite characters. I also enjoyed the variety of different types of illustration, all of which were unique and beautiful.

This is a wonderful installment where Snow White is held hostage by the Sultan and, in exchange for delaying her execution, she tells the Sultan a new story every night. All of the stories tell of the pasts of Fables characters we have come to know and love. The illustrations vary a lot in style but are absolutely fantastic.

We hear about the Frog Prince and his past, about Snow White and how her and Rose Red came to be at odds. Another excellent story was the one about how Bigby was born and came to be the Big Bad Wolf he is in current stories. The stories are very well done and just wonderful.

We also learn about about the exile of the Fables to our world. Some of this back story we already know, but this installment provides some extra background.

I really really enjoyed learning the back stories for all of these wonderful Fables characters. It adds a lot of depth to these characters we know and love.

The variety of illustration was fantastic. All of these illustrations are very well done but very different from story to story.

Overall a very enjoyable addition to the Fables universe. If you are a fan of this series definitely pick this up. I would actually recommend this as an excellent introduction to the Fables world and great stand alone read as well. Fans of fantasy graphic novels should definitely check this out.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- Graphic Novel Reading Challenge
- 150+ Reading Challenge
- TBR Pile Reading Challenge

Review - Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles, Book 2) by Marissa Meyer (5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction/Paranormal
Size: 464 pages
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Release Date: February 5, 2013
ISBN: 978-0312642969
Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in the Lunar Chronicles series
Source: Borrowed from Library
Rating: 5/5 stars

This is the second book in the Lunar Chronicles. There are four books planned in this series with the third book, Cress, releasing in 2014 and the fourth book, Winter, releasing in 2015. This was an excellent continuation of this series. This book focuses on Scarlet and adds some wonderful new characters to the story.

Cinder’s story does continue in this book, as she tries to escape from prison. The majority of the book though follows Scarlet. Scarlet lives in one of the few operating farms in the French countryside. When her grandmother goes missing she travels into the city to try and get help. She gets help in the unlikely form of a street fighter named Wolf. But could Scarlet’s grandmother’s disappearance be tied in with the Lunar’s Queen’s politics?

The book switches between Cinder, Scarlet, and Prince Kai’s POV. The way the different POVs are done for this book works very well.

I absolutely adore the world this book is set in and the wonderful characters in this story. I love how fairy tale elements of Cinderella and Red Riding Hood continue to be woven throughout the plot. They are not the main plot elements but they are definitely there and influence the story.

The pace of the book is wonderful, the plot and characters are delightful. Cinder continues to be a very spunky character who is struggling with what she is and her responsibilities. Scarlet is less aggressive than Cinder but more caring and determined. Wolf is also an interesting character...he is torn between many loyalties but steadfast in his own way.

The story is definitely sci-fi...but it also has steampunk elements, cyborgs, aliens, and action galore. It was a wonderful read and I breezed through the book...it was so hard to put down. This is a really long book that feels really short when you read it.

I also love how Meyer has the very personal stories of Cinder and Scarlet tied in with the bigger story of war coming between the Lunars and the humans. The smaller story and the more epic story are balanced very nicely.

Overall just an absolutely wonderful and creative YA read. This has got to be one of the most creative YA series out there. The book is easy to read, with a very engaging storyline and characters that are easy to relate to. The story is growing to epic proportions but it is still easy to follow. I really look forward to reading future books in this series. Recommended to those who like young adult science fiction with a big dose of mystery and adventure.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- 150+ Reading Challenge
- ALIENS: Paranormal Reading Challenge
- Young Adult Reading Challenge

Graphic Novel Review - Cubs in Toyland (Fables, Book 18) by Bill Willingham (5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Graphic Novel/Fantasy
Size: 192 pages
Publisher: Vertigo
Release Date: January 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-1401237691
Stand Alone or Series: 18th book in the Fables series
Source: Gift
Rating: 5/5 stars


The last couple installments of the Fables trade back books have been good but not as excellent as previous books in the series. This book however was truly excellent. I really enjoyed it a lot.

Bigby’s and Snow’s children are growing up and being forced to assume responsibilities. Winter inherited her kingdom in the last book and this book focuses on Therese and Dare. Therese follows her creepy toy boat’s advice and ends up in Toyland. Toyland is a land inhabited by evil toys that needs a new Queen. As Therese struggles to survive and struggles with her sanity, her brother Dare sets off to try and find her.

This was an excellent installment in this series. I loved the adventures in Toyland and how involved we are getting with Bigby’s and Snow’s kids. The prophecy about Bigby’s and Snow’s kids is slowly coming to light. We’ve meet the child that will become a king, in this story we read about the child that does an evil thing and the child that dies to stop her.

The evil toy kingdom is one that’s been written about before. Mike Raicht’s The Stuff of Legend graphic novels do an excellent job exploring a similar theme. This is a dark story and it is very well done. I love how the story wraps up and what Therese decides to do to atone.

There is also a side story about the Fables going to explore Mister Dark’s old castle and finding Nurse Sprat.

The illustration was excellent and in keeping with previous installments. Fans of the series should be pleased with this addition, it’s one of the best Fables installments released in a while.

Overall a very solid addition to the Fables series. I really enjoyed reading more about Snow and Bigby’s children and how they are slowly fulfilling the prophecy. This whole series is recommended to fans of fairy tales and urban fantasy who love graphic novels.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- Graphic Novel Reading Challenge
- 150+ Reading Challenge

Review - In a Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz (5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy
Size: 192 pages
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Release Date: September 27, 2012
ISBN: 978-0525425816
Stand Alone or Series: Sequel to a Tale Dark and Grimm
Source: Borrowed from Library
Rating: 5/5 stars

This is the sequel to a Tale Dark and Grimm. I loved a Tale Dark and Grimm, it was hilarious and very well done. In a Glass Grimmly is written in very much the same style as A Tale Dark and Grimm. If you enjoyed the first book, you will love this book. I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait to see what Gidwitz writes next. This book can be read as a stand alone, but A Tale Dark and Grimm was an excellent read too....so why not go and read that book first!?

Jack and Jill go on a quest to recover a magic Mirror. The quest takes them through many different fairy tales and many dangers. There are interludes by the narrator that are hilarious and really make this book something different and special.

Jill is living with a mother who is obsessed with her beauty. When Jill’s mother forces her to wear a dress made out of the finest silk (silk so fine it’s invisible to Jill) she ends up humiliated and flees the castle. Jill is a smart and practical young girl and flees to her cousin’s house, Jack.

Jack is pretty much a loser. He tries to redeem himself to his father by selling the last asset of the family, the family cow, for some magic beans. Well the beans aren’t quite magic. That is until Jill and Jack make a promise to an old woman that they will recover a magic mirror for her if she grants their dreams.

Jill and Jack offset each other nicely. Jill is cautious and thinks things through. Jack acts before he thinks and is constantly trying to prove himself. Together they go through a number of adventures woven in and out of a variety of fairy tales.

The narrator intercedes throughout, warning of horrible scenes that are coming your way...occasionally also pouting about how the reader doesn’t really need him for this description or that. It is very funny and adds a lot to the story.

These stories are based off of the original Grimm tales so the things that happen in here aren’t pretty or pleasant. In fact they are pretty gross and at times disturbing. Because of this I would recommend only for Middle Grade and older readers. I really want to read this with my 6 year old son...he would think parts of it are hilarious...but I’m going to wait a few years so I don’t scare the stuffing out of him with this book.

Overall an absolutely wonderful and hilarious read. The story is funny without being silly, it’s heartfelt at times too. This book is just a super fun read. Highly recommended for fans of fairy tales and fantasy adventure stories.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- YA/MG Fantasy Reading Challenge
- 150+ Reading Challenge
- Young Adult Reading Challenge

Graphic Novel Review - Inherit the Wind (Fables, Book 17) by Bill Willingham (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy/Graphic Novel
Size: 144 pages
Publisher:Vertigo
Release Date: July 10, 2012
ISBN: 978-140123516
Stand Alone or Series: 17th book in the Fables series
Source: Gift
Rating: 4/5 stars


This is the 17th book in the Fables series and picks up after the battle with Mister Dark. It was a decent installment in the series and I enjoyed it. We see a lot of little snippets of different stories here, so it is a bit of a transition book.

In this book we start to see a number of new storylines starting up. The Fables are trying to rebuild their lives. Buffkin is trying to start a rebellion in Oz. A new North Wind must be chosen, and the ex-nurse Spratt is honing her fighting skills to revenge Mister Dark.

A lot is going on in this book, it was an enjoyable read but a bit piecemeal. You get quick snippets from all the different stories. The storyline that gets the most attention is the choosing of the new North Wind. We get to meet the other winds and watch as Snow and Bigby’s children compete to be the North Wind.

Amidst that North Wind storyline we see the Fables rebuilding and Buffkin started a rebellion in Oz. A lot of time is also devoted to Nurse Spratt as she trains to take on a new identity and revenge Mister Dark. It seems like she will be playing a large role in future installments.

There is also Christmas special in which Rose tries to decide what type of Lady of Hope she will become.

As with previous books the illustration was wonderful and in keeping with the story.

Overall a solid addition to this series. I enjoyed the North Wind storyline and am curious where the storylines featuring Buffkin and Nurse Spratt are going. Recommended to fans of urban fantasy graphic novels.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- Graphic Novel Reading Challenge
- 150+ Reading Challenge
- TBR Pile Reading Challenge

Review - The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Size: 128 pages
Publisher: Penguin Books
Release Date: January 1, 1990
ISBN: 978-0140178210
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Swapped through Paperbackswap.com
Rating: 4/5 stars


This book was recommended to me as an excellent set of adult short story fairy tale retellings (which I am a fan of). This book contains a number of fairy tale retellings told in a beautifully descriptive and somewhat disturbing story style. I enjoyed it, but it was a slow read for me. Something to be savored and not rushed.

This book contains a number of fairy retellings including (but not limited to) the following retellings: Bluebeard, Puss in Boots, Beauty and the Beast, and Red Riding Hood. It also includes a couple short stories about vampires and werewolves.

I enjoyed reading this, although it is a slow read because it is written in a flowery style with older style language. This makes the story beautifully descriptive, but you really have to read carefully.

Although they are beautifully written these aren’t a set of tales for children. On the back it describes them as “vulgar” at times and that is pretty much right on the mark. At times the language and disturbing scenes of violence and/or sex are almost jarring embedded in this beautiful flowing language. It makes for a fascinating contrast, but is definitely adults only suitable.

A number of tales feature young woman who place themselves in a risky situation to gain wealth and power. As you might expect they are forced to pay the price by sleeping with older disturbing men or a beastly animal-like man...etc.

Overall I enjoyed the book and found it a interesting read. The language is beautiful, the stories are crafted in an old-fashioned way with flowery language, the vulgar scenes provide an interesting and disturbing contrast to the rest of the stories. These are not happy faerie tales but more disturbing cautionary tales. Recommended to adults who enjoy fairy tale retellings and are up for something a bit different than your standard retelling.

This book goes towards the following reading challenge:
- 150+ Reading Challenge
- Paranormal Reading Challenge
- TBR Pile Reading Challenge

Audiobook Review - Iron Hearted Violet by Kelly Barnhill (3/5 stars)

Reading Level: Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy
Size: 432 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: October 9, 2012
ISBN: 978-0316056731
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Audibook from Audible.com
Rating: 3/5 stars


I listened to this on audiobook. It was an okay fairy tale about how being ugly on the outside doesn’t mean you are an ugly person. I had some issues with the story and the narration.

I listened to this on audiobook and wasn't a huge fan of the narrator. All the women's voices sounded like men with clogged up throats.

This was a fairy tale like fantasy about Violent, an ugly young princess, who gets drawn in by an evil banished God. As a result she almost destroys the kingdom in her search for beauty. It's also the story about a King obsessed with a Dragon.

It is interesting how a storyteller narrates the whole story. I enjoyed the fairy tale feel to it. I loved the inclusion of dragons. The story ends with an interesting twist to it that will leave readers surprised and intrigued.

It does bother me a bit though how Violet is so beautiful on the cover of the book, yet throughout it a point is made to constantly described her ugliness. In the end it is the beauty of her personality that makes people love her, but I didn't enjoy the emphasis put on looks and how her main feature was her ugliness.

I didn’t enjoy or engage with most of the characters in this book. The exception was Dimitri who is a stable boy who is trying to solve the mystery of why the things are going so horribly in the castle. He was an engaging and interesting character and also pretty much the only “good” character in the story.

Overall it was a decently done story and decently written, I just never really enjoyed the characters all that much. I did like the fairy tale feel to it and the twist at the end of the story. I didn’t enjoy the inconsistency between the illustration and the description of Violet in the book. I personally wouldn’t recommend this unless you are really into the ugly princess type of story.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- 150+ Books Reading Challenge

Early Review - Princess of the Silver Woods (Twelve Dancing Princesses, Book 3) by Jessica Day George (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Size: 336 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Release Date: December 11, 2012
ISBN: 978-1599906461
Stand Alone or Series: 3rd book in the Twelve Dancing Princesses series (last book in series)
Source: ARC through NetGalley(dot)com
Rating: 4/5 stars

This is the third, and final, book in the Twelve Dancing Princesses series by George. It was a well done story and did a great job of wrapping up the series.

Petunia is excited when she receives an invitation to visit a childhood friend in Westfalen. On the way though she encounters the strange two-legged wolves who are bent on distributing the wealth of the nobles to their own people. These two legged wolves end up being more earnest and handsome than dangerous. When Petunia finally arrives at Westfalen she finds that a plot is afoot that involves her old enemy the King Under Stone. It will take Petunia along with all of her sisters and their husbands to put the curse of The King Under Stone to rest once and for all.

This story was blend of Red Riding Hood and Robin Hood, with some background reference to Rapunzel as well. I loved how these fairy tales were blended into Petunia’s story.

Petunia was an interesting character. She’s not as tough as Poppy; in fact she is kind of the baby of the family. But she is determined to make it on her own and is deadly with her pistol when the need arises.

Petunia’s prince was a bit more lackluster; he just came off as your typical prince-type to me. Sure he starts off as a bandit, but his personality was much like those of the other princes we have seen in this series.

There isn’t as much romance in this book as in the previous two. This book is more about the curse of the King Under Stone and combating it. For this all of Petunia’s sisters are back in the story.

Much of the story involves Petunia’s sisters and their husbands. It was fun to see a lot more of Rose and Galen. Additionally some of the older mystical characters from the first book are back in the story as well. George does an excellent job of including all of these characters but not making the story confusing.

There was more action in this book than in previous ones and it was well done. The plot involving the Kind Under Stone was nicely resolved.

Overall this was a very satisfying conclusion to this series. Petunia is an interesting character and definitely adds her own flavor to the story. There is less romance in this book, but more action. The story involves all of Petunia’s sisters and their husbands as well. This whole series is recommended to those who enjoy princess stories or fairy tale retellings.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- 150+ Books Reading Challenge

Review - Princess of Glass (Twelve Dancing Princesses, Book 2) by Jessica Day George (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Size: 272 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Release Date: February 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1599904780
Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book of Twelve Dancing Princesses series
Source: Bought for Kindle
Rating: 4/5 stars

This is the 2nd book in the Twelve Dancing Princesses by George. This book features Poppy and I actually liked it even better than Princess of the Midnight Ball. It is a wonderful and sweet fantasy read; it loosely retells the story of Cinderella. The third book in this series, Princess of the Silver Woods  is scheduled to be released in December of 2012.

Princess Poppy is unhappy and when an opportunity comes up to participate in a royal exchange program she is happy to do so. While in a neighboring kingdom Poppy begins to develop a tenuous relationship with a Prince. Things gets complicated when her maid Ella is tricked by the evil Corley and ends up vying for the Prince’s attention.

This was a sweet and simple read. If you enjoyed Princess of the Midnight Ball you will enjoy this book as well. I loved that this built on some of the elements in the first book.

I actually enjoyed this book even more than Princess of the Midnight Ball; it is a creative and engaging retelling of the Cinderella story. It involves a lot of the same elements but with a twist. There is an evil fairy godmother, molten glass slippers, and of course a handsome prince and a beautiful princess.

Poppy is the sister that features in this story, and she is a lot of fun. She absolutely abhors dancing, because of the events in the first book, but dances exceedingly well. She is more of card-shark than anything. She is also witty and smart, and very good at investigating the mystery surrounding Ella.

The Prince, whose name I am blanking on right now, was your typical wonderful Prince. He falls for Poppy hard and of course is respectful and supportive of her...at least when he’s not being bespelled by the Corley.

There are lots of descriptions of the beautiful clothing the characters wear. Many of the characters are matched up with each other, making for a large dash of romance in this book as well. So definitely a kind of girly read.

The Corely made for a delightfully evil villainess. Her obsession with all things glass was intriguing and I enjoyed her back story as well.

The story was an easy, engaging read. This is a clean read that’s suitable for all ages; although I would recommend middle grade and older.

Overall a solid fairy tale retelling. This isn’t a heavy read, it is mostly light and sweet. Poppy is a plucky heroine that is fun to read about and easy to engage with. There are some creative twists on the Cinderella fairy tale in here as well. If you love retold fairy tales and princess stories you will enjoy this book.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- 150+ Books Reading Challenge
- TBR Pile Reading Challenge

Graphic Novel Review - Super Team (Fables, 16) by Bill Willingham (4/5 Stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Graphic Novel/Urban Fantasy
Size: 160 pages
Publisher: Vertigo
Release Date: December 20, 2011
ISBN: 978-1401233068
Stand Alone or Series: 16th book in the Fables series
Source: Gift
Rating: 4/5 stars

This is the 16th book in the Fables series. It was a decent installment in this series. The story surrounding Mister Dark comes to a climax and we learn a little more about Bufkin in the Office.

In this issue Ozma creates a Super Team to take on Mister Dark, but the North Wind gets to him first. The book also includes a little story about Bufkin the Monkey and a story about Sleeping Beauty.

Bufkin is returned to his homeland in this story and another storyline is started with Sleeping Beauty, but the main point of this installment is to take care of the Mister Dark storyline.

Ozma and Pinocchio decide to put together a Super Team to go and fight Mister Dark. They hold auditions and make silly looking skin-tight costumes for the group. All in all it is a little silly but also a bit ironic...you know...having fables in super hero suits.

Ozma and Pinnochio’s plot is set astray when the North Wind gets ideas of his own.

The illustrations are in keeping with previous issues and I enjoyed them, they fit the tone of the story well. It was also nice to have the whole Mister Dark storyline finally tied up.

Overall a decent addition to the series. I enjoyed the way the Mister Dark story was tied up, but thought the whole Fables as super heroes thing was a bit goofy. I am intrigued to see where the Sleeping Beauty bit ends up going. Highly recommended to fans of fairy tale retellings and urban fantasy.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- Graphic Novel Challenge
- Horror and Urban Fantasy Challenge
- 150+ Books Reading Challenge