Review: My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton & Jodi Meadows

My Plain Jane (The Lady Janies #2) by Cynthia Hand, 
Brodi Ashton & Jodi Meadows 
Publication date: June 26th 2018
Publisher: HarperTeen
My rating:  2.5-3 Stars
Pages: 464
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | TBD | Kobo

 

You may think you know the story. After a miserable childhood, penniless orphan Jane Eyre embarks on a new life as a governess at Thornfield Hall. There, she meets one dark, brooding Mr. Rochester. Despite their significant age gap (!) and his uneven temper (!!), they fall in love—and, Reader, she marries him. (!!!)

Or does she?

Prepare for an adventure of Gothic proportions, in which all is not as it seems, a certain gentleman is hiding more than skeletons in his closets, and one orphan Jane Eyre, aspiring author Charlotte Brontë, and supernatural investigator Alexander Blackwood are about to be drawn together on the most epic ghost hunt this side of Wuthering Heights.

My Thoughts:

I loved the first book in this series, My Lady Jane, which tweaked history is an entirely good way.  The actual story is pretty awful, and so the changes were quite welcome.  This second installment, which has nothing to do with the previous story other than it being a famous “Jane”, this time a tweaking of the original Jane Eyre. 

Since I loved the original Jane Eyre and the romance, I can’t say I was thrilled with the changes to the story and romance in this version.  Wasn’t really a romance at all except between Charlotte and Alexander, but that was Highlight for Spoiler left open ended, and I like my romances wrapped up nice and tidy, End of Spoiler so that was disappointing too.  The story was entertaining, the magical elements were fun, and I did have a laugh here and there, because seriously these ladies are very funny! Still, I have to say, the story felt a bit convoluted and went on longer than I would’ve liked.

Helen was an annoying character I could’ve done without, and Jane wasn’t my favorite character either. I enjoyed Charlotte (as in Brontë) and Alexander and their POVs the best.  While I was a bit underwhelmed by this installment I fully intend on picking up the next endeavor of this writing team: My Calamity Jane which promises to have a better ending than the original version. I am all for that!

 2.5-3 Stars

 

Review: Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld

Eligible (The Austen Project #4) by Curtis Sittenfeld
Publisher: Random House
Publication date: April 19th 2016
My rating: 1 star/DNF
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A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

This version of the Bennet family—and Mr. Darcy—is one that you have and haven’t met before: Liz is a magazine writer in her late thirties who, like her yoga instructor older sister, Jane, lives in New York City. When their father has a health scare, they return to their childhood home in Cincinnati to help—and discover that the sprawling Tudor they grew up in is crumbling and the family is in disarray.

Youngest sisters Kitty and Lydia are too busy with their CrossFit workouts and Paleo diets to get jobs. Mary, the middle sister, is earning her third online master’s degree and barely leaves her room, except for those mysterious Tuesday-night outings she won’t discuss. And Mrs. Bennet has one thing on her mind: how to marry off her daughters, especially as Jane’s fortieth birthday fast approaches.

Enter Chip Bingley, a handsome new-in-town doctor who recently appeared on the juggernaut reality TV dating show Eligible. At a Fourth of July barbecue, Chip takes an immediate interest in Jane, but Chip’s friend neurosurgeon Fitzwilliam Darcy reveals himself to Liz to be much less charming. . . .
And yet, first impressions can be deceiving. 

My Thoughts:

Eligible is supposed to be a re-telling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, but I found it more of a mocking shell of that beloved classic than any re-telling.  There’s no way I’m going to imagine that the original version would’ve ever devolved into this story. I didn’t care for or respect any of the characters, maybe with the exception of Jane.  Just the fact that Bingley was in a Bachelor type reality dating show gave me pause. Didn’t care for the situation they were in when I stopped reading.

I was utterly frustrated that Liz would waste so many years (twelve? I don’t care enough to check) on a man that was (highlight for spoiler) taken either by a girlfriend or later by his wife! Oh, and they had a toddler when Liz and Jasper finally got together! I’m sorry, Liz, but you brushing your hair away before Jasper could do it all those years ago didn’t foil your meant-to-be relationship! He was/is an ass and you were/are an idiot! ( (end of spoiler) I was very underwhelmed by her relationship with Darcy. Had Liz been a likable character or one that I could relate to in any way I might have enjoyed this story even with the abundance of hateful people. Sadly, that wasn’t the case.

When I got to the 52% mark (a little over 250 pages) I just couldn’t read any further.

Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens
Publication Date: 5th May 2015
My Rating: 4.5 stars  

Feyre’s survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price. Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre’s presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.

I’m not usually one to read books featuring faeries, the handful that I have read previously didn’t really end up leaving the greatest impression with me, but when it came to Maas writing a new book, I don’t care what it’s about, just that I need it in my hands right away. And I’m glad I didn’t focus too much on the faeries aspect of this book beforehand as once again Maas didn’t disappoint.

Feyre does everything for her family, after the dire circumstances they found themselves in Feyre has to resort to any means possible to provide food on the table for her two sisters and father. She’s basically taught herself everything and even though it seems as if her sisters don’t appreciate what she’s doing (they seem to spend what she makes as soon as possible) Feyre risks her life in making ends meet. So when she comes across a wolf whilst out hunting, Feyre once again puts the lives of her family before her own. Her kill also looks that it will tide her family over longer than things she’s hunted in the past. But the when a best-like creature turns upon her doorstep wanting to know who was behind it and the worst possible stipulation Feyre’s life takes a turn for the worse.

I truly did feel for Feyre, she literally did everything, so when she decides to leave her family behind and live in Prythian I was hoping that things would get a lot better for her. Prythian was one heck of a super scary place, and although it seems as if the faeries weren’t going to hurt her, they still seemed super annoyed about her killing their friend. And could she really trust the faeries after all the things that she had heard about? I was super curious about getting to know Tamlin and Lucien, although Lucien did make me super wary about him, I loved seeing this tender side of Tamlin come out when for the majority of the time he was such a formidable character who seemed to growl a lot (I should have known that I was going to fall hard and fast for him after I heard him growl the first time, characters who growl are always one of my weaknesses). But I also loved the progress that Feyre was able to make, I knew that she was a strong character from the beginning with all the hunting she was used to, but she also really came into her own as the book progressed. Despite being told numerous times not to venture out of the palace, of course Feyre could be a little curious at times, and although she did find herself in dire situations, I was sort of happy to experience these tight situations that she used to find herself in. They did of course create a lot of anxiety, but ended up being a few of my favourite scenes.

I loved the character progression that we got of Feyre, Tamlin and Lucien as the book progressed. Lucien actually was a really funny character once you got to know him. And Tamlin where could I even start with this marvellous character? If you thought you loved the characters that Maas created in her Throne of Glass series, you honestly haven’t experienced anything yet. I loved the fierce side of Tamlin, how he would go and seek creatures that were lurking around on his land, how people knew never to get on his bad side. But when the fierce side was gone, I loved him even more, he was considerate, and a total sweetheart (something which I never expected). Some of his scenes with Feyre were just delightful to read, I certainly hope Maas has a lot more for us in the next two books. *blushes*

Maas really threw a lot our way in the first half of the book, but I have to say despite the heartache I had to go through the second half was my favourite. Maas really upped her game, there was already a lot of conflict, deception and power struggles going on, but there was even more upheaval and emotional trauma flying our way later on. One character I immediately wanted to throttle, I don’t know how another character could stay so calm around her, and I guess it was in their best interests to do so. And then there was another character that really did go out of their way to annoy me with their antics, but he was still one character who I became super intrigued by. His charm at times could be hard to resist, I didn’t end up switching sides in this book, but this character I certainly wouldn’t mind learning more about in the future books especially the way things turned out.

A Court of Thorns and Roses was a spectacular start to what I’ll know will be an epic series. Maas has truly crushed all my weak assumptions I had about faeries before, honestly now I wouldn’t mind having someone like Tamlin around. The only thing I suggest to readers who will be giving this a go is not to make assumptions of characters early on, I was quick to do this and was thrilled to find out that I couldn’t be more wrong. I highly recommend fans of Maas and all readers to give this book a go, it’s full with fierce characters, crazy scenes and non-stop action and of course it has some beautiful scenes for those romance fans out there. *sigh* honestly this is just one epic book!

Review & Giveaway: Strands of Bronze & Gold by Jane Nickerson

Strand of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Publication date: March 12th 2013
My rating:  4.5 stars 

The Bluebeard fairy tale retold. . . .

When seventeen-year-old Sophia Petheram’s beloved father dies, she receives an unexpected letter. An invitation—on fine ivory paper, in bold black handwriting—from the mysterious Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, her godfather. With no money and fewer options, Sophie accepts, leaving her humble childhood home for the astonishingly lavish Wyndriven Abbey, in the heart of Mississippi.

Sophie has always longed for a comfortable life, and she finds herself both attracted to and shocked by the charm and easy manners of her overgenerous guardian. But as she begins to piece together the mystery of his past, it’s as if, thread by thread, a silken net is tightening around her. And as she gathers stories and catches whispers of his former wives—all with hair as red as her own—in the forgotten corners of the abbey, Sophie knows she’s trapped in the passion and danger of de Cressac’s intoxicating world.

Glowing strands of romance, mystery, and suspense are woven into this breathtaking debut—a thrilling retelling of the “Bluebeard” fairy tale.

I’m not usually drawn to historical romances, but I’m so glad I picked this one up because it was an exciting ride!  Strands of Bronze and Gold was filled with mystery and opulence, and oozed suspense.  I was on the edge of my seat for much of this read!

Sophie is a girl “genteel, but only in a theoretical way.”  As she goes on to explain, theoretically she knows how to live a fancy life but in practice can’t afford it.   This is all about to change when her father dies unexpectedly and her godfather, Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, collects her to live at Wyndriven Abbey.  Although Sophie has not seen M. Bernard since she was a little girl, he’s sent extravagant gifts to her over the years.  She assumes he’s old and married but soon finds out he is neither.  He’s not more than forty, he’s stunningly handsome and a widower. 

Sophie is both shocked and flattered by his treatment.  He doesn’t behave like a father figure but she’s captivated by his enigmatic personality and good looks.  He lavishes attention and gifts on her and it’s wonderful, but also too much.  Sophie soon feels the shine of this opulent life wear off and soon she finds M. Bernard’s demeanor can change in a heartbeat.  He’s happy and all charm one minute and the next his temper flares.  He wants Sophie only to himself, keeping her isolated from any outsiders and even frowning on her becoming friendly with the servants.  Little curiosities start popping up, and Sophie starts to wonder about M. Bernard’s past. 

This was dark, romantic, and mysterious.  The suspense notched up in intensity chapter by chapter and I was anxious to discover what would happen next.  M. Bernard’s character thrilled and attracted me in one moment, only to repel and frighten me in the next! 

“I worried you might be huddled in your bed terrified. I tried to come reassure you.”

“Did you?”

“I did, but your door was locked. Do you lock it every night?”

“I do.”

“Do you think someone is plotting against your virtue?” A gleam of amusement twinkled in his honey brown eyes.

“No sir, I simply feel more secure with the big dark house shut out.”

“You know I have all the keys, don’t you? I could enter at any time I wanted.” *

*heart beats wildly*

Sophie, who’s only seventeen, is forced into dealing with things beyond her years.  She was just the type of heroine I love:  admirable, brave, and resourceful.  She wasn’t whiny or frustrating in her choices but you wonder nervously how this will all turn out.  I will say there is romance, for those of you like me that need to know.  But I won’t elaborate any further.

The descriptions of the lavish surroundings brought this extravagant world to life. You’re impressed but at the same time a little disturbed by it too:

Knowing my past predilection for luxury, I should be in raptures to reside in such surroundings, showered with lovely things. But everything was too much. It was as if the world here were coated with glamour, as in some fairy tales, with nothing really as it seemed. *

I starting reading this knowing it was a re-telling of Bluebeard, but I’ve never been real clear on the story.  I knew it involved killing his wives, and you really don’t need to know more than that.  It doesn’t make a difference in your enjoyment one way or the other, but if you’re curious the author has the Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale on Ms. Nickerson’s blog.  There’s also an interesting history of the tale on Wikipedia and I found a few details carried into this story. 

As I said before, I don’t gravitate toward historical romance.  Usually all the descriptions make me yawn, but not in this case.  There was a lot of description, but Ms. Nickerson gave just enough to immerse me in the world without bogging down the plot.  It was a thrilling read!

I’m curious to hear what the next book will be about since this wraps up nicely.  I think it’s a companion novel set in the same world. 

*Quotes taken from uncorrected proof and may change in the final copy.
  
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Blog tour and review: Fall For You by Cecilia Gray

Today I have the opportunity to review Cecilia Gray's Fall For You as part of the AToMr blog tour.

  Title: Fall For You
  Author: Cecilia Gray
  My rating: 3 stars

 

Jane Austen meets Pretty Little Liars in this fresh, new young-adult series! * * *

The last thing that the girls at the elite Jane Austen Academy need is hot guys to flirt with. Please. They need to stay focused on something that lasts much longer: an acceptance letter from an Ivy. But over the summer the school has been sold, and like it or not, the guys are coming. And it's about to turn the Academy--and the lives of its students--totally upside down... * * *

 To say Lizzie and Dante are polar opposites is the understatement of the century. He's a snooty Exeter transfer with more money than Google. She's a driven study-a-holic barely keeping up with tuition. It's obvious that Dante thinks he's way too good for Lizzie. And Lizzie knows Dante is a snob with a gift for pushing her buttons. But things are changing fast this year at the Academy. And when Lizzie's quest to stop those changes blows up in her face, taking her oldest friendship with it, she has nowhere else to turn but to Dante, with his killer blue eyes, his crazy-sexy smile, and his secrets... Secrets Lizzie can't seem to leave alone, no matter how hard she tries...

Modern retellings tend to be the latest trend around these days. I’m always a little anxious about whether it will ruin my love for the original book. Pride and Prejudice is an all time favourite classic of mine. So when I saw Cecelia Gray was proposing an entire Jane Austen academy series re-telling my interest was piqued, I was a little worried too, what if I didn’t love it? What if it tarnished the feelings I associated with Jane Austen classic? I decided to risk it.

Lizzie has been attending the elite Jane Austen academy; it’s a school which has been owned by a family for generations and is renowned for its prestigiousness. It’s also Lizzie’s one way shot to Georgetown. But then new owners take over and place a obnoxious head mistress in charge who wants to ruin everything the Jane Austin academy represented and under the latest “new improvements” are for the first time allowing boys to enrol there. Lizzie is absolutely livid, first they’re allowing boys in, but obnoxious stuck up ones like Dante?

Fall for You was a fun easy read which I devoured in one sitting. Once I’d entered the Jane Austen academy I immediately formed a strong bond with the characters. I enjoyed how the constant crossed wires led to comical clashes between characters, how Lizzie continually tries to push for an us against them divide. I also enjoyed the banter between the groups, it really made The Jane Austen academy feel like a fun place to be around.

Lizzie Egmont just like Lizzie Bennett was brash, hot headed and even though she occasionally followed the rules, she would slightly manipulate them to her benefit. She was a hugely animated character, with all these big and beautiful ideas to save the school. But she was also hugely naive, she was quick to make assumptions about other characters and stick to them stubbornly. I guess in this way she reminded me of Lizzie Bennett, but in comparison she didn’t have a notch on her.

Dante was a whole new kettle of fish; I feel that we weren’t able to see much of his character as I’d hoped, but the side we did get to see of him I enjoyed. He was aloof, distant, brooding and secretive. I would have loved to be inside his head just to know what the heck he was thinking all the time. I liked his tender side we were able to see too, I think maybe because I hold Mr Darcy in such high respects that I thought Dante wouldn’t be able to compare to him. And I guess he didn’t. But I liked watching his character development through the story.

 At times I completely forgot that I was reading a re-telling of Pride and Prejudice as the story did take on a completely different path, but I liked the twists and turns which were thrown our way.

Overall Fall for You was a funny sweet modern retelling of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. As I enjoyed this quite a lot, I’m quite tempted to try the rest of the series, to see Gray’s take on the rest of Austen’s books.

Make sure you check out the rest of the blogs taking part in the Fall For You tour here