Book Review: When Rose Wakes by Christopher Golden

WHEN ROSE WAKES BY CHRISTOPHER GOLDEN 
Reading level: Young Adult 
Paperback: 320 pages 
Publisher: MTV; Original edition (September 28, 2010) 
Language: English
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound

Her terrifying dreams are nothing compared to the all-too-real nightmare that awaits. . . .

Ever since sixteen-year-old Rose DuBois woke up from months in a coma with absolutely no memories, she’s had to start from scratch. She knows she loves her two aunts who take care of her, and that they all used to live in France, but everything else from her life before is a blank.Rose tries to push through the memory gaps and start her new life, attending high school and living in Boston with her aunts, who have seriously old world ideas. Especially when it comes to boys. But despite their seemingly irrational fears and odd superstitions, they insist Rose not worry about the eerie dreams she’s having, vivid nightmares that she comes to realize are strangely like the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty. The evil witch, the friendly fairies, a curse that puts an entire town to sleep—Rose relives the frightening story every night. And when a mysterious raven-haired woman starts following her, Rose begins to wonder if she is the dormant princess. And now that she’s awake, she’s in terrible, terrible danger. . .

Opening Line: 
"Rose woke with the echoes of bad dreams like cobwebs in her mind and the memory of a kiss still upon her lips. Through slitted eyes she could see only the gauzy haze of dim lights, and when she tried to move every inch of her protested with an ache that went down to the bone. "

Notable Scene: 

"As the Black Heart passed one classroom and then another she seemed to flicker in and out of sight, perhaps even in and out of reality. One step she would be there and the next she would not. Rose could only start, riveted to the spot as she tried to think." page 297

WHEN ROSE WAKES was an intriguing book with a unique take on a classic fairy tale. But before I dive into this review, I need to point out one important thing. This synopsis reveals way too much!  I wish I had been able to uncover the enticing details of the plot for myself, including the evil witch, friendly fairies, the curse, etc--basically all the magic and excitement spelled out in the synopsis.

With that being said, I still greatly enjoyed this book. Throughout the narrative, the reader is transported into the dream-like world of Rose's past. These were my favorite parts of the book and I looked forward to each new glimpse into Rose's sad history.  I thought the way Christopher Golden incorporated elements from Sleeping Beauty was highly creative. I wanted to learn more about the mysterious "Feywood" and its inhabitants called the "Ladies of the Wood". These scenes were so vivid I felt like I was pulled out of my chair and plopped smack dab into a medieval kingdom plagued with war and dark magic. I could feel the biting cold as Rose ran into the snow drenched forest. I could practically hear the whirling of Rielle the fairy sprite's wings as she darted frantically around, desperate to warn Rose about her fate from the "Dark Lady". And I felt all the pain of Rose's father and the predicament he found himself within. This was a man who knew no matter what he did to keep his daughter safe, in the end, he would lose her forever. I only wish there could've been time to explore this in more detail.

Though Rose had so much to deal with upon waking from a two-year coma, I thought she handled herself impressively.  Even though she did not think of herself as anything more than the bumbling "Coma Girl", I could tell she possessed the heart of a true princess. Strong, loyal and courageous, Rose did not let anyone walk all over her. I loved the way she stood up to bullies at the school. The things she did to put them in their place awed me and made me wish I had been friends with her in high school.  Rose's Aunt Fay and Aunt Suzette were extremely well thought out characters as well.  I knew they were holding back some crucial information, but couldn't ever quite put it all together. They also had quite a few personality quirks with their odd tea concoctions and the way they were terrified of Rose "meeting boys". Initially it confused me, but in the end it all made perfect sense and I ended up appreciating their characters even more. Rose's friendships with Kaylie and Dom added some humor to the plot line, and I enjoyed Kaylie's witty one-liners. The romance between Rose and Jared was delicious.  Golden wrote their scenes together so well they dripped with tension.

WHEN ROSE WAKES had an extremely clever ending, but I'm not sure that I was completely satisfied with it. I had so many questions; so much more I wanted to delve into and explore. Since so much of the book was dedicated to Rose coming to terms with what she really was, I often felt impatient with her to "catch up" with the information I already knew.  But again, that reverts back to the synopsis giving too much away.  I also felt like the book wrapped up rather quickly. I wanted her to have the quintessential "happily ever after".  While the ending was hopeful, I found myself hoping for something more definitive. But I guess life isn't always like a fairy tale, right?

Despite the spoilery synopsis, I greatly enjoyed this book. WHEN ROSE WAKES lulled me in and captivated my heart from the first few pages. With a contemporary twist, it's sure to appeal to fans of fantasy and fairy tale retellings.

Christopher Golden is the award-winning, bestselling author of such novels as Wildwood Road, The Boys Are Back in Town, Of Saints and Shadows, and the Body of Evidence thriller series. He has cowritten a number of novels and comic books set in the worlds of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. There are more than eight million copies of his books in print. He lives in Massachusetts with his family.

Book Review: ICE by Sarah Beth Durst

ICE BY SARAH BETH DURST

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 320 Pages
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry (October 6, 2009)
Language: English
Purchase:
Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Indiebound
Read a sample excerpt HERE.


When Cassie was a little girl, her grandmother told her a fairytale about her mother, who made a deal with the Polar Bear King and was swept away to the ends of the earth to become a prisoner of the trolls. Now that Cassie is older, she knows that this was a nice way of saying her mother had died. Cassie lives with her father at an Arctic research station, she is determined to become a scientist, and she has no time for make believe.

Then, on her eighteenth birthday, Cassie comes face to face with a polar bear who speaks to her. He tells her that her mother is alive, imprisoned in the troll castle. And that he can bring her back--if Cassie will agree to be his bride.

That is the beginning of Cassie's own real-life fairytale, one that sends her on an unbelievable journey across the brutal Arctic, through the Canadian forest, and on the back of the North Wind to the land east of the sun and west of the moon. Before it is over, the world she knew will be swept away, and everything she holds dear will be taken from her--until she discovers the true meaning of love and family in the magical realm of Ice.

Make sure to break out your winter coat because you are in for one epic Arctic adventure! Sarah Beth Durst has woven a magical narrative that will sweep you away across frozen lands, complete with ice castles, blistering winds, enchanting creatures and one courageous young woman! ICE was a beautiful, engrossing tale of impossible love and sacrifice that drew me in right from the very first page.

Cassie, the eighteen year old daughter of an arctic research scientist, had long since forgotten the fairy tales told to her as a child. According to the stories spun by her grandmother, Cassie's mother was imprisoned by the trolls after making a heartbreaking deal with the polar bear king. As she grew up, Cassie begun to realize that this was a nice way of saying her mother had passed away. But when Cassie seeks out a polar bear and he actually speaks to her, it seems as if some fairy tales are grounded in reality. She strikes a bargain with him and in that moment, her life irrevocably changes forever.

Sarah Beth Durst has taken the classic tale of East of the Sun, West of the Moon and given it her own modern twist. But you don't need to be familiar with the original fairy tale to truly appreciate this novel. Durst has truly made this story her own. I loved her descriptive way of storytelling – when I was reading ICE, I could hear the roar of the North Wind blowing in my ears and feel the snow on my face, blinding me from the glare and freezing my eyelashes. I was right there alongside Cassie - heart pounding with every step of the journey ahead of me.

In an interview on Simon & Schuster’s website, Sarah Beth Durst said

“I love polar bears. I love fairy tales. And I love stories about girls who kick butt. But most of all, I wrote ICE as a love letter to my husband. It's about true love, real love, the kind where you face the world as a united team, the kind where you'd go east of the sun and west of the moon for your love.”

I really feel like I can't sum up ICE any better than this quote does! If you are a fan of adventure and love stories with fairy tale elements, then you will not be disappointed with ICE. Cassie was a fierce heroine- I truly admired her. She sacrificed everything she had for Bear - it makes you wonder, just how far would you go for love?

Sarah Beth Durst is the author of Ice, as well as Into the Wild, an Andre Norton Award Finalist for Young Adult Science Fiction & Fantasy, and its sequel, Out of the Wild. She has been writing fantasy stories since she was ten years old and holds an English degree from Princeton University. Sarah lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband and children, for whom she would happily journey east of the sun and west of the moon. For more information, visit Sarah at her Official Website & Blog.

Book Review: Ash by Malinda Lo

ASH

by

MALINDA LO

In the wake of her father’s death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dying hearth fire, re-reading the fairy tales her mother once told her. In her dreams, someday the fairies will steal her away, as they are said to do. When she meets the dark and dangerous fairy Sidhean, she believes that her wish may be granted.

The day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King’s Huntress, her heart begins to change. Instead of chasing fairies, Ash learns to hunt with Kaisa. Though their friendship is as delicate as a new bloom, it reawakens Ash’s capacity for love—and her desire to live. But Sidhean has already claimed Ash for his own, and she must make a choice between fairy tale dreams and true love.
Entrancing, empowering, and romantic, Ash is about the connection between life and love, and solitude and death, where transformation can come from even the deepest grief.

Review

Ash is a retelling of the classic Cinderella fairy tale, but it’s also so much more than that too. It’s a tale of courage, hope and self discovery. There are plenty of similarities to the original tale, but Malinda Lo has made enough changes to give the story new depth, and really make it stand apart from the fairy tale as its own unique novel.

When her stepmother forces Ash to work off debts claimed to have been incurred by her father, Ash's days became exhausting and meaningless. With no hope, no love and only more and more hard work in her future, Ash finds solace in her deceased mother’s fairy tales. She spends her time dreaming of being stolen away by fairies and when able to, steals into the forests in the hopes of meeting one to whisk her away or grant her wishes, no matter what the price. She ends up meeting the dark and mysterious Sidhean, who repeatedly turns her away from fairy though he seems to be drawn to her.

My favorite aspect of this book was the fairy element. I was enchanted by the idea of all this folklore being passed down from generation to generation. The fairy lore that Malinda Lo wove into the narrative made the forest shimmer with danger and mystery. I kept wondering how much of it was true and what Ash was going to encounter in her own travels. I couldn’t help be drawn to Ash's character with her sad childhood and love of all things fairy.

Throughout the novel I couldn’t wait for Ash to get away from her overbearing stepmother and find happiness. But she was a strong protagonist, one who didn’t wait for Prince Charming to come and save her. Ash set out to save herself at all costs instead. I loved that she took matters into her own hands and had the courage to find a better life by her own means. Kaisa, the King’s Huntress was an extremely well developed character. Her relationship with Ash was subtle and natural. The choices that Ash had to make between Kaisa and Sidhean really had me turning the pages anxiously. All Ash really wanted was love and I think the underlying message of this book, is that in the end, that’s the only thing that matters.

Malinda is fresh new talent and I look forward to more of her novels. Ash is a definite must read for the fall 2009 season.

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers (September 1st 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316040096
ISBN-13: 978-0316040099 Buy at Amazon, Amazon UK, Borders, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound, Books-a-million

Malinda Lo was born in China and moved to the United States as a child. She grew up in Colorado and has since lived in Boston, New York, London, Beijing, Los Angeles and San Francisco. She is the former managing editor of AfterEllen.com, the largest entertainment news website for lesbians and bisexual women. In 2006, Malinda was awarded the Sarah Pettit Memorial Award for Excellence in LGBT Journalism by the National Gay and Lesbian Journalists Association. She is a graduate of Wellesley College and has master’s degrees from Harvard and Stanford universities. Malinda now lives in Northern California with her partner and their dog. Ash is her first novel.
Visit Malinda Lo at her Official Website

Book Review: Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

CRAZY BEAUTIFUL by LAUREN BARATZ-LOGSTED

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 208 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (September 7th 2009)
Language: English
Buy at Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, etc
Lauren's Official Website


Crazy Beautiful is a contemporary re-visioning of Beauty & the Beast, told in he-said/she-said fashion, about a boy with hooks for hands and a gorgeous girl who meet on their first day at a new school.

The tale of Beauty and the Beast has been retold numerous times, but never as exquisitely presented as it is in Crazy Beautiful.

Lucius, a boy who blew off his hands after an experiment gone awry, meets the beautiful and smart Aurora on the school bus. Both are immediately drawn to one another. All the other kids are intimidated by Lucius' hooks and the rumors circulating about the explosion he caused. For the most part, they treat him like the plague; avoiding him or calling him “Crip” or “Hooks” if they converse with him at all. Except for Aurora. She’s not intimidated by the hooks—in fact, they seem to draw her to him even more. But Lucius is certain that someone as beautiful and popular as Aurora would never be interested in someone like him. When she does speak to him, he shies away from her, assuming she must be only pitying him. Will Lucius and Aurora ever be able to get beyond all the cliques and cruelty of high school to see what’s really important, and realize they were meant for one another?

I devoured this book in one sitting. The story was narrated through the alternating viewpoints of both Aurora and Lucius in short, evocative chapters. This was a smart choice on the part of Baratz-Logsted. Being able to discern how differently Aurora and Lucius perceived the same situation added greater insight into their characters and a deeper meaning to the book for me. The suspense of not knowing what Lucius’ true motivations were when he concocted that deadly chemical mixture really drove me crazy though, and I found myself anxious to understand his motivations. I couldn’t help but like Lucius, he was so witty and so strong minded. Though he was relegated to using hooks in place of hands, he exhibited such an amazing amount of dexterity in mastering the technique, that I really admired his spunk and wanted so badly for him to find friendship and love. I also loved how there was more to Aurora than just being beautiful. She had a maturity and sensitive nature that was I really admired in her character. I loved how she was able to look beyond the surface and see there was so much more to him than a disfigurement.

Bottom Line- Crazy Beautiful is a love story, but it’s so much more than that too. It deals with profound issues of loss, friendship, healing and second chances. The raw emotions of both the main characters are often painful—Lucius wasn’t the only person coping with trauma in his life. At the beginning of the novel, Aurora was just getting over the loss of a parent; the pain of which was all too raw. But Baratz-Logsted punctuated their story with moments of sharp humor, making sure Crazy Beautiful never detoured into a sappy love story. I’ve read a lot of reviews that said Crazy Beautiful “will keep you coming back for more” and after reading this novel, I understand why so many people felt that way. Crazy Beautiful is a smart, compelling novel that stays with you long after you have finished it, and I am certain that I will also be going back to it again and again.

Lauren Baratz- Logsted began writing for adults, but has also written for teens and for tweens. Greg Logsted, husband of Lauren, has written one novel.

Jackie Logsted, daughter of Lauren and Greg, is making her literary debut. She is eight years old.

The Baratz-Logsted/Logsted family lives in Danbury, Connecticut.