Book Review

Winterspell by Claire Legrand

Image taken from Goodreads

Goodreads’s overview:

    The clock chimes midnight, a curse breaks, and a girl meets a prince…but what follows is not all sweetness and sugarplums.

   New York City, 1899. Clara Stole, the mayor’s ever-proper daughter, leads a double life. Since her mother’s murder, she has secretly trained in self-defense with the mysterious Drosselmeyer.

Then, on Christmas Eve, disaster strikes.

    Her home is destroyed, her father abducted—by beings distinctly not human. To find him, Clara journeys to the war-ravaged land of Cane. Her only companion is the dethroned prince Nicholas, bound by a wicked curse. If they’re to survive, Clara has no choice but to trust him, but his haunted eyes burn with secrets—and a need she can’t define. With the dangerous, seductive faery queen Anise hunting them, Clara soon realizes she won’t leave Cane unscathed—if she leaves at all.

    Inspired by The Nutcracker, Winterspell is a dark, timeless fairy tale about love and war, longing and loneliness, and a girl who must learn to live without fear.

***

My review:

   After reading this, I immediately knew it is a dark and somber kind of book, and that it is not what I usually like to read. However, up till that point I had never stumbled upon a retelling of The Nutcracker and I like that story very much, so despite my apprehension for what could wait me, I decided to give this book a chance. And I don’t regret it.

   Yes, the story is dark and yes, I sometimes felt frustrated by all the despair in the story and self-pity of the protagonist. But it is a perfectly written story with unexpected twists and turns and complex characters.

   Once Clara finds the pictures of her mother after she was brutally murdered, secrets unfold themselves, and like a snowball sliding down a cliff, events happen one after another and I couldn’t stop reading.

    The story talks about corruption, dishonesty, secrecy, betrayals, lack of self-confidence, fears, hunger for power, manipulation and loneliness. But it also talks about hope, friendship, the inner strength that comes from being confident in yourself and of overcoming fears.

    Apart from being a retelling of The Nutcracker, I think that what hooked me to this book is the changes that the characters go through. How at the beginning, they think one way and act one way, letting their fears and insecurities overcome their desires and rule their decisions; and in the end after many trials, they are confident in themselves, making the decision that they want even though they might be scarred.

     Another thing that I found interesting was the similarities with the real world. The story takes place in two different worlds, but in both, there are corrupt leaders that’ll stop at nothing to obtain what they want, who are unjust, power hungry and resentful. Just like in the real world. But there is also someone who does not stand for these leaders, who wants to change the world even if it seems impossible. Just like in the real world.

    So, yes, it is a dark romantic fairy tale story that deals with hard and dark themes that not everyone can digest and not everyone will like. But that is up to each reader, I am only saying my opinion of this book. And yes, I highly recommend Winterspell.

    I give Winterspell 5 out of 5 stars.

Book Review

Christmas Gifts by Gail Gaymer Martin and Brenda Minton

Image taken from Goodreads

Small Town Christmas by Gail Gaymer Martin

    When Amy Carroll enters as the substitute teacher, seven-year-old twins act up in her class and she meets their very apologetic widowed father, Mike Russet.

    The handsome man has his hands full and hasn’t quite move on after his wife’s death, but can two mini matchmakers and holiday cheer open his heart to Christmas romance?

Her Christmas Cowboy by Brenda Minton

    After being jilted a week before her wedding, Elizabeth Harden attends a bull-riding event for her dad, where she tries unsuccessfully to avoid bull fighter Travis Cooper, a too-handsome heartbreaker. It was supposed to be a one day trip and she would be back at her home. But things take an interesting turn when she is stuck in the town because of a snowstorm, and Travis Cooper offers her his help. Could her first impression of Travis be mistaken? A Christmas wedding just might be in her future, after all.

Book Review

Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep

Image taken from Goodreads

    Gwen Frost has the ability to know an object’s history by touching it. She goes to Mythos Academy, a school of myth, magic and warrior whiz kids just like her. However, weird things start to happen…well weirder than normal. First, the popular, mean girl Jasmine Ashton is killed. And second, someone stole an ancient and magical artifact that can bring destruction, death and many other bad things to the world. Gwen is determined to figure out what happened, especially since she should have been killed along with Jasmine.

    The author combines mystery, romance and normalcy in just the right amount. There are two mysteries that are more related than the reader knows; Gwen’s flirtation and blooming crush with the hottest and deadliest warrior of the academy, Logan Quinn; and of course the normal behavior and personalities of teens.

    Then there is the fact that the story is told by Gwen. I have to admit that I am not a fan of first person point of view stories, I think that sometimes important things are left out because of it. However, this story is an exception. Because of Gwen’s ability, there are some glimpses to what another character is thinking. And I have to face it, the story wouldn’t be so awesome and perfect if it was told in another point of view.

    As for Gwen herself, she isn’t the normal protagonist that can do anything that comes her way. Instead she doesn’t know how to fight or wild a weapon and she doesn’t know everything about the mythological world. But that is what makes her so unique. She is brave, determined, level-headed, intelligent, easy to empathize with and makes funny comments now and then.

    Although this was the second time I read the story and I already knew what was going to happen, I am looking forward to rereading the rest of the series, because it is an amazing book, with great characters and an entwining plot.

   I give Touch of Frost 5 out of 5 stars.

Book Review

The Remedy by Suzanne Young

Image taken form Goodreads

    Quinlan McKee has the ability to become anyone she wants; in fact, she does that for a living. Quinn is a closer, someone who takes a short-term role as the deceased loved one, yes you read right DECEASED, and brings closure to the grieving family. She’s been doing this since the age of seven. However, now that she is seventeen, Quinn has problems recreating herself, sometimes confusing her own past with those of the people she’s portrayed.

    When she’s given her longest assignment, playing the role of Catalina Barnes, Quinn begins to bond with the deceased girl’s boyfriend. But that’s only the beginning of the complications.

    This book is a prequel for The Program series and on its own looks like a promising book. Maybe it was the fact that I haven’t read the series or that I had really high expectation about this book, but I didn’t like it. I’m not saying it’s a bad book, it’s just not the type of book I like.

    Although I do get that being Quinn isn’t easy and she has an inner battle with herself and her memories, to me she seems depressed. The character is always complaining about how lonely she feels but doesn’t seem to do anything to change her situation. That alone doesn’t sit well on me.

    

    Then you have the plot twists, which normally are what gives a book its appeal, but I think that there are too many of them in this book. Especially since I didn’t like where most of them took the story. Though there are ones that had me over the edge of my furniture and drive me to keep reading.

    In another hand, I really liked the mystery that revolves around Catalina’s death and Quinn’s past. And the complexity of the characters’ behavior and feelings give the book a deep and life-like atmosphere, mood and tone that make the reader want more.

    For those who like mystery, dark moods and complicated love lives, this is a book you should probably read. It is an interesting book (I don’t deny it) and there are probably many people who loved it, but it is not one I would read twice or that makes me want to read the rest of the series.

  I give The Remedy 3 out of 5 stars.