{SPOILERY} Fangirling Over The Wicked King

Title: The Wicked King
Author: Holly Black
Series: The Folk of the Air series, book #2
Publisher: Little, Brown BFYR
Publication Date: January 8, 2019
Source: ARC received from publisher, purchased multiple copies
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.

The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.

Like many of you, The Cruel Prince left us eyes wide and jaws dropped, dying to get our hands on The Wicked King. We needed to know what would happen next. In fact, I was actually at Jen's house the weekend the Owlcrate Wicked King Box went on sale and we were fangirling hard, double-checking time zone differences, credit cards ready, afraid to miss out on what we just knew -- because duh: Holly Black -- was going to be another amazing installment in this series. And not to brag...but we weren't wrong.

Nope. I might even go so far as to say that this sequel was even better: twists and turns that left us guessing, the hatemance we've been dying for, and an ending that rivals even its predecessor...which is really saying something. I loved all of the faerie machinations and the mention of Fairfold and Severin from The Darkest Part of the Forest and how it all seemingly comes together but ends up throwing me completely off by the end. Did you read that one or The Lost Sisters, Sabrina? I know you weren't always the biggest fan of faerie stories, but you've come so far now that you might as well go all in, right? 😄

Definitely an ending that rivals The Cruel Prince! Unfortunately, no. I haven't read either one, Jen. You are the reason I gave faerie stories another chance so I'm so glad I did because they are some of my favorites now. *Adds those to my TBR* (Jen approves.) Back to the review... one of the things I loved about The Wicked King was how Jude and Cardan are kind of pushed into an alliance. The fact that not everyone is happy that Cardan is on the throne AND that someone is betraying Jude creates a scenario where they really have to rely on each other. So, while they are reluctant to trust one another fully, it makes for a very charged dynamic between them. Even as the ice first begins to thaw in their relationship, they are developing feelings for one another. 

"...and the single last thing in my head: that I like him better than I’ve ever liked anyone and that of all the things he’s ever done to me, making me like him so much is by far the worst."

Which means this just might be my favorite hate-to-love romance ever. That whole not trusting each other but having no one else to rely on thing? Yeah, that's kinda my jam. And this story is rife with it. Well, that and betrayal. So much betrayal. At every turn: BETRAYAL. Even worse than what Jude faced in TCP. But I think Jude always comes away from it stronger, more focused on the endgame than she was before. And despite it all, I find myself hopeful. That all is not what it seems. That she IS truly queen. That Cardan was saving her, not torturing her further. I feel set adrift with all my hopes for this story, and I don't think I'll come fully back to myself until I have The Queen of Nothing in my hands.

I blame these devious Merfolk...scheming, plotting and setting Cardan's murderous brother free. Cardan has 99 problems and almost all of them are directly caused by Sea fae. That being said, Jude is the cause of so many of them, too. Nobody casually knifes fae villains like Jude. The relationship between these two works so deliciously because they are both so flawed. I love that Cardan can't lie and that Jude forgets to when she's all hot and bothered by him. Also, I second that she is really Queen. If she wasn't, Cardan would've said it. That boy is far too mouthy to not have spoken cruel words. He's protecting her from an impossible situation. I hope. 😭

Yes, exactly! Thanks for elucidating the reasons for my hope...and making me feel less naïve about it, lol. We can't forget that Jude is human and therefore "fragile" in comparison to the fae, despite the gesh that allows no glamour to be placed on her, and despite the fact that she's spent years training with Madoc. I just wish Cardan had trusted in her...she'd gotten them this far, after all. But it wouldn't be a true faery story without all the murder, political manueverings and dramatic banishments. Jude will have her vengeance and they'll all rue the day she was brought into Faerie as Madoc's ward.

Okay, so it's taken us this long to get our thoughts in order, but basically, this is already going down as our favorite of 2019.

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

Holly Black is the author of bestselling contemporary fantasy books for kids and teens. Some of her titles include The Spiderwick Chronicles (with Tony DiTerlizzi), The Modern Faerie Tale series, the Curse Workers series, Doll Bones, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, the Magisterium series (with Cassandra Clare), The Darkest Part of the Forest, and her new series which begins with The Cruel Prince in January 2018.

She has been a a finalist for an Eisner Award, and the recipient of the Andre Norton Award, the Mythopoeic Award and a Newbery Honor. She currently lives in New England with her husband and son in a house with a secret door.

Find Holly:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Goodreads

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Labels: all-time favorites, faeries, favorite authors, favorite series, favorites, hachette, holly black, joint reviews, reviews, the folk of the air

{WOW} The Vanishing Throne by Elizabeth May

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selection is...








's Pick:



Title: The Vanishing Throne
Author: Elizabeth May
Series: The Falconer, book #2
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Publication Date: June 17, 2016

The second book in the Falconer trilogy is packed with surprises and suspense.

Aileana Kameron, the Falconer, disappeared through the portal that she was trying to close forever. Now she wakes up in the fae world, trapped and tortured by the evil Lonnrach. With the help of an unexpected ally, Aileana re-enters the human world, only to find everything irrevocably changed. Edinburgh has been destroyed, and the few human survivors are living in an uneasy truce with the fae, while both worlds are in danger of disappearing altogether. Aileana holds the key to saving both worlds, but in order to do so she must awaken her latent Falconer powers. And the price of doing that might be her life.

Rich with imaginative detail, action, fae lore, and romance, The Vanishing Throne is a thrilling sequel to The Falconer.

I've been waiting on this sequel since the second I finished The Falconer. That cliffhanger was MAJOR! I've read or listened to the book at least three times, and it kills me every. Single. Time. I need this book yesterday. Also, WHY IS THERE NO MENTION OF KIARAN MACKAY?!? This will not stand!!!


What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!

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Labels: chronicle books, elizabeth may, faeries, favorites, grabby hands, historical fiction, must-read, the falconer, waiting on wednesday (wow)

{Review} Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Queen of Shadows
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass, book #4
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Publication Date: September 1, 2015
Source: purchased audiobook and hardcover :)
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Sarah J. Maas's New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series reaches new heights in this sweeping fourth volume.

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past . . .

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die just to see her again. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.

Celaena’s epic journey has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions across the globe. This fourth volume will hold readers rapt as Celaena’s story builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.

I can't really do a typical review for this book. Nothing I say will be adequate enough to convey just how amazing this book was. I mean, obviously, by this point, you should already know that Sarah J. Maas is brilliant and you should read all of her books. Duh. So, I don't have to regale you with why you should read Queen of Shadows. Instead, let me extol on this book's merits, hopefully without spoiling anything too much for you, though I think it's probably still a good idea to suggest that you not read this until AFTER you've finished the book. =)

Queen of Shadows made me root for characters who I had previously loathed in the books that came before it. I love that I just didn't understand their importance until this book, that I dismissed them so early on, only to see them in a whole new light in this book. And then there were some that had me flip-flopping, even when I ultimately knew just how evil they were. Sometimes a girl just needs that affirmation.

Maas is BOSS at creating bad-ass female characters. And not just the main characters like Aelin and Manon but all of her female characters are fierce. Whether they've been wielding a sword as a rebel for years or slowly coming into their own, these ladies don't take shit from anyone. They are ruthless and cunning and I bow down to their awesomeness.

This author is not afraid to take a once-beloved character and show a completely different side of them. Readers may not like it, but people change, and I love that Maas had the balls to show the readers that other side, even if it did make the character almost unidentifiable in the end. I love Chaol, I do, but Sam never would have given up on Celaena just because he'd found out who and what she was. THAT is real love.

Maas ain't afraid to wreck yo ship. We've seen this before, and I'm sure we'll see it again, whether in this series or in ACOTAR. After HOF, I really, truly thought that things would remain platonic between certain characters. I mean, I was hoping for more but I wasn't going to allow that to get the better of me. Because when it comes down to it, I'll always be #TeamAelin because it's her prerogative to choose who she wants to be with. It doesn't make her promiscuous; it makes her a woman who knows what she wants...and doesn't want. And I'm usually pretty happy with who she picks for herself at any given moment. But most especially now. I swooned pretty hard even though there wasn't a lot of actual physical connection in this book. Page 527 got me hard, though. I'm probably fooling myself, but I think this might be the real deal this time.

Honestly, at this point, though, I'm almost, almost more interested in the friendships and kinship that develops. I've always adored the friendship between Chaol and Dorian, and now the Aedion and Rowan bromance has me all aflutter. But the pairing I'm really hoping for in my heart of hearts is Manon and Aelin. Their encounter in this book was phenomenal and everything I'd hoped it would be: fierce, bloody and death-defying. They are like two sides of the same coin.

I could've used more Abraxos, though. Especially considering my own theories about the wyverns. I'm just so curious about them: the how, the why, the who. I wish I had my own wyvern. :( But at least Fleetfoot made an appearance. And I hear that she'll make it through the whole series, so at least there's that.

After the sometimes tedious Heir of Fire -- which is much less boring on audio, I know from experience -- Queen of Shadows was everything I'd hoped it would be. These characters are everything. They lived up to my expectations and then some. They fought the bitter fight and never gave up, even when it looked like the end. They've all loved and lost and made sacrifice on top of sacrifice and yet they still keep going. #squadgoals

There are few series that can get me as fired up as this one. I am so unbelievably glad I still have two more books with all of these characters. When I first read Throne of Glass, I never thought I'd be so ardently devoted to these books, and now look at me. Fangirl to the end. I've even got both of my sisters hooked on the series now! =D

GIF it to me straight:

THIS BOOK WAS EVERYTHING!!!

About the author:

Sarah J. Maas lives in Southern California, and over the years, she has developed an unhealthy appreciation for Disney movies and bad pop music. She adores fairy tales and ballet, drinks too much coffee, and watches absolutely rubbish TV shows. When she's not busy writing YA fantasy novels, she can be found exploring the California coastline.

Find Sarah:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Instagram

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Labels: audiobooks, bloomsbury, faeries, fantasy, favorite authors, favorites, girl power, magic, must-read, reviews, sarah j. maas, throne of glass

Review: Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge

Title: Crimson Bound
Author: Rosamund Hodge
Series: n/a
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: May 5, 2015
Source: received from publisher via Edelweiss
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

Inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Crimson Bound is an exhilarating tale of darkness, love, and redemption.

(This is a standalone novel, not part of the Cruel Beauty Universe.)

I loved Crimson Beauty so much that I've already read and/or listened to it over five times since I received the ARC a little over a year ago. Beauty and the Beast has always been one of my favorite fairy tales, followed very closely by Little Red Riding Hood. Intriguing that one of my new favorite authors on the scene has retold both now. And her sophomore novel may have trumped her debut on my list of favorite retellings ever.

The thing is, I can't really talk about the aspect I loved the most in this story because it would probably be considered a major spoiler to most if I revealed anything about it. And because I value romance pretty highly, I myself would consider any mention of this type of romance to be ruining. I can say that the way this romance plays out would disappoint many, especially those who feel very strongly on the kind that feature three points. I discussed it in great length with Lauren, who famously despises LTs and as far as I know, she has plans to stay very far away from this one. Just in case you were wondering. :)

Here's the thing, kids. I've been trying to write this review for weeks. I was blown away by this book when I read it and I've wanted to tell the world ever since, but I wanted to be coherent when I did so. Apparently, when it comes to me and one of Rosamund's books, that's maybe an impossibility I've yet to accept. It's just…the way she weaves a tale you already know and love into a story that's wholly it's own is rather remarkable. I don't like to compare authors because they all have their own style and their own methods, but the way Hodge writes her characters reminds me a lot of Sarah J. Maas. I just love how they always have questionable motives and very little compunction. I live in the gray areas, and I like to see characters that do the same, that battle with good and evil, black and white, on a daily basis. It makes them more real to me.

Crimson Bound is not only based on the tale of Little Red Riding Hood but also on the story of The Girl With No Hands. I absolutely LOVED how Hodge combined these tales to make one truly engaging story, one where the evil is closer than you know or want to admit, and trusting anyone else might be your biggest mistake yet. It's a story where girls are allowed to kill and have unpure thoughts and villains aren't necessarily all evil. I just love a redeemable bad guy….like, there's no other character I like to see more. Besides the heroine who's allowed to be selfish and want things for herself, even if she knows it goes against what she's been taught or who she's sworn to protect. Not everything is black and white, and I fully appreciate a story that can illustrate that without being preachy.

Also, Hodge reminds us of the story's origins by including faerie folk and reminding the MC constantly of what is owed, but I still love how understated the faerie presence is in her stories, despite the fact that many fey have made themselves noticeable at this point in the story. I really enjoy how this author takes fairy tales and flips them on their heads; these stories are definitely inspired by some of my favorite fairy tales, but they don't follow through with those essential happily ever afters, peaking the interest of a hard-core fairy tale lover like me.

This is technically the third story I've read from Rosamund Hodge, but I have to say, it's my favorite. Her characters have become increasingly more complex and the story that much more frenetic, and I have a hard time controlling myself when one lands in my lap. Her stories are not the type to be read sparingly, bit by bit. No, Hodge's stories inevitably need to be read all in one go, by someone who fully understands that life isn't black and white but lived in shades of gray.

GIF it to me straight:

In other words, trust no one.

About the author:

I love mythology, Hello Kitty, and T. S. Eliot. I also write YA fantasy novels: CRUEL BEAUTY, where Greek mythology meets Beauty and the Beast, and CRIMSON BOUND, where Little Red Riding Hood meets . . . many strange things.

Find Rosamund:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Labels: beautiful covers, crimson bound, demons, faeries, favorites, harper-collins, immortals, little red riding hood, must-read, retellings, reviews, rosamund hodge

{Blog Tour} The Twixt Guided Tour Stop #3: Joy's Condo with Ink

Hello, there! Welcome to my stop on The Twixt Guided Tour! Joy's condo is right over here, if you’ll just follow me. Our guide for today's tour is the quiet and reserved Ink, who's going to show us around Joy's flat. Joy's condominium is pretty standard for this area of Glendale, but I think Ink can unlock a few of its mysteries for us. ;0)

Ah, here we are. And that lean guy with the spiky hair over there is Ink! He's got a very boyish face, but the slightly menacing look in his strange, all-black eyes makes me think we shouldn't keep him waiting. See that chain dangling from his back pocket? I’ve heard interesting things about the wallet at the end of it, I do hope we’ll get see— Oh..he's waving us over...let's hurry!

Photo Credit

Hello. Are you here for the tour? Then you should follow me. I am Indelible Ink. The building behind me is the condominium complex where Joy lives. You will first need to open the gate. Yes, I know it is locked. Ah. Unfortunately, I do not know how to unlock it. I do not have much experience with gates, but I have an idea.

There. I will ask Joy to have someone repair it later. This way.

I remember standing at that gate when I walked Joy home after our return from Connemara Gaeltacht. I watched her cross this courtyard and knew in that moment that something had happened, but I could not comprehend what. My sister, Inq, warned me about how I might feel different after I claimed a human as my lehman, my chosen mortal, but this was even more different than what she had described. I did not have a name for that feeling then. I do now.

Why are you smiling?

Now then, we are going to the second floor. I believe there is an elevator, but Joy always takes the stairs, so we will also take the stairs. Two flights up, two doors over, and this is her home. Yes, I do have a key, of sorts. It is in my wallet. Hmm? You are right—it does look like an arrowhead. How interesting. Come in, please.

That beeping? One moment. There. It stopped. What am I looking for? Nothing, which is as it should be.

Here is the kitchen. That is a new window over the sink. That is their refrigerator, which dispenses cold water, ice and food. The family eats at this table, which is significant to me for personal reasons. The den is where Joy and her friends watch television and eat pizza, which is otherwise not allowed because tomato sauce can stain the carpet. Yet she does so. I have learned that human rules are often flexible. Such as “no boys allowed in the bedroom;” since I am a “Scribe” and not a “boy,” I am allowed. See? I suffer no ill effects crossing the threshold into Joy’s room. It is safe to enter. There is Joy’s bed, her computer, her desk and chair, her bookshelves, her closet and her wastepaper basket. She has quite a collection of souvenirs, gifts from the Cabana Boys, and owns a great variety of clothes, music and books, but not nearly enough potions, weapons and armor. But she is learning. I protect her while she adapts to my world, the Twixt, whose rules are absolute.

Stop. Do not touch the windowsill. Or the air vent. Or the door. They are warded against intrusion and the results may prove…unpleasant. There has been such unpleasantness in this room in the past, but also much pleasantness.

You are smiling again. Was I being funny? I still have much to learn. I, too, am learning to adapt.

Down the hall is the bathroom, three bedrooms, a master bath, and hall closet, but I have been told that the remaining rooms are private so our tour must end here. You look disappointed. I assure you that this bedroom, this table, this kitchen, etcetera, is important to the Twixt because of Joy and the Edict, but it means far more to me. This place, this home, is where I first understood what it might be like to feel. This is where I first learned joy.

Why are you smiling again?

Ah, you are correct—it is time to go. No, we are not going to use the door. I have a more direct route in mind. Take my hand. Keep your eyes on mine. Let us slice our own door. Step through the breach and…now!

Well, that was an experience I'll never forget...how about you? I'm glad Ink warned us about those wards, too. All that talk about unpleasantness has me curious, but I was afraid to ask him anything else. He has quite the way about him, doesn't he?

So did you catch today’s code word? Don’t forget to enter it for your chance to win the grand prize! And be sure to collect all the code words because there will be a special prize at the end of the tour for those who've collected them all.

Well, this is where I leave you. Good luck and enjoy the rest of the tour! I'm sure you'll have many more experiences along the way. :D Before you head off, here's a little about each of the books in The Twixt series and the author's info:

INDELIBLE
The Twixt, book #1

By Dawn Metcalf

Release Date: July 30, 2013

Order Indelible: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound | The Book Depository
Here's the blurb:

Some things are permanent.

Indelible.

And they cannot be changed back.

Joy Malone learns this the night she sees a stranger with all-black eyes across a crowded room—right before the mystery boy tries to cut out her eye. Instead, the wound accidentally marks her as property of Indelible Ink, and this dangerous mistake thrusts Joy into an incomprehensible world—a world of monsters at the window, glowing girls on the doorstep, and a life that will never be the same.

Now, Joy must pretend to be Ink’s chosen one—his helper, his love, his something for the foreseeable future...and failure to be convincing means a painful death for them both. Swept into a world of monsters, illusion, immortal honor and revenge, Joy discovers that sometimes, there are no mistakes.

Somewhere between reality and myth lies…

THE TWIXT

INVISIBLE
The Twixt, book #2

By Dawn Metcalf

Release Date: September 30, 2014

Order Invisible: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound | The Book Depository
Here's the blurb:

Some things lie beneath the surface.

Invisible.

With the power to change everything.

Joy Malone wants it all—power, freedom and the boyfriend who loves her. Yet when an unstoppable assassin is hired to kill her, Joy learns that being the girl with the Sight comes with a price that might be too high to pay. Love will be tested, lives will be threatened, and everyone Joy knows and cares about will be affected by her decision to stand by Ink or to leave the Twixt forever.

Her choice is balanced on a scalpel's edge and the consequences will be more life-altering than anyone can guess.

About the author:

Dawn Metcalf has always lived on the edge between reality and magic, which explains her current profession and love of fantasy books and games. Her passions include karate, fairy tales, Victoriana and dark chocolate, often combining one or more of them in unexpected ways. Currently, she lives with her husband and family in northern Connecticut. If they had a sign, it would be: Confounding the Neighbor Children Since 1999. Dawn’s current Young Adult series with HarlequinTeen, The Twixt, has four titles: Indelible (July 2013), Invisible (September 2014), Inviolate (June 2015), and Invincible (May 2016). She also has a Young Adult standalone, Luminous (June 2011 from Dutton Juvenile).

Find Dawn:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumblr | Instagram

Enter this Tour's code word (underlined in the text) into the form below and collect all 6 code words to win the Grand Prize Pack!

Must be 13+ to enter
US/CAN only
Contest runs 10/7-10/30

For full giveaway details and rules, see the Tour Kick-Off post here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to check out the rest of The Twixt Guided Tour:

Tues, 10/07: Libby Blog
Thurs, 10/09: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Tues, 10/14: The Starry-Eyed Revue
Thurs, 10/16: Danasquare
Tues, 10/21: Skye’s Scribblings
Thurs, 10/23: Lili’s Reflections

Thanks for taking today's tour! I hope it's piqued your interest in this amazing series!

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Labels: blog tour, book trailers, dawn metcalf, faeries, giveaways, harlequin-teen, paranormal, the twixt

Review: Winterspell by Claire Legrand

Title: Winterspell
Author: Claire Legrand
Series: n/a
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
Publication Date: September 30, 2014
Source: from publisher via Edelweiss
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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.

Claire Legrand's Nutcracker-inspired Winterspell isn't so much a retelling as an exploration of the darkness, the sensuality of the original tale. This novel endeavors to bring into focus the desires and wills of the characters and divine where they came from and what makes them tick. This is my first experience with this author's work, but her evocative prose and nuanced additions to the story mean I will definitely be coming back for more.

Let me just get this out of the way. This is not the Nutcracker story you grew up with. The gist is similar, but Winterspell delves deeper and deeper into the world of the Sugar Plum Fairy and all of those "delights" afforded to the kingdom, be it the ubiquitous sugar or those costumed dancers. And what you'll find is not a beloved fairy tale but a war that has been brewing for ages.

So, yes, in answer to the question that is most likely plaguing you, this story does rely heavily on faeries and magic. But that shouldn't surprise you all that much considering the source material. There are malevolent faeries and destructive humans and slippery mages in the land of Cane and none of them are  very willing to share the land. Oh, and Clara is caught unawares by all of this when her father is abducted by faeries in order to lure her to the land of magic.

The usual characters are all present in this story, though their roles have been somewhat altered from the original tale. I loved Clara's determination -- to master her future, to save her family, to discover her family's deepest secrets. She is strong but not infallible. She is vulnerable, but she will not be discouraged. I truly love what the author has done with this character above all others, but I loved the fact that, though changed, all of the characters were still reminiscent of their original selves.

Another aspect that I really enjoyed was all of the clockwork and those little mechanized robots that kept tabs on the Queen's empire. I'm finding more and more faerie stories that include steampunk elements and faeries who like to tinker, and it quite endears them to me, maybe because it helps to somewhat alleviate that feeling of complete otherworldliness that clings to them. Winterspell didn't feel like any of those other steampunk faerie stories I've read, though. It's dark and stunning and utterly tantalizing.

And so, so seductive. Not just the gorgeous storytelling but also the character interactions. As I said, this is not the tale you were told as a child, and it becomes so much more sensual at the hands of Legrand. There were moments when poor Clara felt utterly indecent, but I exalted in seeing this story in  such a new and different light. I've always loved The Nutcracker, and I had a feeling I would feel similar after reading this story inspired by it, but I loved Winterspell even more than I expected.

GIF it to me straight:

I know, Jared...I'll never see The Nutracker the same way, either.
(But seriously, wowsa, I loved this story so hard.)

About the author:

Claire Legrand is the author of books for children and teens, including The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls, The Year of Shadows, the upcoming Winterspell, and its prequel, Summerfall. She is also one of the four authors of The Cabinet of Curiosities.

When not writing books, she can be found obsessing over DVD commentaries, going on long walks (or trying to go on long runs), and speaking with a poor English accent to random passersby. She thinks musicians and librarians are the loveliest of folks (having been each of those herself) and, while she loves living in central New Jersey, she dearly misses her big, brash, beautiful home state of Texas.

Her work is represented by Diana Fox of Fox Literary, LLC.

Find Claire:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook | Pinterest | Tumblr

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Labels: beautiful covers, claire legrand, faeries, fairy tales, magic, retellings, simon schuster, the nutcracker, winterspell