Thursday, 31 May 2012

My Favorite Fairy Tale Adaptations

Since the release of Snow White and the Huntsman releases tomorrow, i thought i would put together a list of my favorite books adaptations of classic fairy tales. Some of the books on list might seem as unconventional fairy tales, but to be honest, its hard to find good quality adaptations now a days.

The Princess Diaries is a classic retelling of Cinderella with a little bit of a twist. To be honest I liked the movies a lot better than the book, but you get the idea. Mia has just found out that she is the Princess of a small European country, she has no date to the dance. Mia has to weave her way through being a high school freshman while dealing with her being a Princess.

Cinder, like the Princess Diaries is a adaptation of Cinderella, yet this one is bunched together with a little bit of dystopia and a little bit of sci fi. In Cinder we follow a young girl who is considered a second class citizen because she is a cyborg. All of a sunder she is forced into an intergalactic struggle and into a relationship with the Prince himself.

The Iron Daughter isn't a direct adaptation of any specific fairy tale but while reading it i found a lot of references to Alice in Wonderland, especially the cheshire cat character. In the Iron Daughter, the second installment of the Iron Fey Series, follows the journey of Meghan Chase and her journeys into the world of teh Fey.

This book is not an adaptation but a repub of the original story by the Brothers Grimm. The reason I put this edition in this post is because of the illustrations and how amazing they are. Camille Rose Gracia depicts a haunting view of the classic Snow White and leaves feeling something that feels like awe after you have finished.

This novel is the story of Tiger Lily and Peter Pan before Wendy and her brothers arrive. Jodi Lynn Anderson weaves a love story of these two young adults that depicts arranged marriage and the power true love has on ones decisions in life. Although it does not release until July, I had to add it to this list. One because its cover is absolutely gorgeous, but also because I love Peter Pan and all its adaptations, so i have high hopes for this one.

Hope you enjoyed this list! if you have any other suggestions please let me know! I am always looking for new books to read and I love hearing other people opinions!

Starling

I remember when I first met Lesley, at the time I was working at Chapters and she arrived with Aprilynne Pike and Kim Harrison in tow. All three of these authors were touring and promoting their upcoming books. What struck me most about their visit was how outgoing Lesley was, even in comparison to Kim Harrison, who has many a book published in comparison. Lesley was sociable and quirky in a way that made you want to read her books.

I have read Lesley’s Wondrous Strange trilogy, which is very good, but I have to say that Starling, her fourth YA novel, is her best yet. Lesley delves deep into the genre of Myth and its many forms, making it impossible for the reader to determine where she will go next. Not only does she take reference from Norse Mythology but also Greek and some Egyptian Mythology as well. It is this combination that gives greater dimension to her story.

In Starling, we follow a young girl named Mason Starling, a champion fencer whose future rests on making it onto the National Team. When a freak storm strikes one night during practice Mason’s whole world changes forever. A mysterious boy seemingly appears out of nowhere and Mason can’t seem to get him out of her head. She soon finds out that this boy, Fennery’s Wolf, cannot remember a thing about himself; only his name. Mason, feeling a strong connection between them, takes it upon herself to help Fennery’s Wolf figure out his past. But what Mason doesn’t realize is that his past could break apart every fabric of reality she has ever known.

I am a sucker for Greek myth—actually myth in general and Lesley has created a world so realistic that it makes you wonder if it is at all possible. Her personality is visible through every world and it makes for a wonderfully sarcastic and witty piece of writing. I believe that Lesley has found her niche in this book; she has so much knowledge of Myth and takes such inspiration from these stories that it is possible that she could create a series even better than Wondrous Strange. Please read this book, you will not be disappointed.

Awesome Bookselves!

I am a lover of bookshelves...probably because i don't have enough to hold all of my books. And it is because of this opulent amount of books that i have nowhere to put that always gets my creative juices flowing. I love looking for new and interesting ways to showcase books. So today I thought I would share with you some cool bookshelves that I have found.

Now, I thought these were REALLY cool. Not only are they eye catching and modern, but they are just plain Awesome! Personally I like the black one best, but I also think that with books on it, the white one might look a little cooler, especially in an all white decor. Almost invisible like :)

This one is so practical in my opinion. If I had the room in my apartment for a room designated to books alone this chair would be in its center. All i hope is that it is comfortable enough for me to sit and read for hours on end...cause that is what happens when a book gets going. I know all of you readers know what I am talking about :)

This one is my favorite of the past month. It just looks so cool. Not only does it hold my collection of books but it is extremely eye catching.

If you have any more suggested bookshelves for me to drool over please share! I always love finding new and exciting ways of displaying my collection!

Patti Smith memoir about her relationship with Robert Mapplethorpe was a surprise for me. Having to read it for University I honestly did not think I would enjoy it. I am not a non fiction reader, I do not read many memoirs, yet this book was so beautiful and poetic that I couldn’t help but love it.

Patti Smith lived a tragic yet beautiful life. having lived on the streets, struggling to feed herself and Robert, she still managed to create art. Throughout the book Patti’s optimism shines through. Her devotion to Robert and his devotion to her is astonishingly beautiful. It makes you wish to have that kind of connection with someone special. With her poetic prose, Patti delivers a sentimental ode to Robert. Her love for him is within every word and every paragraph. Deeply personal and routed in the past, Just Kids defines what a memoir should be; Personal. Amazing read.

I honestly don’t think I have ever been this mesmerized by a book, let alone a debut. The Night Circus is a magical experience written by the very talented Erin Morgenstern. She captures the essence of magic with the mystery of illusion.

La Cirque des Reves only appears at night, and is a feast to the senses. It only appears at night and is a cascade of black and white, surrounding each guest with unique clarity. Celia and Marco have no idea what they get into when they join the night circus, both trained by master magicians, and both part of a competition with rules that only the creators know. Little do they know that this duel…is to the death.

Full of rich and delicious diction, and amazing imagery, Erin has created a world as majestic and imaginative as Harry Potter. I absolutely LOVED this book, I might stretch to say that it was one of the best books I have read this year. It lets you immerse yourself into this imaginary world of magic and illusion, you find yourself wanting this world to be real, and I have to tell you, if the night circus actually existed, I would be the first one in line, and the last one to leave.

If you read anything at all from this point on in the year, please read this book, you will not be disappointed. It is full of wonder and is a book that can be read over and over again. It will leave you breathless and asking for more.

Before I Go to Sleep

What would you do if you woke one morning and look around and not know where you are, or who the man sleeping next you is. Then you discover that you are 20 years older then you think you are, you are married, and the man in front of you is your husband, and has been for years. What would you do if you lost all of your memories?

That is the premise for S.J Watson’s debut novel Before I Go To Sleep. When I picked this book up originally I didn’t know what to expect. It had been a while since I picked up an adult fiction novel, and when you have read YA fiction for a few weeks, going back to adult can be hard. Yet this book made it easy. From the very first line I was hooked. Following Christines journey was a rollarcoaster, a ride that you were afraid of, yet can’t stop from riding. Watson has an ability to emphasize confusion in a way that allows the reader to feel what Christine feels, what she thinks and what she knows she has lost.

It was a brilliant read, especially for it being a debut novel. It has suspense, love, loss and heartache all wrapped up in a story of a woman who you learn to love through Watson’s words, through Christine’s words, or wordless actions. It is a debut to be proud of, and I would highly recommend it to all.

Eve by Anna Carey was released in early October of last year. It follows a young girl named Eve who lives within the confines of an all girls school. The plague has hit and the mass population has been eliminated. On the night before her graduation, Eve discovers the sicking truth about her future. Summoning every ounce of strength she has, she defies her duty and runs away. Through the unforgiving veil of the wilderness Eve meets Caleb, a strong, kind boy who seems to connect with her on a level she never expected. Through their journey together they will have to decide whether to choose life or face the truth.

It has been a while since I have read a Dystopian YA novel, and I have to say I was glad I started back with this one, because it was very well done. Eve was a strong willed girl who has to deal with issues that a girl her age shouldn’t have to face, and yet, that is part of its charm. Anna Carey has an ability to write tragedy in a way that passes through you as a reader. There are points within this book that tear at your heart and leave you wondering if Eve could take any more, or if a normal human being could take much more.The prose flows nicely and her characters are vivid and real.

Although in my review on Goodreads I gave it 3 stars, it is only because I found a large amount of potential within it, and the series can only get better with time.

Over the last week and a bit I have been extremely busy (with school and work). I re-read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, because I wanted to remember the book before I saw the last movie. Once I finished that I picked up a YA fantasy called Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi. It was released on November 15 of last year.

I really don’t know where to start, the blurb for this book says it all, the first line is brilliant, it reads “I have been locked up for 264 days.” How can that not grab you and make you continue reading? The concept for this book is brilliant, it encompasses everything I love within a YA fantasy: war, superpowers and a love that transcends adversity.

Juliette is locked up in an asylum for the fact that she has a power that is deemed for society. Within the pages of this debut novel, you find yourself becoming attached to Juliette and her struggle for self worth, and finding the strength to love someone, and also how to be loved in return.

The love story in this novel is excellent and exciting. Mafi has a way of writing passion in a way that makes you feel like you are watching it in front of you, it is a talent that not many author possess. Her ability to create such powerful and human characters amid a world full of destruction and lies is extremely commencing. I LOVED this book more then I thought I would, there is a cross between Dystopian fiction and the world of x-men. Please pick up this book if you have the chance, it is brilliantly written.

Imagine one day you wake up and you cannot remember the past, yet you can remember the future, and the future of others around you. This is the plot line for Cat Patrick’s book called Forgotten. I began reading this two days ago and could not put it down, it is fast paced and full of intrigue.

There are a lot of books that deal with memory loss, and it seems like they are all the same, yet this time it seemed different. Forgetting the past is common in fiction today, yet remembering the future is something completely new to me. I thought that this aspect of the story was written very cleanly, that is to say that it didn’t seem “out there” or out of the ordinary. It was almost like common knowledge throughout the book, something that shouldn’t be frowned upon.

I have to say that I really enjoyed this book, it was a fast and easy read, but it held so much emotion and so much personal growth that you cannot help but fall in love with the main character. She is fragile, yet strong; something that is rarely seem these days in YA fiction. The love story is strong, yet not overpowering. It does not overshadow the real issues that need to be dealt with throughout the book. There is also an element of suspense within the book, and like I said before, it is written very well. I very much recommend this book if you are looking for a fast, exciting read. Cat Patrick should be one to watch in the future.

Lauren Oliver has done it again. In her sequel to the Bestselling Delirium, Pandemonium delivers a heart-stopping look at the aftermath of Lena’s destroyed reality. This novel follows Lena as she begins to deal with the loss of her beloved Alex, and the loss of the world she once knew. Lena has to bury the girl she once knew deep into the grounds of the wilds, she has to struggle to adapt to her new life and her new family. Although it took me a while to get into the book, I found that the last half of the book quickly made up for the beginning.

Lauren Oliver has quickly become one of my all time favorite YA authors. Her ability to connect to her audience is both astounding and mesmerizing. In Pandemonium she delivers a story that demonstrates the defiance that has grown inside of Lena that allows her to discover who she is outside of the walls that once confined her. Forbidden love and the ignition of a revolution plow forward and plunge us in the middle of all of it. Pandemonium allows for the reader to watch the development of an already strong main character. We get to watch Lena grow into a very independent and strong young woman.

Lauren, thank you once again for your breathtaking talent and for creating a character that embodies what girls should aspire to: strength, heart and loyalty.

Haunting and mysterious, Bethany Griffin’s first YA novel Masque of Red Death was a surprise that I never expected. The title, as well as the plot, is inspired by the well-loved short story of the same name written by Edgar Allen Poe. What I really loved about this book was its originality. Although the plot was inspired by another story, it encompassed much more than the original. Bethany Griffin has created a world that combines the devastation of Dystopia with the mysterious nature of eighteenth century surroundings. The corsets, the cobblestone streets, the castles, and the hierarchy all suggest to the reader that they are in a time far from their own, yet this changes when tall skyscrapers appear, and we are taken into an underground club scene that screams twenty first century. It is the mystery surrounding time and place that makes this novel so engrossing.

We follow Araby Worth, a young girl who is fighting against a world that has crumbled around her. A devastating plague has hit the population and while the citizens are desperate to stay healthy, the city goes into ruins around them. Araby knows the disastrousness of the plague, the way it tore her family apart and created an everlasting rift between Araby and the reality she once coveted. So how does she cope? by escaping. The Debauchery Club is one of the few places where Araby can go to get away from her life and it is within those walls that she meets two very handsome, but very different young men. Will, the proprietor of the Club and causes Araby to rethink the way she was living her life, making her question her morals. Then there’s Elliot, the aristocrat that causes her to rethink the world that surrounds her, and if it really is possible to live a normal life, away from the plague. It is through these two relationships that Araby discovers that everyone has secrets, even the ones she loves the most.

Bethany has a way of drawing the reader into her world without question, and I have to say that I could not put this book down. It took two of my favorite genres and mixed them with some old school Gothic fiction, which created a novel that many will enjoy. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Dystopian fiction, the Gothic, and a hint of historical fiction because this book is full of them all. Please take a chance on this amazing debut, I did and I can say that it was well worth it.