Review: A Is For Apple (A Snow White Anthology)

*I received a free copy of this in exchange for an honest review*

 

This is a super fun and very unique collection of Snow White retellings! I thought I would do a short review on each of the stories in this anthology:

 

The Poet’s Missing Daughter (Phoenix Xiao): I really liked the Chinese setting to this one, I thought that made for an interesting basis for a Snow White story. I also really liked the investigative narrative; again, very unique feel. Also loved Lotus! It was a bit of a vague retelling, and I might not have recognized it as a Snow White story reading it by itself, but I still enjoyed it a lot.

 

The Kingdom of the Mirror (Julian Barr): This was a really cool retelling. I liked seeing Snow White written as a high fantasy and was also intrigued by the fact it was told from the Queen’s perspective. This actually made her into a rather sympathetic character over all since we got a background and reason for her motives. Would really be intrigued to see where the story went from here.

 

Snow White and the Silent Death (J. W. Atkinson): This was a really cool story because we got some of Snow White’s POV while she was in the coma. The idea that she was in some sort of purgatory during this time where lost souls of those killed by the queen are fighting a constant war was a really interesting and unique concept. Also one that I feel adds a lot to the story and climax and to Snow White’s personality. I really liked Peli and was happy that Snow got to be reunited with her mother again, if only briefly.

 

Skin Deep (Mark Hood): This was an interesting modern take on Snow White but, ultimately, not my cup of tea. I do like how it read like an exposé but it felt like reading exactly that, like one of the hundreds of exposés that come out of YouTube drama. That being said, it was very realistic because of that and the beauty community is pretty apropos for a Snow White retelling. Good story, well done, just not for me.

 

The Many Failures of Evil (Marlene Simonette): This was a dark and rather creative retelling. I am also fond of retellings that kind of mix around typical tropes to make a new story and this one turned out very interesting. I especially liked the characters and the cursed nature of the land. Quite a lot of interesting elements went into this one, both in the fantasy aspect and the rather more psychological aspect as well. A Very dark and intriguing story, overall enjoyed it.

 

A Fruitful Heist (Robyn Sarty): I’m always a fan of heist stories and really enjoyed seeing these elements mixed into a Snow White story. I really liked the modern fusion for this one and the ‘apple’ being the prize for the heist. My only complaint for this one is that I would have liked to see more of it.

 

Conclusion: Overall, a really fun collection of some genuinely unique retellings of Snow White. I read a lot of retellings so it’s always nice to find ones that still feel fresh. Would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves retellings and is looking for a fun, quick summer read!

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Read to Review: Bluecoat by Jacob Fever

 I was given a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. I wasn't obligated to write a positive review

Thoughts on the Overall Book: For the most part, the book was very exciting and fast paced and I enjoyed the idea of it. The only downfall was more my personal preference and that fact that I honestly had no idea about half of what was going on with all the hacking jargon.

Cover--Yea or Nay: Not something that would necessarily make me pick up a book, but it definitely gives an idea of what the book is about.

Characters: James wasn't a bad protagonist, I just didn't really feel like I could connect to him a lot. He wasn't really a rebellious young person either for doing what he did, he was just, as is typical of very smart people, doing something because he was bored, for the challenge of it, not because he really wanted to hurt anyone. While I didn't personally connect with him, I imagine other readers could. I wasn't really sure what to think about Rebecca at first, because it just seemed like she was using James for her own reasons, and I guess that was what she thought too, but she ended up being a likable character. She didn't have The Attitude, and I was able to relate to her a little better than James. The supporting cast added what they needed to to the story. I kind of figured out who framed James by the middle of the book, or at least had my suspicions, but I liked the way it was revealed.

The Romance: I'm going to be honest, I don't really see what was between James and Rebecca as a true 'romance' at least not until the end of the book. it was just kind of infatuation. I mean James was crushing on her before he even met her really, and Rebecca was just using him at first too. So while I can see what they have turning into genuine romance as the story progresses, this wasn't romance by my standards. It wasn't so prominent as to be annoying though.

Writing Style: Nothing incredibly special, but it was suspenseful and action packed and worked good for the kind of story this was. My only problem was that I found myself zoning out so often during the hacking bits. I just had literally no idea what anything meant so it was a little bit overwhelming. I just kind of went along for the ride. I'm sure the people who know that kind of stuff wouldn't have that problem, but I was a little lost.

Accuracy/ Believability: Honestly, I have no idea how accurate this book was because I had no idea what they were talking about. I thought when I started that I could kind of fake my way through understanding it, but I just gave up. It sounded impressive though and I can only imagine the author knew what they were talking about to be able to write it like that, so I don't put any blame on my not understanding on the author. It's just that with computers I'm like:



Problems/What bothered me: Apart from the fact that I couldn't really understand the hacking jargon, and I didn't really relate to any of the characters, I had no major complaints.

Conclusion: 2.5 stars. As an action book, I enjoyed it, but I think I have to admit it wasn't really my cup of tea. 

Recommended Audience: If you like technological thrillers and computer stuff, this is for you. A good guy read, 18 and up for some strong language and off-color jokes. 

Read to Review #2 Tethers by Jack Croxall

In the wake of a cold Victorian winter, Karl Scheffer and Esther Emerson discover an anonymous journal filled with strange passages and bizarre scribblings.

The journal soon draws them into a covert and sinister conspiracy, a conspiracy centred around an otherworldly artefact with the power to change everything …

Karl and Esther have spent almost every day of their thirteen years in the quiet market town of Shraye. Stifled by their rural surroundings and frustrated by their unfulfilled ambitions, they find the allure of the journal’s mysterious pages impossible to ignore. The book seems to be beckoning them away from Shraye, away from their homes and towards the coast where an unsolved disappearance has set in motion a dark chain of events.

The voyage the teenagers soon find themselves undertaking is one of desperate importance and true peril; it will change the way they see the world, and each other, forever



Review 

*I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review; that in no way changes my opinion or rating for this book. *

Thoughts on the Overall Book: This was the kind of book I loved to read when I was a kid, and I obviously still do. It had action, a cool mystery, and a bit of fantasy thrown into the mix, overall making a quick-paced, enjoyable story.

Cover--Yea or Nay: Yes, I like how it has the Viniculumn on the front, though I do wish the cover gave some indication to the time period of the story.

Characters: Karl and Esther are the kind of characters I love in these sorts of books. They're smart, capable kids, and I like how they're still in the 'best friends' sort of stage so there's no romantic conflict between them. Karl is the thinker, and quieter of the two, whereas Esther is more the firebrand of the duo. That sometimes bothers me in older characters, but because they were thirteen, I think it worked great, and brought more to the table. The villains weren't quite as evil or dastardly as they could have been, but for the type of story this was, I think they worked out well enough. They didn't come across as cartoon villains either, so that's always a good thing.

The Romance: None.

Writing Style: It's not the most beautiful writing I've ever read, but I liked it. It's fast paced, without speeding through the story and confusing the reader with too much movement. The only thing I would say against it was that on occasion I had a hard time picturing the setting. Usually this only occurred when other things were going on in the story like where they're in Locus Two in the end. But as a writer myself, I can understand that describing things while working on an action scene can be hard for the fact that if you put too much info in, it will slow the story down too much. So, while I would have liked a little more description on the machine and such in that scene, and a couple other shorter parts, I can forgive it in that sense.

Accuracy/ Believability: This is a fantasy, but it's set in Victorian England (which is a great time period to have a historical fantasy set) and as far as accuracy went, I was pleased. Clothing, customs and propriety seemed to be sound enough, and I liked the sort of rugged accents that Karl and Esther have. I'm not exactly sure how I felt about Esther's winning a sword fight against a man, but I guess anything is technically possible and it wasn't so spectacular that that it was totally implausible. 

Problems/What bothered me: Nothing.

Conclusion: 3 stars. I really liked the epilogue of the story, and how it promised a sequel. Overall, "Tethers" is a fun escapist read and I enjoyed it quite a bit. 

Recommended Audience: Girl or guy read, perfect for ages 12-14 but older teens and adults would also enjoy the story too, of course =)

About the Author

Born in High Wycombe, Jack Croxall now lives in rural Nottinghamshire with his chocolate Labrador, Archie. He has a degree in Environmental Science from the University of Nottingham and currently toils away as a science writer in between working on his books. He tweets via @JackCroxall and blogs at www.jackcroxall.co.uk

About Tethers

Title: TETHERS
Genre: YA Victorian fantasy

Reviewers’ Comments:

Reminiscent of the exploration stories of Enid Blyton and Arthur Ransome, the kids find themselves on a metaphorical rollercoaster cart racing down the tracks. And the brakes are off. Sword fights, pistols, unfortunate deaths and curious objects, the plot thickens with every twist and turn. Suddenly Blyton meets H.G. Wells, and a brilliantly paced steampunk tale of machinery and science-based magic unfolds. (MuggleNet)

Somewhere between Pullman's Sally Lockhart mysteries and Moonfleet sits Tethers, a rip-roaring debut novel. Sharply written with well observed characters that you can root for, Tethers has you turning pages faster that Ronald MacDonald can throw out burgers. (Sharon Sant – author of the Sky Song trilogy

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Buy the book:

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/WRf4vI

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/12ozq7Q

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackCroxall

Website: http://jackcroxall.co.uk/