periodicreader's review
2.0
I was hoping for more adventure and less feelings of helplessness, I think. I'm one of those people who has to finish things (like series of books) but I don't think I'm going to continue on with the series after this one. Meh.
iselenamethod22's review
5.0
i thought this book was exquisite, with it's honey words that described the most beautiful scenes and emotions, with its hybrid fairytale/religious church cult/etc. It is the perfect mixture of dark, fairytale, mysteries and magic. and of course, it tells us what me know to be true...women are magic ;)
honestly, if you're looking for a book that presents the Church and all it's cult-like, repressive tendencies, along with tingly romance, lasting friendships across classes, I would honestly recommend this over the newer "Serpent & Dove" which also goes in that church-but-through-a-different-lens plot scheme.
honestly, if you're looking for a book that presents the Church and all it's cult-like, repressive tendencies, along with tingly romance, lasting friendships across classes, I would honestly recommend this over the newer "Serpent & Dove" which also goes in that church-but-through-a-different-lens plot scheme.
siobhan27's review
3.0
I am a sucker for retellings and this one drew me in from how different it sounded from the ones i had read before. This is not about a certain fairy tale character, but of the fairy godmothers and how they are born to be. I loved this aspect of the story because it is something we don't normally think about. We think about the princesses, the princes and the villains but we don't thunk if those who take care of these characters. This made me like this book even before I opened the first page.
I will admit that I had a hard time connecting to the characters in the book. I felt a bit of distance between them, and I really do not know why. I think they seemed young to me, younger than i thought. I did not feel as invested in the story as I wanted. I wanted to be immerse in the culture of this story and the world that the author created, but sadly something was holding me back. I felt myself skimming passages in order to get to more interesting parts. I felt that the plot lagged in places and therefore I was bored at times when reading. I thought there was not enough character interactions for me and that is usually the best part of a book for me, and how I get to know certain characters. I just felt like there was not enough of that.
There was a small mystery element in this story and I really enjoyed that aspect of the book. I felt like if it was a more prominent aspect pf the overall plot I would have enjoyed the book a lot more, but we never really got to invest in the mystery as much as I would have liked. And since this is the first book in a new series, I was not captured enough to really want o keep reading. I am interested in where this series goes, and I might pick up the second book but for me this book lacked many aspects that a good series needs, and I was a bit disappointed in it.
I will admit that I had a hard time connecting to the characters in the book. I felt a bit of distance between them, and I really do not know why. I think they seemed young to me, younger than i thought. I did not feel as invested in the story as I wanted. I wanted to be immerse in the culture of this story and the world that the author created, but sadly something was holding me back. I felt myself skimming passages in order to get to more interesting parts. I felt that the plot lagged in places and therefore I was bored at times when reading. I thought there was not enough character interactions for me and that is usually the best part of a book for me, and how I get to know certain characters. I just felt like there was not enough of that.
There was a small mystery element in this story and I really enjoyed that aspect of the book. I felt like if it was a more prominent aspect pf the overall plot I would have enjoyed the book a lot more, but we never really got to invest in the mystery as much as I would have liked. And since this is the first book in a new series, I was not captured enough to really want o keep reading. I am interested in where this series goes, and I might pick up the second book but for me this book lacked many aspects that a good series needs, and I was a bit disappointed in it.
lost_in_the_librarys's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
honuzbubbles's review
4.0
Stray was original enough to warrant a rounding up of star points. While the action took a while to get started (the author was obviously needed some time to allow the reader to adjust to the realm) putting the book down to attend everyday life became a tad difficult once it gained momentum. Aislynn manages to transform into a young woman in charge of her future from the scared, naive princess following someone else's rules she was. The characters she meets along her journey are memorable and intriguing. Some details seem to be possible clues for the mystery at the heart of the tale- what really happened to those four sisters and how did it change the land Aislynn lives in? Should her character and her world continue to grow and change this series may become a favorite.
i_hype_romance's review
4.0
An enthralling re-imagining of an amalgam of fairytales - however, it is really, at its core, about Sleeping Beauty.
Aislinn is an intriguing heroine and I will be reading the next book in the series.
Aislinn is an intriguing heroine and I will be reading the next book in the series.
apopanda09's review
4.0
Loved it! I love a good fairy tale retelling, or at least stories inspired by fairy tales. I am hoping to get the sequel, Burn, soon!
hannahmae91's review
3.0
This book was pretty good. Not great, but pretty good. Felt as though the magic = puberty/sexuality thing was a little hamfisted at times (example: magic turns the sheets blood red overnight) but it's a good enough way to ease younger readers into themes or whatever. It does give me a perfect excuse for an Archer gif, though, so I can't really complain.
On a more analytical note, I'd like to point out that this book reads as an extension/retelling of "The Wild Heart" by [a:Ann Bishop|1512682|Ann Bishop|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], a short story published in one of the [a:Ellen Datlow|46138|Ellen Datlow|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1309669102p2/46138.jpg] fairy tale anthologies. Godmothers even have their "loving hearts" pulled out of their chests in as direct nod as you can get while changing the language. This isn't a complaint, exactly. That particular story is perhaps my favorite. However, comparisons are unavoidable between the two and, perhaps by abandoning the shorter format, this loses some of the visceral emotion Bishop evokes.
I will admit that there were two twists which surprised me more than I would expect from a YA novel these days.
In all, I probably won't be reading future installments but I don't regret reading this.
On a more analytical note, I'd like to point out that this book reads as an extension/retelling of "The Wild Heart" by [a:Ann Bishop|1512682|Ann Bishop|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], a short story published in one of the [a:Ellen Datlow|46138|Ellen Datlow|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1309669102p2/46138.jpg] fairy tale anthologies. Godmothers even have their "loving hearts" pulled out of their chests in as direct nod as you can get while changing the language. This isn't a complaint, exactly. That particular story is perhaps my favorite. However, comparisons are unavoidable between the two and, perhaps by abandoning the shorter format, this loses some of the visceral emotion Bishop evokes.
I will admit that there were two twists which surprised me more than I would expect from a YA novel these days.
Spoiler
I especially appreciate the surprise lesbian plot and hope it is expanded upon in later novels.In all, I probably won't be reading future installments but I don't regret reading this.
rookdigoo's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0