Odette by Jessica Duchen (Romance, Fairytale, 10E/10E)

Such a simple yet full of meaning cover!

 November 2018, Unbound Digital, 368 pages, Paperback and Ebook, Review copy 

Summary from Unbound

A 21^st-century twist on the familiar story of Swan Lake, Meeting Odette shows – in the best tradition of Christmas fairy-tales – how even against the greatest odds innocence, empathy, humanity and hope can win the day.

When a swan crashes through Mitzi Fairweather’s front window during a winter storm, the shocked young journalist decides to tend the injured bird overnight. But this is no ordinary swan. At sundown, she turns into a human being…

This startling visitor is Odette, the enchanted swan princess – and her presence lands Mitzi with some bizarre decisions. Odette is charming, talented and full of joie de vivre, yet with nothing but her dress, no understanding of the modern world and no way to go home, she is totally dependent on the kindness of strangers she encounters here in the university town of Cygnford. Doomed to be a swan by day and a woman by night, she remains convinced – to Mitzi’s distress – that only a man’s sworn eternal love can break her spell. 

As Mitzi and Odette try to hide the improbable truth, their web of deception grows ever more tangled. Mitzi’s brother takes Odette for a sofa-surfing refugee, and Cyngford’s attitude to a homeless stranger is not always welcoming. But while winter grows colder and Mitzi increasingly shares Odette’s plight, perhaps the swan princess’s freedom doesn’t lie quite where anybody expects.

Nayu's thoughts

Odette merges several themes I love in a tale: ballet, fairytales, humour and a bit of mystery. I love classical ballet, I really don't like modern interpretations of ballets, I love the music which is good timing since I recently got a CD player specifically to listen to classical music (both original and remixed). I didn't know Jessica was so heavily involved in music until I check out her website: it now makes sense why she chose Swan Lake as her book theme. 

I hear a lot about Swan Lake because it a famous traditional ballet, albeit a bit of a sad one. I happen to love birds, so witnessing Odette be both a bird a girl is fascinating. A swan princess is rather magical, despite her tragic circumstances, and watching Odette learn about the modern world provides a lot of humour, and a fair amount of difficulties for Mitzi on top of her job issues: this is a theme which sometimes I wished would happen in other tales, because it makes it more realistic. By this I mean that someone new without ID could easily be in illegal immigrant (who I have nothing against and believe should be helped because they are often escaping horrendous living conditions), as Mitzi finds out. 

The main elements of Swan Lake are incorporated into Odette, which I think uses a similar disguise for the sorcerer in question. I think what I enjoyed the most was that while Odette was extremely important to the plot, it wasn't told from her point of view, but Mitzi's, who is an outsider, albeit a generous one once she realises what Odette says is true. I liked  how coy Odette was when she changed shape, making sure she was in a room away from Mitzi. 

Mitzie's ability to reason away breaking bending rules of her flat occupancy made me smile: she wants the best for Odette, which sometimes meant she had to let Odette freely do things without her. Odette isn't entirely powerless, she has a backbone (technically 2, one as a bird and one as a human, although I'm not actually being literal here), she learns from every experience she has. She has a bit of a cinderella act going on because of her transformation time limits, which increases how much I love this book because that's another fairytale that I enjoy. 

Whereas I guessed one plot twist, there was a major one which I didn't see coming at all, despite there being hints about it, making me eager to reread it to spot those hints sooner. The end was absolutely beautiful, and while I would have liked it to extend a little more, I had enough to be reassured Odette's life would be a positive one, as would Mitzie's. 

I felt sorry for Mitzie because she got brutally betrayed in the story because of Odette, in a shocking way which had me upset on her behalf. She didn't deserve that at all, but then neither did Odette deserve to have such an enchantment placed on her. Both girls cast a spell on me with the enchanting tale that I'll be rereading more than once in future! I have to say I'll be checking out some of Jessica's other books because they look absolutely fascinating.

Find out more on Jessica's website. 

Suggested read

For more fairytale magic check out Fairytale Beginnings by Holly Martin (Romance, Fairytale, 10E/10E)

A Brightness Out of the Blue by Jill Atkins (Young Adult, 8/10E, short 'n' sweet review)

Gorgeous cover!

November 2016, Raven Books, 200 pages, Paperback, Review copy 

Content: teen romance (both going wrong & right)

Book summary

Ella's life is falling apart in front of her until she helps an old lady home. Little does she realise that this small gesture will lead her to discovering her fortune Ella's father is married to an evil stepmother and she is forced out of home and stuck in a dead end job. Ella is convinced life cannot get any worse. But then she meets the mysterious Martha, and finds herself irresistibly drawn to a woman hiding secrets of her own... Can Martha help Ella get the guy and get rid of her poisonous step-mother? Better yet, can Ella turn her life around?

 

Nayu's thoughts

This is a great modern twist on a classic fairytale as the back of the book says, but it didn't quite have the edge that I expected. I'd hoped that Ella would directly be with her step-mother, but as you will see from the tale she isn't. What I love about the Cinderella story in general is just how rough life is for the Cinderella character, and how magic and kindness help change that rough life. That doesn't make Ella's plight any worse/better than the average Cinderella. She has a hard life, and seeing Martha truly does change everything. 

I liked the subtle presence of magic, which doesn't always have a positive or predictable outcome and isn't all sparkles in the modern world which Ella resides in. I liked how she learnt that appearances can be deceptive, and what she thinks she wants isn't what she actually wants. Usually the father figure in Cinderella is kind and doting on his daughter (& usually dead...) but that's not quite true for Ella, creating moments when I wished her father was out the picture because his choices are simply awful for Ella. I liked the realism of Ella's romantic interest, I can't say more than that without spoiling the plot!

You won't be disappointed by the bittersweet ending, although it did have me wanting to know what happens to Ella in the future. I don't think I'll reread it, but I'm not sure yet, as some parts are very sweet. 

Nayu's News #212 A Craft Filled Day!

Had my own sleeping beauty moment at the weekend

I'm back from my fun weekend away, which consisted of me being super tired almost every day, so much so I had a 4 hour nap on Saturday afternoon. I don't nap unless ill, but it helped me so much that in the future if I'm tired I'll nap! It didn't seem to affect my sleep. 

Probably going to be a few more days until I'm fully recovered from the weekend, but today I'm  heading off for a day of craft and fun with a friend! Will update you on what we do in due course. 

This is a big part of my day today!

Spinning Starlight by R C Lewis (Young adult, 10E/10E, short 'n' sweet review)

  October 2015, Disney-Hyperion, 336 pages, Ebook, Review copy from NetGalley

Content: drama, a bit of humour, tissues needed

Summary from NetGalley 

Sixteen-year-old heiress and paparazzi darling Liddi Jantzen hates the spotlight. But as the only daughter in the most powerful tech family in the galaxy, it's hard to escape it. So when a group of men shows up at her house uninvited, she assumes it's just the usual media-grubs. That is, until shots are fired. 

Liddi escapes, only to be pulled into an interplanetary conspiracy more complex than she ever could have imagined. Her older brothers have been caught as well, trapped in the conduits between the planets. And when their captor implants a device in Liddi's vocal cords to monitor her speech, their lives are in her hands: One word, and her brothers are dead.
 

Desperate to save her family from a desolate future, Liddi travels to another world, where she meets the one person who might have the skills to help her bring her eight brothers home-a handsome dignitary named Tiav. But without her voice, Liddi must use every bit of her strength and wit to convince Tiav that her mission is true. With the tenuous balance of the planets deeply intertwined with her brothers' survival, just how much is Liddi willing to sacrifice to bring them back? 

Haunting and mesmerizing, this retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's The Wild Swans fuses all the heart of the classic tale with a stunning, imaginative world in which a star-crossed family fights for its very survival. 

Nayu's thoughts

This is one of the most spectacular sci-fi books I've ever read! I adore fairytale retellings, and the sci-fi take on sweet tale is a pure delight to read. There is an awful lot of hardship for Liddi, but there is hope too. She has a fierce determination to save her brothers, no matter the cost to herself. Staying silent is harder than you might think, but Liddi was able to find a way around not speaking, although communicating in that way wasn't always practical.

I loved the level of futuristic technology, how there was often someone that she needed to hide from which caused obstacles she had to overcome. The way her brothers manage sparse communication gave both her and me hope that they could be reunited eventually. They care a lot for her too, which makes the separation heartwrenching. Liddi isn't completely alone, for she unexpectedly finds a few allies who help her the best they can. 

There is tragedy in the story, I can't lie about that, so make sure you have tissues. The reason for the separation of Liddi's family is one of the many plot twists which made me squee. It's not an overly sci-fi read, if that makes sense, so even if you don't usually read sci-fi do give this captivating book a shot! You won't regret it, I promise!

Find out more on R C Lewis's website. 

Fairytale Beginnings by Holly Martin (Romance, Fairytale, 10E/10E)

Pretty cover!

 October 2015, Bookouture, 320 pages, Ebook, Review copy from NetGalley

Content: moderate amount of adult romance, possible occasional language (can't quite remember), lots of humour, 

Summary from Bookouture

Love is an open door…except when it keeps slamming in your face

Hopeless romantic Milly Rose has had her fair share of heartbreak. Obsessed with all things Disney, she refuses to give up on finding her Prince Charming – he’s out there somewhere, isn’t he?

When Milly is given a job to investigate the origins of a historical building in the village of Clover’s Rest, she’s not sure what to expect. What she discovers takes her breath away – a beautiful real life Cinderella castle, complete with turrets, a magnificent drawbridge AND a very handsome owner…Cameron Heartstone.

As Milly and Cameron begin to unearth the secrets of Clover Castle, they can’t ignore the intense chemistry building between them. But they’ve both been hurt badly before. Can they take a big leap of faith and find their own happily-ever-after?

 Nayu's thoughts

This book has to be read to be believed, a bit like Beauty and the Beast, there's a castle with turrets and a unique community! Romance aside (which does get a bit heated, and there were several places where I blushed a lot), it's a light read. As a lover of Hello Kitty, all things cute (often Japanese but does include Disney) I had to find out what Milly was like as a person, and why she stuck around so long at the castle when Cameron clearly didn't want her there (initially. Naturally that changes). She is persistent, and her upbeat view on life reminds me of myself, which makes me smile. Although I wouldn't have done half of what she did!

There are plenty of hilarious moments, sometimes because Milly is a bit too gung ho, sometimes accidental. The villagers as I've already mentioned are unique. That festival thing – there are no words for what it's all about! The only hint I give about it is that I blushed a lot. It's funny how the villagers are so keen to get Milly together with Cameron – just like the enchanted people turned objects in the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast, which is totally what this is based loosely on. There are sweet moments which made me teary eyed, and I'm already excited for the next time I read this. Go check it out!

Find out more on Holly's website.

Suggested read

For more fairytale magic check out a Beauty and the Beast retelling: Masque by W R Gingell (Fantasy, Fairytale, 10E/10E)

Masque by W R Gingell (Fantasy, Fairytale, 10E/10E)

Pretty dress, Isabella looks a bit stuffy looking and she really isn't!

 December 2014, CreateSpace, 334 pages,  Ebook, Review copy from NetGalley 

Content: magic, murder, lots of humour, tissue needed

Summary from W R's website

Beauty met the Beast and there was . . . Bloody murder?

It’s the Annual Ambassadorial Ball in Glause, and Lady Isabella Farrah, the daughter of New Civet’s Ambassador, is feeling pleasantly scintillated.

In the library is Lord Pecus, a charming gentleman whose double mask hides a beastly face, and who has decided that Isabella is the very person to break the Pecus curse.

In the ball-room is young Lord Topher, who is rapidly falling in love with an older woman.

And in the card-room, lying in a pool of his own blood, is the body of one of Isabella’s oldest friends: Raoul, Civet’s Head Guardsman. The papers sewn into his sash seem to suggest espionage gone wrong, but Isabella is not so certain.

Lord Pecus, as Commander of the Watch, is of the opinion that Isabella should keep out of the investigation and out of danger. Isabella is of the opinion that it is her murder to investigate, and that what a certain Beast-Lord doesn’t know won’t hurt him. . . .

Will Isabella find the murderer before Lord Pecus does, or will she end her investigation as a bloody spatter on the parlour floor?

Nayu's thoughts  

This is a hilarious and thrilling retelling of Beauty and the Beast! I'm a little obsessed with fairytales at the moment, and this one is amazing! (Sometimes self-published books can have a not so good reputation but this is a high calibre read) I was a tiny bit wary of the magical setting, but it provides much humour and danger (and didn't seem too fantasy based, if that makes any sense).  

Isabella's view on life is ever so like my own. She's extremely funny, even at the most dangerous times. She finds way of dodging around forbidden activities, thinks sideways and then some, cares for those she lives with and the entire community. I squee-d over the yellow dress (a la Disney version of the tale), was delighted by the novel way Isabella gets 'trapped' by the beast, wanted Belle's servants in my life for their antics and sneaky ways. One of the reread shelf, especially when I need a laugh!

Suggested read

Another Beauty and the Beast tale can be found in A Different Reflection by Jane L Gibson (Romance, 10E/10E, short 'n' sweet review)