Book Review: Jo & Laurie, by Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz

• Opening lines: The Offices of Roberts Brothers, Publishers and Bookbinders, Washington Street, Boston, Massachusetts, 1868
  
  "Little Women? That's the title?" The author looked concerned. Above her light brown eyes and beneath her threadbare linen cap, the chestnut curls that framed her face were shaking. Miss Josephine March was all of seventeen years old, and though her girlish curves were slight, her spirit was immense.
  
  There was nothing little about her, or her characters. Or so she had thought. The book in question—a volume of domestic stories, loosely inspired by her own family—was one she hadn't wanted to write, had in fact steadfastly refused to write, until her editor had offered a notably unrefusable royalty, instead of the usual piffling advance. Only then had she dashed off a dozen chapters in a fit of pique. To her dismay, he'd loved them, and she'd had no choice but to finish the final chapters, which she'd come to deliver now.
  
  And lo—insult beyond injury—it would be called Little Women.
• Reason I picked up the book: I'm a huge fan of both of these authors—I've reviewed quite a few of Melissa de la Cruz's books, and Margaret Stohl is the author of the Beautiful Creatures series. 
• And what's this book about?
Bestselling authors Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz bring us a romantic retelling of Little Women starring Jo March and her best friend, the boy next door, Theodore "Laurie" Laurence.

1869, Concord, Massachusetts: After the publication of her first novel, Jo March is shocked to discover her book of scribbles has become a bestseller, and her publisher and fans demand a sequel. While pressured into coming up with a story, she goes to New York with her dear friend Laurie for a week of inspiration--museums, operas, and even a once-in-a-lifetime reading by Charles Dickens himself!

But Laurie has romance on his mind, and despite her growing feelings, Jo's desire to remain independent leads her to turn down his heartfelt marriage proposal and sends the poor boy off to college heartbroken. When Laurie returns to Concord with a sophisticated new girlfriend, will Jo finally communicate her true heart's desire or lose the love of her life forever?

• Recommended for: Anyone who is a fan of Little Women, or who enjoys romance books.
• Favorite paragraph: slight spoilers below ...
  How could he think the bosoms would make him happy? Not her Theodore Laurence. Not ever.
  
  But then again, he wasn't her Theodore Laurence. If he could profess his love for Jo and propose to Lady Hat all within the space of a season, then it was likely Jo really didn't know Theodore Laurence at all.
• Something to know: I attended a Zoom chat with both of the authors and it's interesting that both of them wrote the book, because I never would have thought that it had two authors; the chapters are seamless, and the writing style is the same throughout. Also, this takes place before Laurie goes off to Harvard, and in Little Women I believe some of the events took place after he graduated.
• What I would have changed: Nothing.
• Overall rating: 4 stars out of 5.
• Where can I find this book? Click here to purchase on Amazon.

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Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Gotham High, by Melissa de la Cruz {ends 5/3}

Guest review by: Becki Bayley

Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to a classic American high school

No matter how many feel-good, guidance counselor-approved, school spirit-encouraging mandatory events there are, the fiefdoms are as rigid as the rules that govern them.

The jocks never sit with the nerds

The joiners hate the slackers.

But everyone worships the rich and beautiful people.

Why not? I’m one of them

And so is Bruce.

There seem to be so many versions, or maybe just different sets of details, from Batman stories. This graphic novel seems to look at a time of Bruce Wayne’s life that hasn’t had a lot of scrutiny.

Official synopsis:

After being kicked out of his boarding school, 17-year-old Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham City to find that nothing is as he left it. What once was his family home is now an empty husk, lonely but haunted by the memory of his parents' murder. Selina Kyle, once the innocent girl next door, now rules over Gotham High School with a dangerous flair, aided by the class clown, Jack Napier.

When a kidnapping rattles the school, Bruce seeks answers as the dark and troubled knight--but is he actually the pawn? Nothing is ever as it seems, especially at Gotham High, where the parties and romances are of the highest stakes ... and where everyone is a suspect.

With enchanting art by Thomas Pitilli, this new graphic novel is just as intoxicating as it is chilling, in which dearest friends turn into greatest enemies—all within the hallways of Gotham High!

This graphic novel had both gorgeous illustrations, and a story line that wasn’t entirely expected. The glimpse into Bruce Wayne’s middle years was a welcome change from the story of his parents dying when he was young, and his escapades as Batman as an adult.

While this is currently listed as Book 1 of 1, an expansion to cover the eventual alter-egos of several students with Wayne at Gotham High would be easy to imagine. At Gotham High, we meet Bruce Wayne, Selina Kyle, Jack Napier, Harvey Dent, and Ivy (who works with herbs at the apothecary). Without spoiling who’s ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ let’s just say that we see a bit about each of their characters in this book.

Overall, I’d give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars. I’d recommend it for young adults and adults who enjoy graphic novels, but not necessarily for diehard Batman fans. The characters are not the same at this age as they are portrayed traditionally as adults.

{click here to purchase}

Becki Bayley is a reader, a weeder, and a popcorn eater. Find more of her Cherry Coke-fueled book meanderings at SweetlyBSquared.com.

GIVEAWAY:

One of my lucky readers will win a copy of Gotham High!

Enter via the widget below. Giveaway will end on Sunday, May 3rd, at 11:59pm EST, and winner will be notified via email the next day, and have 24 hours to respond, or an alternate winner will be chosen.

U.S. residents only, please.

Good luck!

Gotham High, by Melissa de la Cruz

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Book Review and GIVEAWAY: The Queen's Assassin, by Melissa de la Cruz {ends 3/12}

Guest review by: Becki Bayley

There are no books to read, and no letters arrive in the post. He has no idea what’s happening outside the prison walls, no way of knowing when he will be released. It’s maddening.

He examines the handkerchief over and over again. Holds it up to the bit of sunlight that streams in the tiny cell window every morning, in case there’s something he missed, perhaps a secret message written in milk or lemon juice – but there’s nothing.

Maybe the handkerchief itself was the code, and her words: You’re not alone. He may be reading too much into the encounter – she could have merely been a sympathetic bystander. But there was something familiar about her…When – if – he finishes the task in Montrice, he decides he’s going to find her.

This was my favorite sort of fantasy book. It felt kind of medieval-ish, with kingdoms and royalty and such. And of course people learning magic – I always love people learning magic!

Official synopsis:

Caledon Holt is the kingdom's deadliest weapon. No one alive can best him in speed, strength, or brains, which is why he's the Hearthstone Guild's most dangerous member. Cal is also the Queen's Assassin, bound to her by magic and unable to leave her service until the task she's set for him is fulfilled.

Shadow of the Honey Glade has been training all her life to join the Guild, hoping that one day she'll become an assassin as feared and revered as Cal. But Shadow's mother and aunts expect her to serve the crown as a lady of the Renovian Court.

When a surprise attack brings Shadow and Cal together, they're forced to team up as assassin and apprentice. Even though Shadow's life belongs to the court and Cal's belongs to the queen, they cannot deny their attraction to each other. But now, with war on the horizon and true love at risk, Shadow and Cal will uncover a shocking web of lies that will change their paths forever.

We’ve got warring kingdoms, spies, history, and tangled family lineages. What could be better? Shadow has been raised to join the court, but what she really wants is to fight with the Guild. When she finally arranges to meet the best person to help her learn to fight, she doesn’t bother telling him she’s supposed to join the court – then he might not help her follow her dreams!

There’s risk at every turn, and luckily Shadow seems to be a bit of a natural with the whole fighting thing, or else the book would have ended much earlier, and she would probably be dead. Not to be a spoiler, but the main characters we meet make it to the end. I enjoyed hanging out with Shadow and Cal. Shadow’s aunts were especially endearing, although we don’t get to spend a lot of time with them.

Overall, I’d give this book 3 out of 5 stars, and I’d definitely considering what comes next in the series. I’d recommend this one to fans of young adult fantasy books. Some adult fantasy readers may enjoy it as well, as long as their main motivator for reading isn’t steamy stuff – none of that here!

{click here to purchase}

Becki Bayley is a mom of two baton twirlers, who enjoys the hurry-up-and-wait time at competitions to get extra reading done. She also blogs at SweetlyBSquared.com.

GIVEAWAY:

One of my lucky readers will win a copy of The Queen's Assassin!

Enter via the widget below. Giveaway will end on Thursday, March 12th, at 11:59pm EST, and winner will be notified via email the next day, and have 24 hours to respond, or an alternate winner will be chosen.

U.S. residents only, please.

Good luck!

The Queen's Assassin, by Melissa de la Cruz

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Book Review and GIVEAWAY: The Birthday Girl, by Melissa de la Cruz {ends 8/25}

October 19
The Present
5:00 PM

Ellie de Florent-Stinson had made a point of telling everyone she knew that she'd bought the house in Palm Springs for her birthday, as a gift to self.

Renting a Palm Springs house for a celebration was practically a rite of passage among a certain Los Angeles set, a flurry of Paperless Post invites with the requite Rat-Pack-in-the-desert themes landing in one's inbox with a predictable thud over the years.

But Ellie always had to one-up, take it to the next mile, power it beyond the goalpost and smash it on the turf while doing an illegal victory dance—so she had actually bought a house, for a little over two million. Renting was so bourgeois. 

I'm a huge Melissa de la Cruz fan, as my long-time blog readers might know, so I was excited to get my hands on her newest book, The Birthday Girl. There were a few twists throughout that I didn't see coming, also, and I very much enjoyed the novel.

Official synopsis:

In the thrilling, suspenseful new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz, all of Ellie de Florent-Stinson’s secrets come to light in one eventful evening full of twists, turns, and surprises.

Before she became a glamorous fashion designer, Ellie de Florent-Stinson was a trailer-park teen about to turn sixteen. But a night of birthday celebration doesn’t go exactly as planned and descends into a night she’ll never be able to forget.

Now, on the cusp of her fortieth birthday, it appears Ellie has everything she ever wanted: a handsome husband; an accomplished, college-age stepdaughter; a beautiful ten-year-old girl; adorable and rambunctious six-year-old twin boys; lush, well-appointed homes in Los Angeles, Park City, and Palm Springs; a thriving career; and a dazzling circle of friends.

Except everything is not quite as perfect as it looks on the outside—Ellie is keeping many secrets. And hiding those skeletons has a cost, and it all comes to a head the night of her fabulous birthday party in the desert—where everyone who matters in her life shows up, invited or not. Old and new friends and frenemies, stepdaughters and business partners, ex-wives and ex-husbands congregate, and the glittering facade of Ellie’s life begins to crumble.

Beautifully paced and full of surprises, The Birthday Girl is an enthralling tale of a life lived in shadow and its unavoidable consequences.

The novel goes back and forth between the present, which is Ellie's 40th birthday party, and the past, which took place 24 years ago, when she was 16. The two characters in the past are named Leo and Mish, so it took me a while to figure out which one was Ellie ... and even then, there's a twist at the end and it turned out I was wrong.

I really like novels that flip-flop like that (go between past and present) and this one was no exception. The characters are written very well, too, and just when you think you've figured out who is who, and what the ending will be, de la Cruz flips the script on you.

4.5 stars out of 5.

{click here to purchase}

*Disclosure: I was provided a copy of this book for reviewing purposes. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own.

GIVEAWAY:

One of my lucky readers will win a hardcover copy of The Birthday Girl!

Enter to win via the widget below. Giveaway will end on Sunday, August 25th, at 11:59pm EST, and winner will be notified via email the next day, and have 24 hours to respond, or an alternate winner will be chosen.

U.S. residents only, please.

Good luck!

Hardcover copy of The Birthday Girl, by Melissa de la Cruz

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Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Someone to Love, by Melissa de la Cruz {ends 5/16}

"I'm not seeing anyone besides you," Zach says. "And I don't plan to." Does that mean he wants to be exclusive? That he wants to be an official couple?

Couple is such a weird word. Two people who are closely associated, who are of the same sort. I start thinking. Are we of the same sort?

I hope so. I've needed someone to love for so long.

I'm a big fan of Melissa de la Cruz's books, and this was her first "normal" YA book I've read—I say "normal" meaning it wasn't about vampires or other paranormal people. Alex & Eliza was about humans, as well, but it was about Alexander Hamilton and thus set in the past. Someone to Love is set in the present and focuses on a congressman's daughter, and her struggles with bulimia and with acceptance.

Official synopsis:

Constantly in the spotlight thanks to her politician father's rising star, Olivia Blakely feels the pressure to be perfect. As the youngest girl in her class, she tries hard to keep up and to seem mature to the older boy she's crushing on, even as she catches his eye. But the need to look good on camera and at school soon grows into an all-consuming struggle with bulimia.

As Liv works toward her goal of gaining early admission to art school, including taking part in an upcoming student show, her life spirals out of control. Swept up in demands to do more than she's ready for, to always look perfect and to succeed, Liv doesn't know who she is anymore. It will take nearly losing her best friend and even her life for Liv to learn that loving herself is far more important than earning the world's approval.
Olivia is an interesting character. Even though she's already skinny, she binges and purges—her goal weight is 100 pounds, and she weighs about 112 pounds in the beginning of the book—because of her bulimia. She has a crush on a guy at school, Zach, and eventually they start dating, but he's not who he seems. She also is very interested in art, and wants to make a name for herself outside of her congressman father's legacy.

This was not my favorite of de la Cruz's books, but is still a good read, especially if you like reading books about high school students or those who struggle with issues. Olivia is immature but matures throughout the novel, and by the end of it, she's more aware that she has an issue (bulimia) and that it's not healthy for her to continue like she has been doing. She also "finds herself" throughout the book and has a more set career path by the end of it. 

3.5 stars out of 5.

{click here to purchase}

GIVEAWAY:

One of my lucky readers will win a copy of Someone to Love!

Enter via the widget below. Giveaway will end on Wednesday, May 16th, at 11:59pm EST, and winner will be notified the next day via email and have 24 hours to respond, or an alternate winner will be chosen.

U.S. residents only, please.

Good luck!

Someone to Love, by Melissa de la Cruz

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Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe, by Melissa de la Cruz {ends 11/8}

She turned then to face her reflection. It was true: at twenty-nine and as partner at the second most successful hedge fun in NYC, she didn't look a day over twenty-four. She was confident in her good looks and considered herself to be just as gorgeous as everybody told her she was. Her slender, heart-shaped face boasted elegantly chiseled cheekbones; a lightly freckled, ski-slope nose; big, stormy grey eyes shuttered by naturally long lashes; and a perfectly pouty set of pale pink lips.

... 

See, it is a truth universally acknowledged that any beautiful, brilliant, single women who is rich as hell will be in want of a husband. She'd heard it time and time again.

This novel is Melissa de la Cruz's contribution to the Jane Austen craze, but with a slight twist: it's Darcy Fitzwilliam, the woman, who is the rich and successful one here, and who falls in love with one of her high school friends, Luke Bennet, a carpenter.

Official synopsis:

Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe from New York Times bestselling author, Melissa de la Cruz, is a sweet, sexy and hilarious gender-swapping, genre-satisfying re-telling, set in contemporary America and featuring one snooty Miss Darcy.

Darcy Fitzwilliam is 29, beautiful, successful, and brilliant. She dates hedge funders and basketball stars and is never without her three cellphones―one for work, one for play, and one to throw at her assistant (just kidding). Darcy’s never fallen in love, never has time for anyone else’s drama, and never goes home for Christmas if she can help it. But when her mother falls ill, she comes home to Pemberley, Ohio, to spend the season with her family.

Her parents throw their annual Christmas bash, where she meets one Luke Bennet, the smart, sardonic slacker son of their neighbor. Luke is 32-years-old and has never left home. He’s a carpenter and makes beautiful furniture, and is content with his simple life. He comes from a family of five brothers, each one less ambitious than the other. When Darcy and Luke fall into bed after too many eggnogs, Darcy thinks it’s just another one night stand. But why can’t she stop thinking of Luke? What is it about him? And can she fall in love, or will her pride and his prejudice against big-city girls stand in their way?

This was a fast and easy read. I'm a fan of books that provide a twist on Austen—Curtis Sittenfeld's Eligible was great—but it was hard for me to get into this one. I definitely laughed at the quote above, about the "truth universally acknowledged" (a spin off of one of Austen's quotes from the original book) but otherwise, I actually found Darcy to be a little unlikeable.

Darcy has an on-and-off-again relationship with Carl, whom her father really wanted her to marry in high school—that was the original plan, to stay in Pemberley, Ohio (Darcy's hometown) and be a housewife or whatnot—but instead, Darcy left for NYC and established a life for herself there. When Darcy finally agrees to marry Carl, it's because Luke is already taken, so she figures that she'll just settle down since she can't have Luke.

I'm aware that de la Cruz was probably being glib for most of this book, and/or taking a stab at the original (the characters in the original are just as ridiculous) but I'll be honest and say I was a little disappointed in it, versus the other books of hers that I've read. Her other recent book, Alex & Eliza, was also a romance, albeit a historical one, and I liked that novel much more.

If you're looking for a quick and easy read, though, this would fit the bill, and fans of Austen will appreciate the gender switch-up, which I did as well—and especially that you can be a successful woman and not *need* a man by your side, until you choose to have one, like Darcy did here.

2.5 stars out of 5.
{Click here to purchase}

GIVEAWAY:

One of my lucky readers will win a copy of Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe!

Enter via the widget below. Giveaway will end on Wednesday, November 8th, at 11:59pm EST, and winner will be emailed the next day and must respond with 24 hours, or an alternate winner will be chosen.

U.S. residents only, please.

Good luck!

Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe book

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Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Isle of the Lost, by Melissa de la Cruz {ends 6/7}

For her mother was the great Maleficent, Mistress of Darkness, the most powerful and wicked fairy in the world and the most fearsome villain in all the land.

Or at least, she had been.

Once upon a time, her mother's wrath had cursed a princess.

Once upon a time, her mother's wrath had brought a prince to his knees.

Once upon a time, her mother's wrath had put an entire kingdom to sleep.

Once upon a time, her mother had had all the forces of hell at her command.

And there was nothing Mal desired more in her heart than to grow up to be just like her.

While I was reading this novel, I didn't know that it is a prequel to Descendants, which is going to be a Disney Channel original movie starring Kristin Chenoweth as Maleficent. I'm a huge fan of Melissa de la Cruz's work, and they definitely chose the right author to write Isle of the Lost, as it was a fun read.

Official synopsis:
Twenty years ago, all the evil villains were banished from the kingdom of Auradon and made to live in virtual imprisonment on the Isle of the Lost. The island is surrounded by a magical force field that keeps the villains and their descendants safely locked up and away from the mainland. Life on the island is dark and dreary. It is a dirty, decrepit place that's been left to rot and forgotten by the world.

But hidden in the mysterious Forbidden Fortress is a dragon's eye: the key to true darkness and the villains' only hope of escape. Only the cleverest, evilest, nastiest little villain can find it...who will it be?

Maleficent, Mistress of the Dark: As the self-proclaimed ruler of the isle, Maleficent has no tolerance for anything less than pure evil. She has little time for her subjects, who have still not mastered life without magic. Her only concern is getting off the Isle of the Lost.

Mal: At sixteen, Maleficent's daughter is the most talented student at Dragon Hall, best known for her evil schemes. And when she hears about the dragon's eye, Mal thinks this could be her chance to prove herself as the cruelest of them all.

Evie: Having been castle-schooled for years, Evil Queen's daughter, Evie, doesn't know the ins and outs of Dragon Hall. But she's a quick study, especially after she falls for one too many of Mal's little tricks.

Jay: As the son of Jafar, Jay is a boy of many talents: stealing and lying to name a few. Jay and Mal have been frenemies forever and he's not about to miss out on the hunt for the dragon's eye.

Carlos: Cruella de Vil's son may not be bravest, but he's certainly clever. Carlos's inventions may be the missing piece in locating the dragon's eye and ending the banishment for good.

Mal soon learns from her mother that the dragon's eye is cursed and whoever retrieves it will be knocked into a deep sleep for a thousand years. But Mal has a plan to capture it. She'll just need a little help from her "friends." In their quest for the dragon's eye, these kids begin to realize that just because you come from an evil family tree, being good ain't so bad.

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