Sarah Cross is the author of "Dull Boy."
A girl struggles to escape her fairy-tale fate in this suspenseful
fantasy.
Mira will turn 16 in a few days. Though she loves her godmothers,
she wants to return to the city of her birth and find her parents'
graves, one of the many things that her godmothers forbid. She runs
away and travels to Beau Rivage, not knowing that the town is
magical and that she risks death by returning. She quickly meets a
boy she instantly dislikes, Blue, who has blue, spiked hair and
seems to enjoy insulting her. But Blue's older brother Felix charms
her and gives her a free luxury room in the family's casino hotel.
Mira can't understand why everyone warns her not to spend time with
Felix, and she quickly falls in love with him. Finally, Mira learns
that she, with the other teens in the story, is cursed to live out
fairy tales. She finds herself caught in not just one foretold fate
that threatens her, but two--and the second could kill her. Cross,
who knows her fairy tales, weaves a number of them into her story,
giving them interesting twists as she applies them to her
vulnerable and rebellious teen characters. Earnest Freddie, cynical
Viv and captivating Felix all stand out as the archetypes they're
supposed to embody, and as individuals as well.
Clever fun. --Kirkus Reviews-- "Journal"
Mirabelle Lively knows little about her past or her deceased
parents; her loving, though overprotective, guardian godmothers,
Elsa and Bliss, have kept it that way. But with her sixteenth
birthday approaching, Mira runs away to Beau Rivage to visit her
birthplace and her parents' graves, hoping to find answers. The
city and residents are not as they appear, and as mysteries and
secrets unfold, so do revelations, including whether or not curses
and fairy tales could be real and whether Mira is destined for
happily ever after or a more sinister fate. Incorporating suspense
and romance, this contemporary, edgy, Grimm-based novel is an
entertaining and well-written entry in the crowded but popular
genre. With nods to many fairy tales--including Cinderella and
Hansel and Gretel--readers will find familiar, if occasionally
predictable, elements. However, there are also some creative twists
as the engaging YA cast navigates issues ranging from destiny
versus free will to self-discovery to the power of love. Includes
some strong language and mature scenarios. --Booklist--
"Journal"
When Mirabelle runs away from her godmothers to Beau Rivage, the
city where she was born, she hopes to discover answers about her
parents' tragic death. Instead, she finds a group of unusual
teenagers, each with a fairy-tale curse. In this strange seaside
city, scenarios from fairy tales are played out over and over, and
Mira has her own part in the drama: she's a 'Somnolent, ' doomed to
prick her finger and fall into an enchanted sleep like Sleeping
Beauty. The problem is she's not interested in the charming (but
slightly boring) 'prince' who is fated to be her romantic
counterpart. Mira is much more attracted to suave, handsome Felix,
who bears a curse he can't, or won't, explain to her. Felix's
brother Blue repeatedly warns Mira that Felix is a danger to her,
but Mira is sure that the magical patterns can be broken. When she
finally uncovers Felix's gruesome secret, she must find a way to
turn her own curse into a means of escape. Mira is a likable
heroine who is strong enough to buck the dangerous and strange
situation she finds herself caught in. This novel has elements of
tales from Grimm, Perrault, and Andersen, including familiar
stories as well as some that aren't well-known. This modern
fairy-tale mash-up will appeal to fans of urban fantasy and is a
solid choice for any collection. --School Library Journal--
"Journal"
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