Title: The Fall
Author: Bethany Griffin
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Horror, Retelling
Format: Hardcover, 400 pages
Release Date: October 7th 2014
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Source: eARC received from publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

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Madeline Usher is doomed.

She has spent her life fighting fate, and she thought she was succeeding. Until she woke up in a coffin.

Ushers die young. Ushers are cursed. Ushers can never leave their house, a house that haunts and is haunted, a house that almost seems to have a mind of its own. Madeline’s life—revealed through short bursts of memory—has hinged around her desperate plan to escape, to save herself and her brother. Her only chance lies in destroying the house.

In the end, can Madeline keep her own sanity and bring the house down? The Fall is a literary psychological thriller, reimagining Edgar Allan Poe’s classic The Fall of the House of Usher.


I really do not know how to review this book, because the more I say about it, the more I will ruined it for those that want to read it later. Well first off let me tell you that this book is capital C Creepy. While I was reading it I think I had a permanent weirded out look on my face that my husband questioned on an hourly basis. This creepy factor was the best part of the book because it kept you guessing from beginning to end. At time I had no idea what was going on and I felt like i was watching one of the horror movies I seriously hate because they scare the crap out of me!

My favorite part of the book were the characters. Of course we have our usually characters. the Family itself, but there was another character that I loved even more. The house. Throughout the book it became its own kind of character and I love that. It added another part of the mystery and it became something we dreaded as readers because every time the house was mad, something horrible would happen. This was the best part of the whole reading experience because this character was the most unpredictable of them all. We had no idea what was going to happen and it was that unknown that made this book as creepy as it was. The mystery element of the curse upon the Usher family and what that means for Madeline and her twin brother. This mystery curse kept me reading until the end because I wanted to why it effected every generation of Usher so strongly.

The writing style in this book was one of the things that took me out of the story on more than one occasion. I was not a fan of the flow of the book because I found it hard to follow at times. It was very disconnected and all over the place at tomes and n the end it left me feeling quote distracted. I usually love Bethany's writing but this time I was a bit disappointed. I wanted more from the story itself and in the end the writing style is the reason I gave the book threatening I did.

Title: Wild
Author: Alex Mallory
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Contemporary, Retelling
Format: Hardcover, 448 pages
Release Date: July 8th 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: eARC provided from publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

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In this action-packed and timely "Tarzan for the digital age," Cade, a teen raised in the wilderness, is brought into modern civilization.

The forest is full of secrets, and no one understands that better than Cade. Foraging, hunting, surviving-that's all he knows. Alone for years, Cade believes he's the sole survivor. At least, until he catches a glimpse of a beautiful stranger...

Dara expected to find natural wonders when she set off for a spring break camping trip. Instead, she discovers a primitive boy-he's stealthy and handsome and he might be following her. Intrigued, Dara seeks him out and sets a catastrophe in motion.

Thrust into society, Cade struggles with the realization that the life he knew was a lie. But he's not the only one. Trying to explain life in a normal town leaves Dara questioning it.

As the media swarm and the police close in, Dara and Cade risk everything to get closer. But will the truth about Cade's past tear them apart?


Retelling a classic story can go one of two ways. It can be amazing and mind blowing for the reader, or it can be ok and a little disappointing for the reader. When I went into Wild I knew I would be in one of these two categories and honestly I am sad to say that this book did not blow my mind.

I will say that I really enjoyed the first half of the book. I loved Cade and his way of life. I thought he was a refreshing character to read because he had no sense of the real world. He only knew the world his mother and father taught him, and that was the wilderness of the national park. I think Cade was my favorite character because of how different he was from everyone else. He was just himself and he never tried to really change in order to serve someone else ideals, even when the police threatened him.

Dara was another story altogether. I loved that we got to see her not only through her own voice but through Cade's eyes as well. The only thing that drove me nuts about Dara was the fact that she could not make up her mind on many things. What she wanted out of her own life, what she wanted out of love and most of all, what she wanted out of her Boyfriend. I didn't like that although you could see her feelings growing for Cade, she never really admitted it, even to her boyfriend who she strung along for way too long in my opinion.

The story itself was quite interesting but I ultimately felt like it dragged for most of the book. I found myself wondering when something was going to happen, when the story was actually going to start. But that never really happened. The love story between Dara and Cade was forced at times and I honestly didn't understand it thoroughly. I thought it was more of a distraction for Dara to not pay attention to the issues she was having with her boyfriend.

My favourite part of this entire book was the subplot that I think gets overlooked because if Cade and Dara's relationship. And that is the fact that the Police and Media take over Cade's life and turn it upside down. I found this aspect of the story to be the most interesting part because we not only saw the effect of the police and media on Cade and his way of life, but also to the community. It was interesting to read and seemed extremely real.

Title: The Stepsister's Tale
Author: Tracy Barrett
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Fairy Tale Retelling
Format: Hardcover, 272 pages
Release Date: June 24th 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: ARC received from publisher in exchange for an honest review

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What really happened after the clock struck midnight?

Jane Montjoy is tired of being a lady. She's tired of pretending to live up to the standards of her mother's noble family-especially now that the family's wealth is gone and their stately mansion has fallen to ruin. It's hard enough that she must tend to the animals and find a way to feed her mother and her little sister each day. Jane's burden only gets worse after her mother returns from a trip to town with a new stepfather and stepsister in tow. Despite the family's struggle to prepare for the long winter ahead, Jane's stepfather remains determined to give his beautiful but spoiled child her every desire.

When her stepfather suddenly dies, leaving nothing but debts and a bereaved daughter behind, it seems to Jane that her family is destined for eternal unhappiness. But a mysterious boy from the woods and an invitation to a royal ball are certain to change her fate...

From the handsome prince to the evil stepsister, nothing is quite as it seems in Tracy Barrett's stunning retelling of the classic Cinderella tale.



Fairytale retellings are some of my favorites in any category of book, including YA. But for me there can be very good re-imaginings and very bad ones as well. I find that the best one keep the concept from the original but either changes the characters or changes the setting. One of my favorite retellings of all time is The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer because she keeps the overall story the same but she changed the setting completely. So when I read the synopsis for The Stepsister's Tale I knew I wanted to read it because seeing a story I know so well from another perspective was something I loved to read.

What I think I liked the most about this book was it connection with the original story. Not the Disney version but the Grimm Fairy Tale version, with the gruesome aspects and all. I liked the little nuggets you saw throughout the book that referenced the original and I loved reading that. I thought it was a great way to get a person who loves fairy tales interested in the book and its characters. I will also say that the author did a great job getting me invested early into the characters, and making me dislike "Cinderella" originally. That was a feat and honestly I did not expect to feel that way going in.

Unfortunately that is where my likes stop. Overall I thought that the story was slow in the beginning and I found that not much happens until the very end of the book. I found myself skimming the descriptions and going straight for the dialogue because honestly that is always my favorite part of a book. I felt that too much time past in this book, I think the books deals with years of these girls lives and I just thought it was too much for me to grasp and become invested long term when I really didn't get a chance to know any of the characters. I know I was supposed to dislike Cinderella, which I did and that was fine, but as for the stepsisters, I honest felt nothing for them. I did not get a chance to get to know them as people, they were always in direct contrast to Cinderella and I really didn't like that.

In the synopsis I was told there would be a love story that was untold in the original story, and I will admit that I was quite excited to read it because I do love a good love story. But sadly I hated this one because it felt forced from the beginning. Will was just OK, he did not illicit any emotions from me whatsoever and I could have cared less what happened to him and hos family. I think I felt like the story happened too quickly and if more happened within the book, and less attention was placed in Cinderella and how she differed from her stepsisters, then I might have cared more. I went into this book wanting a different perspective on a beloved story, but what I got was the story of two girls in the shadow of their stepsister and trying so hard to get away from that.

Ultimately this book was not for me. Although I liked the idea behind the story, the execution was not there to invest my interest enough to enjoy the book. I wanted a new and fresh story but what I got was a sad story of two girls that wished they could have it all, and sadly that wasn't enough for me.

Title: Dorothy Must Die
Author: Danielle Paige
Series: Dorothy Must Die #1
Format: Hardcover, 432 pages
Genre: YA Fantasy, Retelling
Release Date: April 1st 2014
Publisher: Harper Teen
Source: ARC received from publisher in exchange for an honest review

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I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.
But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know?

Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little blue birds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still the yellow brick road, though—but even that's crumbling.

What happened?
Dorothy. They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.

My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas.
I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.
I've been trained to fight.
And I have a mission:
Remove the Tin Woodman's heart.
Steal the Scarecrow's brain.
Take the Lion's courage.
Then and only then—Dorothy must die!


Everyone once in a while you read a book that is so completely different, so completely unique that it stays with you long after you finish reading it. For me that book was Dorothy Must Die. This book deserves every single piece of hype that is attached to it, if only for the reason that Danielle Page took a piece of pop culture that is so well known and turned it upside down into a story that not only makes perfect sense, but seems to build on its predecessor.

The story of Dorothy and her trip to Oz is a famous one. We all know the book and more universally, the movie. But what I think I loved most about this book was the fact that the author not only drew from the original, but it was a large part of the back story. Amy was a lot like Dorothy in many ways, curious, friendly and from Kansas. These are things that mean nothing really at the beginning, but as the story goes forward, these are aspects that make her exactly what Oz needs in order to Kill Dorothy.

What was the most intriguing thing about this book was how different and yet how similar the setting actually was. As I was reading I found myself picturing the Oz that I knew from the movie, but desecrated in a way that would make any fan of the movie know how bad the situation really was. I loved that since Dorothy took all the magic away from the citizens of Oz it was as if all the color was taken away. I loved that Danielle was so talented in her writing as to show us exactly what this Oz looked like only with her words. It was as if I was watching a new version of this movie, and I loved every second of it.

The characters. The Wizard of Oz is known for its iconic characters, The Tin Man, The Scarecrow, The Cowardly Lion and of course, Dorothy herself. Well in this version of the story these characters are different, and to the extreme. The Tin Man still has his heart, but it is not good. He is the leader of a new army of tin people that follow the orders of Dorothy and her restrictions on magic. The Scarecrow still has his brain, but he is obsessed with experimenting on the citizens of Oz, and he particularly loves torturing the flying monkey who are now under Dorothy's reign. The Cowardly Lion was the most interesting character to read because he still has his courage but he has reverted into more of a real lion than anything else, eating and ripping people apart. And of course there is Dorothy herself who is obsessed with ruling Oz and harnessing all the magic she can and leaving none for anyone else. She has become the dictator she tried to kill during the iconic film, and to me that was the most interesting part. It was like Oz turned her evil. 

I will also say that there is a cast of new characters in this book that help Amy on her quest to kill Dorothy, and I loved them just as much. They were great catalysts for this story and allowed for Amy's story to shine through more than  the history of what Oz had become since Dorothy returned. Danielle Paige has written a book like none other, and I cannot say enough amazing things about this story, it is gory, shocking and heartfelt at times. The mystery of who Dorothy has become and what will happen to Oz propels the reader to finish the book. I seriously cannot wait to see where this series goes, and I am eagerly awaiting the next book!

Title: Cress
Author: Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #3
Genre: YA Science Fiction, Retelling
Format: Hardcover, 560 pages
Release Date: February 4th 2014
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Source: ARC received from publisher in exchange for honest review

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Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard.

In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.


Cress is the third book in the Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer, and I firstly want to give credit to Marissa for turning some of my favourite fairy tales into sci-fi adventures that are simply amazing and page-turning. These books exceed all expectations and every one of them has been better and more complex then the last.

What I loved most about Cress was Cress herself. She was such a breath of fresh air to this story. She is from outside their world ad therefore sees it very differently then everyone else. And that perspective was a great change. Cress is a character that, although naive to a lot of the world around her, still had extensive knowledge and has the capacity to care and love more than any character in this series. Her relationship with Throne is one of my favourites of all time because it was genuine. Their relationship grew over time and was not instant like some other stories out there.

What I love about this series is that a new character is introduced every book, but we also still follow everyone else. So in Cress we still see Cinder and Prince Kai, Queen Levana, Wolf and Scarlet (although I do wish we had more of her in this book) and Iko and of course Cress and Throne. I think this book was the best of the three because it dealt with more of a revolution stand point than the other two books. In this book a revolution was more a possibility and they set together a plan to stop the wedding that will ruin everything.

Cress is an amazing sequel to both Cinder and Scarlet, and I seriously cannot wait for Winter because [Spoiler Alert] you meet Winter at some point in this book, and oh it will be amazing! I cannot wait to see how this story plays out!!

Title: Her Dark Curiosity
Author: Megan Shepherd
Series: The Madman's Daughter #2
Genre: YA Historical, Retelling
Format: Hardcover, 368 pages
Release Date: January 28th 2014
Publisher: Balzer+Bray
Source: eARC received from Publisher in exchange for honest review

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To defeat the darkness, she must first embrace it.

Months have passed since Juliet Moreau returned to civilization after escaping her father's island—and the secrets she left behind. Now, back in London once more, she is rebuilding the life she once knew and trying to forget Dr. Moreau’s horrific legacy—though someone, or something, hasn’t forgotten her.

As people close to Juliet fall victim one by one to a murderer who leaves a macabre calling card of three clawlike slashes, Juliet fears one of her father’s creations may have also escaped the island. She is determined to find the killer before Scotland Yard does, though it means awakening sides of herself she had thought long banished, and facing loves from her past she never expected to see again.

As Juliet strives to stop a killer while searching for a serum to cure her own worsening illness, she finds herself once more in the midst of a world of scandal and danger. Her heart torn in two, past bubbling to the surface, life threatened by an obsessive killer—Juliet will be lucky to escape alive.

With inspiration from Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, this is a tantalizing mystery about the hidden natures of those we love and how far we’ll go to save them from themselves.


When I first read The Madman's Daughter I fell in love with Megan Shepherds writing. It was so imaginative and embracing. I loved the way she describes this world she created and the characters within it. I loved that her main character was a strong young woman who lets loves lead her stray and finds herself in the middle of something she never expected. So when I saw that there was going to be a sequel to this story I knew I needed to read it. And I am so glad that I did because it did not disappoint.

Although it took me a little longer than normal to get into this story, I still found myself entrapped by this world of mystery and intrigue. Juliet is once again in the middle of something she cannot possibly understand and it is again her Father's memory and work that haunt her every move. She is desperate to find the cure to her disease and she will do anything to find it.

I will warn readers that this book, like the first one has a love triangle, but it is stronger this time. I did not like some of the actions that Juliet took, especially when it came to her feelings. And I will not say who the triangle involves because it will ruin the story but if you read the first book if should not be that far of a stretch to figure it out.

The mystery aspect of the book was my favourite. When girls that Juliet knows are murdered she has to find it who, or what is doing it and how to stop it from happening again. I loved the similarity between the monster and Juliet, because once you figure out who it is, these two characters become intertwined in a way I never expected. The Jekyll and Hyde aspect of this book was amazingly well done because it gave an extra spark to the story.

There is a clue at the end of this book that tells you what the next book will be about and I seriously cannot wait. Juliet had grown into a very complicated character. She is no longer innocent in the dangers of her world, and she is now intertwined in her Fathers legacy, something I don't think she ever would be.

Today I am going to show you my Best of 2013 separated into specific genres, since I could seriously not chose only 10. Each book link will lead to you my review of that book, and if I haven't reviewed it yet, then the link will go to Goodreads! So enjoy!