Saturday, September 21, 2013

Blog Tour, Giveaway and Review: Atone by Jessica Grey

Yes, I know it has been a while, but I'm back and hopefully won't disappear like that again any time soon. **fingers crossed**  Who knew that getting in the Back-To-School routine would shake things up like it did. 

I am super excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for Atone: A Fairytale by Jessica Grey.  The second I saw the cover I knew I neeeeeded to read it.  I mean, just look at it!


Atone: A Fairytale by Jessica Grey
(A Fairytale Trilogy #2)
Publication date: June 30th 2013
Genres: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Young Adult
Purchase Links:   Amazon     Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:
Becca Ward knows that magic is real…

Two years ago not only had she and her best friend Alex found a real-life Sleeping Beauty in the middle of Los Angeles, they also discovered that they were powerful in their own right. They’ve managed to keep both their fae powers and their friend Lilia’s identity as a medieval princess a secret and live a normal life. Now their normalcy is threatened by the return of their former advisor at the Gem and Mineral Museum—and Becca’s least favorite person, Nicholas Hunt.

…and she’s about to find out that more than one fairy tale is true.

Nicholas has been obsessed with proving Lilia’s identity and the existence of magic. While working on an archeology dig he discovered an ancient fae artifact—a mirror that is imbued with a powerful protection spell that twists his obsession, and his body, until he is more beast than man. In order to protect her friends, Becca is forced to help him, and she is surprised to find that in spite of his outward appearance, Nicholas is no longer the beast she remembers. Will she let herself be the beauty that breaks the curse, or will she let her prejudice against him stop her from discovering true love?
Review:
Atone is a retelling of my favorite fairytale, Beauty and the Beast, and is the second in Ms. Grey's Fairytale Series.  Since we all know the basic premise of that story, I don't feel the need to restate the obvious, but don't assume that you know everything there is to know about this version.

Because Ms. Grey adds Fae.  (How much of a goof does that make me that I'm a little excited that that rhymed?)

Without giving too much away, the story's heroine, Becca, is thrown into a situation that requires her to assist with Nicholas with a situation that is a bit...hairy.  Now knowing what I know from the first book, I wasn't exactly sure how this was going to work.  Let's just say that I realllly didn't like Nicholas at all.  Not even a little bit.  But once I had a chance to think about it and once I let myself get drawn in by the story, it totally worked for me.  I mean, who better to be the Beast than a bad guy, right?
One thing I do feel the need to include -- While this could technically be read as a standalone as the story comes full circle, I do recommend that you read the first book in the series for back story and more on the ins/outs of Becca and Nicholas's tumultuous history.  
As the story progresses, Ms. Grey takes something traditional and so very well known and makes it her own.  I loved the magical fae element and how it was both the root of the problem and a big part of the solution.  Good/Evil, Beauty/Beast, Terra/Fera...you get the picture.   But I also liked the non-fae elements.  While the relationship evolution did seem a bit sudden, I found myself enjoying the scenes between Becca and Nicholas.  The snark, the chemistry, and the many of "awwwwww" moments made this a solid retelling and one I gladly recommend for somebody looking for a quick and easy read.
About the Author:
  
Jessica Grey is an author, fairytale believer, baseball lover, and recovering Star Wars fangirl. A life-long Californian, she now lives in Montana with her husband and two children where she spends her time writing, perfecting the fine art of toddler-wrangling, and drinking way too much caffeine.

Author Links:

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for the lovely review! I am so glad you enjoyed Atone.

    ReplyDelete