Masque of the Red Death

By Bethany Griffin

319 pages

YA Fiction- Retelling

I just had to buy this book at the used book store. Look at it. So pretty. So intriguing. 

It's based on Poe.

It felt unique, yet I could tell where it built from his work. 

So strange to read a plague book that was published right before the pandemic. 

Author info

I liked this book a lot - and I don't mind where it ended, but there is another one with publishing date next spring, I think? 

Not sure if I'll dive back into this world or not.

Reader, I Murdered Him

Reader, I Murdered Him 

By Betsy Cornwell

A Jane Eyre Spinoff

Fiction

Hardback

283 pages 

LGBTQIA+

Trigger Warning: sequel assault 

This book was really engaging and a quick read. Like, I read it just now, between the previous blog post this morning and right now. 

It follows the daughter of the novel Jane Eyre, who I barely remember because I think she was kind of a nothing, throw-away character. 

The book is both funny and sad, and horrific at the same time. 

I really enjoyed the voice, the personal and conversational feel.

Also, the occasional callbacks to the famous novel are well done.

Author info.

What Moves the Dead

By T. Kingfisher

Hardcover 

Horror

160 pages

Library 

It's a retling of Fall of the House of Usher.

It's creepy, wonderful, and horrific. 

I took longer to get into it than I would have expected, based on how interesting I thought it was, but that's also probably just because I have so much else going on. 

endpapers

I picked this one up on impulse when I grabbed the book club book from the library. 

author info

These Violent Delights

By Chloe Gong

Hardback

Owlcrate

439 pages

YA 

Retelling/Re-envisioning 

A different take on Romeo and Juliet. In 1920's Shanghai. With monsters. 

The families are gangster families. 

It took me a long time to read this. I'm not entirely sure why - it was good. I think I've just been super busy. 

author info

Owlcrate edition was signed. 

The book is so pretty, and there is inside cover art. 

I love the notes from authors. 

There is a sequel planned. 

Eligible

Ever heard of The Austen Project?

I hadn't until I was looking for a picture for this post.

I read Eligible on a friend's recommendation, and because it's not that hard to get me to read something based on Pride and Prejudice.

As retellings go, it was really successful. Curtis Sittenfeld achieved a good balance of source material and updating. Plot points were different, but recognizable.

It's set in Cincinnati, and Liz & Jane have to fly home from New York to deal with a family health scare. From there, the story progresses more or less as one would expect.

Darcy is an arrogant neurosurgeon, which feels more believable that just a rich do-nothing.

It was fun. But I probably won't read it again.
(I finished reading this on April 18)

Image from the author's website:

Summer read #15 My Plain Jane

By Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
Hardback
447 pages
Owlcrate exclusive

A humorous, funny, paranormal take on Jane Eyre.
The protagonist, Jane, who sees ghosts, leaves the terrible orphanage to become governess for Mr. Rochester's little girl. Her best friend, a ghost, goes with her. Her other best friend, Charlotte Bronte, follows soon after.
Jane Eyre's experiences fuel Bronte's writing.
Also, there is some romance. And a bunch of fun allusions. And ghosts.
It was amusing, and a good read.

It switches point of view for different chapters, which is sometimes really annoying to me, but I didn't find troublesome or distracting here.

I'm looking forward to the author event this evening! Finished reading just in time!

Summer read #14 The End of Oz

By Danielle Paige
Hardback
277 pages + B&N exclusive epilogue

Book 4
This book splits point of view for the first time, alternating between Amy and Dorothy.
I didn't like it at first, but I'm not sure how the story could have been done as well without it.
I LOVED the epilogue.
A good series, but I'm not going to go hunt down the supplemental stories.

Summer read #13 Yellow Brick War

By Danielle Paige
Hardback
270 pages

Book 3 in the series. Again, plot twisty and weird.

Summer read #12 The Wicked Will Rise

By Danielle Paige
Paperback
293 pages

Book 2.
Lots of weird and confusing plot twists.

Summer read #11 Dorothy Must Die

By Danielle Paige
Paperback
452 pages

A retelling/reworking of wizard of Oz. Dorothy has returned, is evil, and Oz is in trouble.
Book 1 of 4.

A Court of Thorns and Roses

By Sarah J. Maas
Hardback
416 pages

People in my life have been raving about these books.
It is good.
It is totally readable.
I didn't expect it to be such a retelling. Beauty and the Beast with strains of Cinderella and Rumplestilskin thrown in. Not what I expected.
I think that made me like it less. Or maybe my expectations had just been too high.
I liked it, but I didn't think it was amazing.

The Looking Glass Wars

By Frank Beddor
Hardback
358 pages

This book was super readable and interesting. It wasn't what I expected - a more literal retailing of Alice in Wonderland - and I think that was a strength.

Alyss Heart, 9 year old heir to the Wonderland throne, is violently deposed. The world struggles for peace and freedom as she grows into someone who could oppose the ruling Redd regime.

The book also has neat pictures and is super pretty.