Grump by Liesl Shurtliff - Review

“A hilarious reimagining of its origin story with a wonderfully detailed world and interesting twists on classic characters.

Sure to be a hit with fantasy fans looking for comedy.”

—BOOKLIST

GRUMP

THE (FAIRLY) TRUE TALE OF SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARVES

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Author: Liesl Shurtliff

Publication Date:  29 May 2018

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Series:  Standalone

Genre:  Middle Grade Fantasy

Age Recommendation: 9 and Up

Rating: 5 Stars

~ I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ~ 

Book Description:

You know her from the New York Times bestselling books, Rump, Jack and Red. Now, Liesl Shurtliff is BACK with the real story behind Snow White and the Seven Dwarves in GRUMP , a fast-paced and clever middle grade that stars a—you guessed it!—grumpy dwarf who gets tangled up in Snow White’s feud with the wicked queen.

Ever since he was a dwarfling, Borlen (nicknamed "Grump") has dreamed of visiting The Surface, so when opportunity knocks, he leaves his cavern home behind. At first, life aboveground is a dream come true. Queen Elfrieda Veronika Ingrid Lenore (E.V.I.L.) is the best friend Grump always wanted, feeding him all the rubies he can eat and allowing him to rule at her side in exchange for magic and information. But as time goes on, Grump starts to suspect that Queen E.V.I.L. may not be as nice as she seems. . . .

When the queen commands him to carry out a horrible task against her stepdaughter Snow White, Grump is in over his head. He's bound by magic to help the queen, but also to protect Snow White. As if that wasn't stressful enough, the queen keeps bugging him for updates through her magic mirror! He'll have to dig deep to find a way out of this pickle, and that's enough to make any dwarf Grumpy indeed.

My Review:

I love these little middle grade fairytale retellings.  They are just so much fun and full of laughter and moments of truth and understanding.  

How does an author take a beloved children's fairytale and make it new, by bringing it to you from a different point of view.  Grump is the story of Snow White but from the point of view of one of our beloved Seven Dwarves.  I have to say that Borlen's story is a little sad at times, his life isn't an easy one and he comes by his nickname 'Grump' honestly.  I think that Grump's story is a wonderful way to bring the idea of not feeling like you fit in and how hurtful bullying is to our youngest readers, As well as learning to look inward and reflect on who you are and the choices you make.  These Middle grade readers re ones who are about to embark on the journey of middle school and high school and will be more inclined to find themselves dealing with the issue of bullying and with feelings of being 'different'.  I love the way Liesl uses these challenges in Grump' story and helps him fight back and overcome, finding his place in the world and not relying on others to be that place.  

Liesl keeps Grump fresh and page turning by giving us unexpected twists and turns, keeping moments suspenseful and engaging.  I will say that I was not a huge fan of Snow White but as this is Grump's book and his POV I am okay with that.  Yes, I would have liked to have found her as engaging as the original but Grump shines enough on his own to let me wash away Snow White's failings as a character this time around.  

All in all Grump is simply a wonderful character and I think will be a huge hit ( I can't wait to pass it along to my 9 year old now) with the Middle Grade set.  All of these Fractured Fairytales are wonderful additions to your school/classroom/home libraries.  Each on a new twist on a favorite fairytale full heart and with a heartfelt lesson included.  I can't recommend them enough!  

~ HAPPY READING ~ 

Meet Liesl

“Life itself is the most wonderful fairy-tale.” – Hans Christian Anderson

I grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah the fifth of eight children. My seven siblings tortured me but I really like them now. I loved dancing, singing, playing the piano and reading books by Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary, and Roald Dahl. I also read Grimms’ Fairy Tales so often I wore through the binding. Today I live with my husband and four children in Chicago, which is a wonderful city except that it is decidedly flat and very cold in the winter. When I write, I often wander back to my childhood and gather the magic that still remains. I hope to share that magic with children everywhere.

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Wicked Charming by Nazarea Andrews - Excerpt Reveal

 

Today we are sharing an excerpt from WICKED CHARMING, the first book in the Wicked Ever After series by Nazarea Andrews! This is an erotic, fairy-tale series and Wicked Charming releases February 13th! You can sign up for Nazarea's newsletter for exclusive materials and information on the series.

 

WICKED EVER AFTER SERIES BLURB:

It’s the dirtiest fairy tale of all…. Charm. Beast. Wolf. Everyone in the Kingdom–an exclusive, decadent BDSM club–knows the three friends and business partners. But no one has ever gotten close enough to touch them. Sex is easy, even when it hurts. It’s all any of them wanted. Love is off the table. Love is the thing none of them ever saw coming. In the Kingdom, control is everything. Who wields it and who surrenders. But some things even they can’t control. Welcome to the Kingdom, where every happily ever after hurts in the most wicked of ways.

 

WICKED CHARMING (Coming February 13)

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Book Description:

He’s at the top of the world. He’s rich, sought after, and in control. And he’s bored. A string of one-night stands have left Samul Charming increasingly dissatisfied. When his mother pushes him to settle down, his best friends come up with a brilliant plan: Audition the submissives at The Kingdom. The problem is, Charm knows who he wants: the only girl to challenge him, while submitting as naturally as breathing. But he can’t have her. With the entire club watching and his parents expecting him to marry soon, Charm decides to settle. But love in the Kingdom is never simple and it is never painless. And Charm is about to be reminded of that.

 

EXCERPT:

 Celeste is waiting when I pull up. The house is a sprawling mansion in Druid Hills. So this is where Cora calls home. It’s bright and pretty, and a little bit too manicured. I sigh and shove out of the car. “You,” Celeste says, stepping out of the house before I reach the door, “look like someone pissed in your cornflakes.” I grin at her and shrug. “Nothing a pretty girl can’t improve.” She gives me a flat stare that doesn’t match the amusement in her eyes, and I take the second to look her over. I’ve seen Celeste in uniform, sexy as hell, and I’ve seen her naked in my bed, so goddamn gorgeous it’s almost insane. I’ve never seen her like this. She’s wearing a pink dress that drapes over one shoulder, leaving the other bare and enticing. The hem of the garment flirts just above her knees, the pleats full, kicking each time she takes a step. Her hair is tamed and flat, pulled up into a sleek ponytail, her eyes dark and grinning at me. She’s wearing heels. Of course she is. They’re dainty white things that give her four inches of height and she’s still shorter than me, grinning up at me from under her lashes and biting at her lower lip. She’s gorgeous and I want, pretty damn desperately, to tug her into my car and slide that pretty skirt up and find out what she’s got on under it. Her smirk fades, and something hungry and knowing fills her gaze as she stares at me. “You’re gonna get me into so much trouble,” she whispers, and I nod once. Ditto, pet. I kiss her instead of answering, and she makes a pleased little noise in the back of her throat, her hand coming up to rest on my shoulder. She doesn’t usually touch me. I don’t usually let her, but then, we aren’t in a scene, tonight, and I’m enjoying this—her lips, the tiny sigh she gives as I lick into her mouth, the way she whines when I nip at her plump lower lip. She presses forward, and I pull away from her lips just enough to groan. “We’re gonna be late,” I murmur and she nods, leaning forward to press a quick kiss to my throat, and then steps away. “Then we should go,” she says. I kiss her again, quick and full of promise, and then step away, a hand at her back to usher her to the waiting car. I don’t ask why she met me outside and she doesn’t volunteer any information. Instead, she checks her lipstick in the mirror, mumbling about smudges before focusing on me. “Tell me about this thing,” she orders, leaning back against the seat. “You know Charming Pharmaceuticals?” She nods. “My father owns it. My sisters are the CFO and president of operations, respectively, but I’ll inherit it when Dad retires.” She looks at me, and I can see the questions in her eyes. “And that’s coming soon, isn’t it?” I glance at her and nod. “Yeah. Mama wants him to retire. The company is doing well, and truthfully, he would have retired years ago, if he had his way.” “Why didn’t he?” “Because the heir apparent didn’t want to be the heir apparent.” I give a quick, guilty grin and shrug. “I dunno, running a corporation has never been my life’s goal. I guess I’ve always enjoyed doing my own thing.” “So why are you going? If you don’t want this.” “Because I’m Samul Charming, Celeste. I don’t have a choice.” She frowns, and I reach over, squeezing her knee softly. “So you’re going to meet the Board.” Celeste reaches down and wraps my fingers with her own, and listens to me as I drive and tell her about the people we’re going to see.

---

 

WICKED BEAST (Coming February 20)

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Book Description:

 James “Beast” Lutz isn’t like his friends. He doesn’t crave control the way Charm and Mal do, and he doesn’t play the games Wolf thrives on. He lives on his knees, all of his strength bent to the will of his Domme. He’s never regretted that, until now. Now, when he’s trapped in an arrangement serving a Domme who can’t keep a sub. Now, when he’s not sure how to trust a woman wrapped in mystery and less sure he wants to. But the more he gets to know the Domme everyone knows as Beauty, the more Beast realizes everything he thought he knew was wrong.

   

---

WICKED WOLF (Coming February 27)

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Book Description:

 Charles Wolf Blackwood likes the game. He likes chasing a new girl every week, loves seducing them and earning their trust. He doesn’t like to keep them. Until he meets Scarlet. The chase has never been quite as intoxicating as it is with her, the feisty sub with an innocent streak a mile wide. And for the first time, he wants to keep her, but Scarlet already has a Dom, and Hunter has no intentions of giving her up. Both Wolf and Hunter are in for a surprise when they realize Scarlet doesn’t want one of them. She’s playing to keep them both.

 

-----------------------------

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  

Nazarea Andrews (N to almost everyone) is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. Which means she writes everything from zombies and dystopia to contemporary love stories. When not writing, she can most often be found driving her kids to practice and burning dinner while she reads, or binging watching TV shows on Netflix. N loves chocolate, wine, and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, spoiled cat and overgrown dog. She is the author of World Without End series, Neverland Found, Edge of the Falls, and The University of Branton Series. Stop by her twitter (@NazareaAndrews) and tell her what fantastic book she should read next.

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Charmed by Jen Calonita - A Mom Monday Review, Excerpt and Giveaway

A Mom Monday Review

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Author: Jen Calonita

Publication Date:  3 March 2016

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwoky

Series:  Fairy Tale Reform School, book 2

Genre:  Middle Grade Fantasy

Age Recommendation: 8 and up

Rating: 4 stars

~ I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ~ 

Book Description:

It takes a (mostly) reformed thief to catch a spy. Which is why Gilly Cobbler, Enchantasia’s most notorious pickpocket, volunteers to stay locked up at Fairy Tale Reform School…indefinitely. Gilly and her friends may have defeated the Evil Queen and become reluctant heroes, but the battle for Enchantasia has just begun.
Alva, aka The Wicked One who cursed Sleeping Beauty, has declared war on the Princesses, and she wants the students of Fairy Tale Reform School to join her. As her criminal classmates give in to temptation, Gilly goes undercover as a Royal Lady in Waiting (don’t laugh) to unmask a spy…before the mole can hand Alva the keys to the kingdom.
Her parents think Gilly the Hero is completely reformed, but sometimes you have to get your hands dirty. Sometimes it’s good to be bad…

My Review:

If your middle grade reader(s) are looking for a dull, unfunny, eye-rolling read....DO NOT LOOK HERE!  

Charmed brings us back into the fold of the FTRS (Fairy Tale Reform School) not long after Flunked (book 1) ends with Alva being placed under lock and key in the dungeons of FTRC.  As with Flunked, Charmed starts of with a scroll from the 'Happily Ever After Scrolls', one of my favorite parts of this series, giving us a quick look back to what happened in the first book.  

Alva has bee captured, Gilly AND her friends have saved Enchantsia and FTRS, but it seems all anyone remembers is Gilly and now that hero status has begin to go to her head.  Gilly I hate to say it turns a bit unlikeable in this book, she's still the snarky, courageous, fun-loving girl we met in book one, but she isn't handling her 'fame' well and ends up doing and saying somethings that will have us sad for her and her friends.  Our one hope...it's all a ruse and she's actually gone undercover, I mean 'OUR Gilly' would never willingly join the Royal Ladies-in-Waiting Club...would she?

I love the basis of this story which to me is the friendships between Gilly, Ollie, Jax, Maxine, and Kayla.  It is the story of a tight group of friends and how they handle life...even a life that is nothing like our own.  They stand together with each other, root for one another and maybe even kinda 'like-like' each other.  Most importantly when the going gets tough they do not give up on one another and they always know how to say sorry even if it isn't by using that one word.  

As always it is easy to get carried away into the world of Enchantsia and FTRS, Ms. Calonita's world building is amazing especially in Charmed as we get to see more from outside the FTRS walls.  When I imagine it in my head I see it as a more kid friendly, classier even, version of the cartoon Ever After High and that just makes me want to see Fairy Tale Reform School on the Big Screen, how fun would that be!  

This was a great follow up to the first book and I am hopeful that we have many more in this series to come.  I mean Gilly was never really ALL that bad was she, but she's never going to be ALL that good either is she?...

This is a great read for any reader from I'd say 8 and up.  The group does get a bit more angsty in this book, but they're pre-teens (now maybe teens) so it is to be expected.  There isn't anything that a young middle grade reader can't handle angst wise though and while there are undercurrents of romance (TeamJax, haha) it is so light that most young readers won't even pick up on it.  These books are overall just great fun light reads with an important message in-between about being true to yourself, being a good friend, being a good family member, and fighting for what is important.  A wonderful series for any middle school teachers book shelves, and one that I happily display on ours at home!  

~ HAPPY READING ~

Excerpt:

The Magic Mirror’s voice crackles throughout the school, “Let the first annual Fairy Tale Reform School WAND WHAT YOU WANT hour begin!” 

I hear students cheer and wands begin popping up in kids’ hands as we walk through the halls. POP! My wand arrives in my hand; long, dark-gray and nicked like its seen a few battles. What to try first… I’m just about test the wand out, when I feel the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I dive out of the way just as a classmate casts a spell on the girl next to me, turning her into an ice sculpture. 

POP! POP! POP! Kids begin casting all around me. The crowded hallways is suddenly full of talking woodland creatures, toads, fireworks, and a pretty impressive cloud raining licorice. Kids are cheering, fighting, and the sound of all those wands working is enough to give me a headache.

SLURP!

The chaotic hallway disappears and a new empty hall arrives in its place. The magic hallways are always changing for security reasons, but I happen to know this hall leads to the school courtyard. More students appear and new spells begin zapping around me. I run out into the quiet school courtyard to test out my wand in peace. The warm sun is shining bright high above the castle walls, making me wistful for adventure. I can never sit still for long.

“We hope you enjoy your wand experience, but remember, all wands disappear at the hour mark so choose your magic wisely,” I hear Miri continue. I’m relieved to find no mirror in the courtyard, which means she can’t see what I’m up to. That magic mirror is forever tattling on students for bad behavior. “Flying is not advised.”

“Not advised, but she didn’t say it was against the rules,” I say to myself. I flick the wand over my stuffy, uncomfortable pale blue uniform and turn it into a comfy peasant shirt and pants. I get rid of my ugly school shoes and swap them out for my beloved high-lace up boots. Now that I’m comfortable, I get to the task at hand. I’m sure an actual spell would work better, but since I don’t know one, I just imagine myself flying and bam! I’m slowly floating up, up, up in the air. Score!

A Pegasus flies by pulling a coach with four students in it.

“HI GILLY!” they shout and wave.

When you save your school from a wicked fairy, people tend to remember your name. Even if you don’t remember theirs. 

“Hi!” I say, lying back like I’m floating on a cloud. Wow, this is relaxing. I stretch my arms wide and -- oops! 

My wand falls from my grasp. Uh oh. I begin to plummet, spinning, faster and faster with no sign of stopping. Before I can even think of a way to break my fall, WHOOSH! I feel my body hit a blanket, bounce up, then land again on a magic carpet being steered by my friend Jax.

“Ten minutes into WAND WHAT YOU WANT and you’ve already had a near death experience?” Jax says, a glint in his violet eyes. His curly blond hair looks white in the bright sunlight. “You’re getting sloppy.”

“I’m not getting sloppy!” I’m seriously offended by that statement. “How’d you even know where to find me?” 

“I thought to myself, ‘What would Gilly do with wand access for an hour?’ and I knew right away you’d try to sneak home for a bit,” Jax says. 

My usual partner in crime steers our magic carpet over the castle walls and across the vast school grounds. Below I can see students fanned out on castle rooftops, in the garden mazes, near the lake, all casting away with various results. Jax flies the carpet faster, the wind whipping our hair and making it hard to see. I push the hair away from my eyes and strain to see home. There, beyond the gleaming pillars of Royal Court, where the princesses who rule our kingdom live, is my small village of Enchantasia. Somewhere down there, my family is working, playing and hopefully missing me as much as I miss them. The carpet is nearing the Hollow Woods which separates us and the village--CRACKLE! Our magic carpet is stopped by an invisible wall that keeps us from escaping school grounds. Clever of Flora to put the barricade up during wand training. Oh well. Leaving was a long-shot, but maybe I could wave my wand and at least see what my family was up to. “My wand! I realize. “I need to go get it.”

Fairy Tale Reform School book one:

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Giveaway:

2 sets of Fairy Tale Reform School Books 1-2

Runs 3/1-3/31 (U.S. and Canada only)

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Jen Calonita is the author of the Secrets of My Hollywood Life series and other books like Sleepaway Girls and Summer State of Mind, but Fairy Tale Reform School is her first middle-grade series. She rules Long Island, New York, with her husband Mike, princes Tyler and Dylan, and Chihuahua Captain Jack Sparrow, but the only castle she’d ever want to live in is Cinderella’s at Disney World.

She’d love for you to visit her at jencalonitaonline.com and keep the fairy-tale fun going at happilyeverafterscrolls.net

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Charmed by Jen Calonita - Sneak Peek Excerpt and Giveaway

This is a great Middle Grade Fantasy series; Fairy Tale Reform School by Jen Calonita.  

Book two, Charmed will be released 1 March, 2016

and is being published by Sourcebooks Jabberwoky

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Book Description:

Charmed is the exciting sequel to the wildly popular Flunked -- second in the brand new Fairy Tale Reform School series where the teachers are (former) villains. 

It takes a (mostly) reformed thief to catch a spy. Which is why Gilly Cobbler, Enchantasia’s most notorious pickpocket, volunteers to stay locked up at Fairy Tale Reform School…indefinitely. Gilly and her friends may have defeated the Evil Queen and become reluctant heroes, but the battle for Enchantasia has just begun.

Alva, aka The Wicked One who cursed Sleeping Beauty, has declared war on the Princesses, and she wants the students of Fairy Tale Reform School to join her.  As her criminal classmates give in to temptation, Gilly goes undercover as a Royal Lady in Waiting (don’t laugh) to unmask a spy…before the mole can hand Alva the keys to the kingdom. 

Her parents think Gilly the Hero is completely reformed, but sometimes you have to get your hands dirty. Sometimes it’s good to be bad…

Excerpt:

Miri’s voice crackles through the magic mirrors in Fairy Tale Reform School. “Let the first annual Wand What You Want hour begin!”

Wands begin popping up in kids’ hands as we walk through the halls, and we all cheer. Pop! My wand arrives in my hand—long, dark-gray, and nicked like it’s seen a few battles. Hmm…what to try first… I’m just about to test the wand out, when I feel the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Instinct tells me to dive out of the way. When I look up, I see a classmate spelling the troll next to her. The girl turns into an ice sculpture. Geez, that was close. I better stay alert.

Pop! Pop! Pop! Kids begin casting all around me. The crowded hallway is suddenly full of talking woodland creatures, toads, fireworks, and a pretty impressive cloud raining licorice. Kids are cheering and fighting, and the sound of all those wands working is enough to give me a headache. I hurry away from the spell zapping, looking for somewhere to practice alone.

Slurp!

The chaotic hallway disappears behind me, and a new empty hall arrives in its place. I happen to know this hall leads to the school courtyard so I hurry down it and head outside. Ahhh…this is more like it. The warm sun is shining bright high above the castle walls, making me wistful for adventure. I can never sit still for long.

“Pardon the interruption! We hope you are enjoying your wand experience, but remember, all wands disappear at the hour mark so choose your magic wisely,” Miri says. I’m relieved to find no mirror in the courtyard, which means she can’t see what I’m up to. That magic mirror is forever tattling on students for bad behavior. “As a reminder, flying is not advised.”

“Not advised, but she didn’t say it was against the rules,” I say to myself. I flick the wand over my stuffy, uncomfortable pale-blue uniform and turn it into a comfy peasant shirt and pants. I swap out my ugly school shoes for my beloved lace-up boots. Now that I’m comfortable, I get to the task at hand. I’m sure an actual spell would work better, but since I don’t know one, I just imagine myself flying, and Bam! I’m slowly floating up, up, up in the air. Score!

A Pegasus flies by me pulling a coach with four students in it.

“Hi, Gilly!” they shout and wave.

When you save your school from a wicked fairy, people tend to remember your name. Even if you don’t remember theirs.

“Hi!” I say, lying back like I’m floating on a cloud. Wow, this is relaxing. I stretch my arms wide and—oops!

My wand falls from my grasp. Uh-oh. I begin to plummet, spinning faster and faster with no sign of stopping. Before I can even think of a way to break my fall, whoosh! I feel my body hit a blanket and bounce up, then land again on a magic carpet.

“Ten minutes into Wand What You Want, and you’re already having a near-death experience?” my friend Jax asks. His curly blond hair looks white in the bright sunlight. 

Book 1, Flunked!

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Book Description:

Would you send a villain to do a hero's job? An exciting new twisted fairy tale series from award-winning author Jen Calonita.

Full of regret, Cinderella's wicked stepmother, Flora, has founded the Fairy Tale Reform School with the mission of turning the wicked and criminally mischievous into upstanding members of Enchantasia.

Impish, sassy 12-year-old Gilly has a history of petty theft and she's not too sorry about it. When she lifts a hair clip, she gets tossed in reform school-for at least three months. But when she meets fellow students Jax and Kayla, she learns there's more to this school than its sweet mission. There's a battle brewing and she starts to wonder: can a villain really change?

See My Review here: Flunked Review

Jen Calonita has published more than a dozen novels, has seen her works translated into nine languages, and is the recipient of the Louisiana Young Readers Award. When Jen isn't plotting, she lives in New York with her husband, two sons, and their feisty Chihuahua, Captain Jack Sparrow.

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Giveaway:

Advance Copy of Fairy Tale Reform School: Charmed:

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