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urlphantomhive's review
2.0
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
Sometimes they say, if you've read one you've read them all...
I wasn't really enthusiastic about the first book, A Grimm Legacy in this series, but since I already had an ARC for the second book in the series, I wanted to give this book a chance. Unfortunately it suffered from the same problems as the first book. Reading them almost back to back probably didn't help, as near the end I was quite fed up with the story, even though these are relatively short books.
I still liked the idea of mashing up all the fairy tales and introducing readers to lesser known fairy tales, but that's about it. I still didn't care for the characters, or the plot, really. They felt very interchangeable. There's a bit more world building, but not enough to answer the questions I had. The writing isn't that good either, or at least it wasn't a style I particularly liked.
I think some people might enjoy this series as 'snackbooks'* but for me it wasn't working. Any more books in this series, I think I will pass on them.
Grimm Memories is the second book in the Grimm Tales series. The first book in A Grimm Legacy.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
*Snackbook: An easy book to enjoy without needing to think to much. =)
Sometimes they say, if you've read one you've read them all...
I wasn't really enthusiastic about the first book, A Grimm Legacy in this series, but since I already had an ARC for the second book in the series, I wanted to give this book a chance. Unfortunately it suffered from the same problems as the first book. Reading them almost back to back probably didn't help, as near the end I was quite fed up with the story, even though these are relatively short books.
I still liked the idea of mashing up all the fairy tales and introducing readers to lesser known fairy tales, but that's about it. I still didn't care for the characters, or the plot, really. They felt very interchangeable. There's a bit more world building, but not enough to answer the questions I had. The writing isn't that good either, or at least it wasn't a style I particularly liked.
I think some people might enjoy this series as 'snackbooks'* but for me it wasn't working. Any more books in this series, I think I will pass on them.
Grimm Memories is the second book in the Grimm Tales series. The first book in A Grimm Legacy.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
*Snackbook: An easy book to enjoy without needing to think to much. =)
skundrik87's review
4.0
http://librarianonthelake.wordpress.com/2015/01/03/grimm-memories-by-janna-jennings/
elephant's review
3.0
Once again, fabulous story, but, sadly, the writing needed some help. I really did love the plot - it is fun and imaginative and has action and romance and fairy tales and fun. However, it just makes me sad that there were so many errors in the book. There were plot and writing errors as well as editing errors. Since I got a free copy from Netgalley, I can only hope that the editing errors were corrected before it was put in a sellable form. One example that stands out to me is that at the beginning of the book, when they leave the house on Andi's horses - which she just plans to leave alone in the woods, which is irresponsible for a horse owner, and her mother questions why she is putting Max on a horse named Gremlin, Andi replies that "this one has a loose shoe" - calling one of her horses "this one". She should be calling it by name - not just "this one". There are quite a few other details that are either left out or are just "off". I did enjoy the story, which continues 6 months after the 4 teens return from Elorium and they have a reunion at Andi's house, now including Quinn's brother Max. They return to Elorium due to disturbing dreams that Dylan and Andi have been having and to try to bring Frederick's grandfather back with them. They have quite an adventure and the story really is quite good. I do think it could have been better though.
karlou's review
5.0
Last year I reviewed A Grimm Legacy and said at the time I expected a sequel. Well here it is, set six months after the end of the first book and sees the four teenagers, Andi, Dylan, Quinn and Frederick return to the land of Elorium, home to the characters brought to life in Grimm's Fairy Tales.
As in the previous book the four youngsters are all well written characters, the girls, Andi and Quinn more than hold their own physically, are bright and brave yet still argumentative, rash and proud, Jennings allows them to make mistakes. Likewise the boys, Dylan and Frederick are by turn brave, resilient, funny and awkward. In short they are believable. Elorium too is a believable place. I'm a sucker for fantasy land - call it Narnia Syndrome - and Elorium is right up my street, it is the sort of place you wish existed despite the dangers than may lurk there.
And dangers do indeed lurk in Elorium, the nightmares Andi and Dylan have been experiencing that cause them to return to the land they just managed to escape from are quite harrowing and the eventual reason they experience them even more so. Grimm Memories is certainly a dark read at times, however, this well crafted story still retains a sense of humour and fun, it's still a book that middle grade as well as young adults will enjoy. My one criticism of the previous book was I felt the antagonist wasn't fully explored, he again doesn't make an appearance until quite late in this book but this time it works. We learn more about his past and his motives, he feels far more rounded and so a more interesting character.
I enjoyed A Grimm Legacy but I enjoyed Grimm Memories more, the plot feels fresher and more original. There is actually less here from the original tales than in the first book but the little touches work well. I'm not sure if there will be another book in the series, the ending could be final but I believe there are still enough loose endings to mean a further return to Elorium. I'll certainly be reading it if there is.
Thanks to the author for my arc of Grimm Memories in return for my honest review.
As in the previous book the four youngsters are all well written characters, the girls, Andi and Quinn more than hold their own physically, are bright and brave yet still argumentative, rash and proud, Jennings allows them to make mistakes. Likewise the boys, Dylan and Frederick are by turn brave, resilient, funny and awkward. In short they are believable. Elorium too is a believable place. I'm a sucker for fantasy land - call it Narnia Syndrome - and Elorium is right up my street, it is the sort of place you wish existed despite the dangers than may lurk there.
And dangers do indeed lurk in Elorium, the nightmares Andi and Dylan have been experiencing that cause them to return to the land they just managed to escape from are quite harrowing and the eventual reason they experience them even more so. Grimm Memories is certainly a dark read at times, however, this well crafted story still retains a sense of humour and fun, it's still a book that middle grade as well as young adults will enjoy. My one criticism of the previous book was I felt the antagonist wasn't fully explored, he again doesn't make an appearance until quite late in this book but this time it works. We learn more about his past and his motives, he feels far more rounded and so a more interesting character.
I enjoyed A Grimm Legacy but I enjoyed Grimm Memories more, the plot feels fresher and more original. There is actually less here from the original tales than in the first book but the little touches work well. I'm not sure if there will be another book in the series, the ending could be final but I believe there are still enough loose endings to mean a further return to Elorium. I'll certainly be reading it if there is.
Thanks to the author for my arc of Grimm Memories in return for my honest review.
book_grinch's review
3.0
Arc provided by Patchwork Press Through Netgalley
The positives
_Girl Power
This story has two very determined kick ass, intelligent characters in both Andie and Quinn.
_ No to stereotypes
Quinn has Indian roots, and can be seen _ I am telling you this in a very simplistic manner, because the author ends up having a surprise for us readers _ as some sort of modern Rapunzel. So no golden locks for Quinn! :)
_ No to the tormented and brooding male characters
Dylan and Frederick, are respectively the funny "wisecrack" and the sweet guy who gets constantly embarrassed.
_There's no love triangles: Thank you Baby Jesus!
_Originality of the Plot:
Let's say that it goes places you're not expecting it to go! o_O
So _once again _ the author gets an A+ for creativity.
The execution however _especially towards the end _ led me to feel at times, as if I was reading an episode from "Lost".
And no, I was not a big fan of the series, especially towards the end.
Basically with this story, most times I couldn't see what I was reading, and I needed more explanations to understand what was going on!
The negative:
So, like I said, when it comes to the writing style this story turned out somewhat difficult for me to "follow".
The phrases felt a little like they were being dumped on top of each other, which managed to undermine all the descriptions that the author was giving us. At least, that's what I felt.
Here's an example:
"The wheezing stopped, (spoiler) body relaxed, (spoiler) staring unseeing into the bright noonday sun. Max reached out a hand and closed (spoiler).
Max helped Quinn drag Andi to the pillar where they propped her up and Quinn got to work bandaging her. Dylan seemed torn between running away from the bloody proceedings and not wanting Andi out of his sight."
This doesn't work for me.
This doesn't allow for a proper reading flow. It..stalls.
For me, in order for a sentence or phrase to work, the writing can't be so clinical or analytical. But that's me.
Reading this felt a little like watching a movie in fast speed. I could see that it had the foundations to be "a good movie", but I couldn't really appreciate it.
Also I am not a big fan of small chapters, and I could pass without chapter titles ...
Bottom Line: An imaginative and fast paced adventure, that I am sure will be better appreciated by younger readers.
The positives
_Girl Power
This story has two very determined kick ass, intelligent characters in both Andie and Quinn.
_ No to stereotypes
Quinn has Indian roots, and can be seen _ I am telling you this in a very simplistic manner, because the author ends up having a surprise for us readers _ as some sort of modern Rapunzel. So no golden locks for Quinn! :)
_ No to the tormented and brooding male characters
Dylan and Frederick, are respectively the funny "wisecrack" and the sweet guy who gets constantly embarrassed.
_There's no love triangles: Thank you Baby Jesus!
_Originality of the Plot:
Let's say that it goes places you're not expecting it to go! o_O
So _once again _ the author gets an A+ for creativity.
The execution however _especially towards the end _ led me to feel at times, as if I was reading an episode from "Lost".
And no, I was not a big fan of the series, especially towards the end.
Basically with this story, most times I couldn't see what I was reading, and I needed more explanations to understand what was going on!
The negative:
So, like I said, when it comes to the writing style this story turned out somewhat difficult for me to "follow".
The phrases felt a little like they were being dumped on top of each other, which managed to undermine all the descriptions that the author was giving us. At least, that's what I felt.
Here's an example:
"The wheezing stopped, (spoiler) body relaxed, (spoiler) staring unseeing into the bright noonday sun. Max reached out a hand and closed (spoiler).
Max helped Quinn drag Andi to the pillar where they propped her up and Quinn got to work bandaging her. Dylan seemed torn between running away from the bloody proceedings and not wanting Andi out of his sight."
This doesn't work for me.
This doesn't allow for a proper reading flow. It..stalls.
For me, in order for a sentence or phrase to work, the writing can't be so clinical or analytical. But that's me.
Reading this felt a little like watching a movie in fast speed. I could see that it had the foundations to be "a good movie", but I couldn't really appreciate it.
Also I am not a big fan of small chapters, and I could pass without chapter titles ...
Bottom Line: An imaginative and fast paced adventure, that I am sure will be better appreciated by younger readers.
tja055f6's review
3.0
Received from: Patchwork Press
Received Via: NetGalley.com
THE REVIEW
Why this book?
After reading A Grimm Legacy I thought i'll check out the sequel
What I thought
This book lacked what I liked about Grimm Legacy the fairy tales,but I did enjoy it.
Andi and Dylan are my favorites and I just wanted them to kiss the whole book. I just love the banter between the two. With that said this had a interesting premise that kept me interested until the end.
Overall it was a good read, that I recommend
Received Via: NetGalley.com
THE REVIEW
Why this book?
After reading A Grimm Legacy I thought i'll check out the sequel
What I thought
This book lacked what I liked about Grimm Legacy the fairy tales,but I did enjoy it.
Andi and Dylan are my favorites and I just wanted them to kiss the whole book. I just love the banter between the two. With that said this had a interesting premise that kept me interested until the end.
Overall it was a good read, that I recommend
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