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staceyhust88's review
3.0
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**I received an eARC of this book through Netgalley from the publisher in exchange for a review. In no way does that influence this review. I did not get paid in any way for this review.**
REVIEW
First off, isn't that cover gorgeous?! It drew me to the book instantly and when I read the summary I just knew I had to read this book!!
It's about a group of teens (Andi, Quiin, Dylan, and Frederick) that get transported to another world. A world where fairytales are real life; but its not the Disney version instead its the world the Grimm brothers based their stories on. Turns out that each person has a tie to the world of Elorium. It's a race against the clock to find the way home before they are forced to play their parts.
I really loved the idea of this book. While it didn't turn out to be exactly what I though it was still a good read. The characters were well developed and the view points were split between each of them. Because of this it was hard to really get to know them, there just wasn't enough time. The summary also hints at a romantic theme and while there were hints of possible feelings it really wasn't that noticeable.
At one point I had an issue with Andi. When they stumbled upon Andi's "family" home she is forced to do their bidding. While its true she was forced to enter the home, there were still plenty of opportunities for her to escape. Yet she voluntarily stayed while the others hid in the barn. I guess it was so she could find out information but she really wasn't the one to discover anything. It just seemed like a waste of time to me. It also bothered me that Quinn was the only one that got taken. Every single time she was the one snatched by some giant or evil sorceress.
Overall the book was well written. There were plenty of scenes that had me biting my nails wondering what the outcome would be. The epilogue hints at another book which left me wondering what will happen next.
**I received an eARC of this book through Netgalley from the publisher in exchange for a review. In no way does that influence this review. I did not get paid in any way for this review.**
REVIEW
First off, isn't that cover gorgeous?! It drew me to the book instantly and when I read the summary I just knew I had to read this book!!
It's about a group of teens (Andi, Quiin, Dylan, and Frederick) that get transported to another world. A world where fairytales are real life; but its not the Disney version instead its the world the Grimm brothers based their stories on. Turns out that each person has a tie to the world of Elorium. It's a race against the clock to find the way home before they are forced to play their parts.
I really loved the idea of this book. While it didn't turn out to be exactly what I though it was still a good read. The characters were well developed and the view points were split between each of them. Because of this it was hard to really get to know them, there just wasn't enough time. The summary also hints at a romantic theme and while there were hints of possible feelings it really wasn't that noticeable.
At one point I had an issue with Andi. When they stumbled upon Andi's "family" home she is forced to do their bidding. While its true she was forced to enter the home, there were still plenty of opportunities for her to escape. Yet she voluntarily stayed while the others hid in the barn. I guess it was so she could find out information but she really wasn't the one to discover anything. It just seemed like a waste of time to me. It also bothered me that Quinn was the only one that got taken. Every single time she was the one snatched by some giant or evil sorceress.
Overall the book was well written. There were plenty of scenes that had me biting my nails wondering what the outcome would be. The epilogue hints at another book which left me wondering what will happen next.
canadianbookaddict's review
1.0
I didn't like this book. It didn't keep my attention. Some parts confused me and the grammar was horrible.
I do not recommend this
I do not recommend this
thejumpingsheep's review
2.0
I received a copy of A Grimm Legacy from the publisher in return for an honest review.
I loved the idea of this story. The premise sounded intriguing. However, the writing just fell flat. It felt like a great idea that needed to be written better. It almost read like a first draft or something. I did finish it and liked the story part but not how it was written if that makes sense.
I loved the idea of this story. The premise sounded intriguing. However, the writing just fell flat. It felt like a great idea that needed to be written better. It almost read like a first draft or something. I did finish it and liked the story part but not how it was written if that makes sense.
gabs_myfullbookshelf's review
3.0
3.5 stars
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I actually really liked this book. I was a bit afraid after reading the reviews; it seemed that a lot of people didn't love it. But despite its flaws, I thought there was a great story here. It was a bit more original than quite a lot of retellings I'd read; I loved the concept.
The plot is really different, and I liked that. Most retellings basically all have the same plot; some medieval, faraway setting, with a bit of magic--if they get really fancy you'll see it spelled with a k, or even a *gasp* y, (not that this is a bad thing, but spelling magic differently is not as original as some books make it seem) and not a lot of deviance from the original fairy tale plot. This book takes place after four kids get transported to the fairy tale world (where most don't even realize they are fairy tales) and have to try to navigate it, and eventually escape. So, not like the normal retelling. Also, they do what I love and include the lesser known, non-Disneyfied fairy tales, some of which I honestly can't remember much about despite having read through the Grimm fairy tales multiple times. Yet another also, the way the book focuses on the fairy tales, such as Cinderella, is a bit unique as well. It splits the story into parts, one for each fairy tale that the MCs go through. The fairy tales are totally messed around with due to the MCs refusing to stick to how they went in the Grimm versions.
I actually liked the main characters. While I thought that all of them could have been a bit more developed, they were still fun to read about. They all had their own unique personalities, and with the multiple points of view, it was easy to see just how different those personalities were. I know a lot of people don't like multiple POVs; I've never minded them, so that may explain why I liked this book more than most people. For me, the multiple points of view actually enhanced the story.
When I finally found out why Andi, Quinn, Dylan, and Fredrick were transported to Elorium, I will be honest, I wasn't too surprised. It was a good idea plotwise, but there were way too many hints that really kind of gave it away.
Another thing; there are at times inconsistencies. They are small, but confusing. For example, apparently in Elosium safeties on guns haven't been invented yet. But there are references to one of Cinderella's stepsister listening to music with earbuds. How is it that earbuds have been invented, but safeties on guns have not?
A Grimm Legacy is not a super serious story. It's just something to enjoy and get lost in for a few hours--and that's exactly what I did. It's one of my favorite retellings that I've read in a while.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I actually really liked this book. I was a bit afraid after reading the reviews; it seemed that a lot of people didn't love it. But despite its flaws, I thought there was a great story here. It was a bit more original than quite a lot of retellings I'd read; I loved the concept.
The plot is really different, and I liked that. Most retellings basically all have the same plot; some medieval, faraway setting, with a bit of magic--if they get really fancy you'll see it spelled with a k, or even a *gasp* y, (not that this is a bad thing, but spelling magic differently is not as original as some books make it seem) and not a lot of deviance from the original fairy tale plot. This book takes place after four kids get transported to the fairy tale world (where most don't even realize they are fairy tales) and have to try to navigate it, and eventually escape. So, not like the normal retelling. Also, they do what I love and include the lesser known, non-Disneyfied fairy tales, some of which I honestly can't remember much about despite having read through the Grimm fairy tales multiple times. Yet another also, the way the book focuses on the fairy tales, such as Cinderella, is a bit unique as well. It splits the story into parts, one for each fairy tale that the MCs go through. The fairy tales are totally messed around with due to the MCs refusing to stick to how they went in the Grimm versions.
I actually liked the main characters. While I thought that all of them could have been a bit more developed, they were still fun to read about. They all had their own unique personalities, and with the multiple points of view, it was easy to see just how different those personalities were. I know a lot of people don't like multiple POVs; I've never minded them, so that may explain why I liked this book more than most people. For me, the multiple points of view actually enhanced the story.
When I finally found out why Andi, Quinn, Dylan, and Fredrick were transported to Elorium, I will be honest, I wasn't too surprised. It was a good idea plotwise, but there were way too many hints that really kind of gave it away.
Another thing; there are at times inconsistencies. They are small, but confusing. For example, apparently in Elosium safeties on guns haven't been invented yet. But there are references to one of Cinderella's stepsister listening to music with earbuds. How is it that earbuds have been invented, but safeties on guns have not?
A Grimm Legacy is not a super serious story. It's just something to enjoy and get lost in for a few hours--and that's exactly what I did. It's one of my favorite retellings that I've read in a while.
innowen's review
2.0
Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this from netgalley.
In A Grimm Legacy, Andi, Quinn, Fredrick, and Dylan are swept away and dropped into the world of Elorium. The world from which fairy tales come from. This whole story revolves around them figuring out how they got there and how to get home. Sounds like a great premise for a new series, right?
It could have been, had the story been edited better, the characters constructed a bit more so they were real (I had issues keeping up with everyone's name and personality), and the twists of what tale belongs to which character been better scripted so that the mystery was harder to figure out.
I had high hopes for this book. It looked like a fun way to describe where our fairy tales came from, but in the end... it failed to captivate me.
In A Grimm Legacy, Andi, Quinn, Fredrick, and Dylan are swept away and dropped into the world of Elorium. The world from which fairy tales come from. This whole story revolves around them figuring out how they got there and how to get home. Sounds like a great premise for a new series, right?
It could have been, had the story been edited better, the characters constructed a bit more so they were real (I had issues keeping up with everyone's name and personality), and the twists of what tale belongs to which character been better scripted so that the mystery was harder to figure out.
I had high hopes for this book. It looked like a fun way to describe where our fairy tales came from, but in the end... it failed to captivate me.
urlphantomhive's review
2.0
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
I don't have too much to say about A Grimm Legacy. I finished the book a few weeks ago (I know it, I'm horribly behind on my reviewing) and frankly - but unsurprisingly - my eReader did yet another reboot deleting all my notes.
Which brings me immediately to the biggest problem with the book. The story is quite forgettable. I remember some of the details but the story itself is a bit of blur. Not that it was that much better immediately after reading.
What I really liked was the fact it tries to interweave well known and lesser known (at least in my region) fairy tales in to one story. I suppose they are all Grimm tales, though I wouldn't know enough about that to check it. The only problem is that the execution of this idea doesn't really work. It results in some fairy tales being really glanced over while others receive almost half the book. It never really worked for me.
I was also wondering about the world. Almost every fairy tale has his/her own prince/evil queen et cetera. How can they all live in peace together? The characters are all quite interchangeable except for one girl who gets kidnapped all the time.
I didn't really plan on continuing the series, although I normally like fairy tales with a twist I saw that this one wasn't really for me, but I already had an ARC for the next book in this series, so I read that one as well. (Review to come)
A Grimm Legacy is the first book in the Grimm Tales series. The second book is Grimm Memories.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I don't have too much to say about A Grimm Legacy. I finished the book a few weeks ago (I know it, I'm horribly behind on my reviewing) and frankly - but unsurprisingly - my eReader did yet another reboot deleting all my notes.
Which brings me immediately to the biggest problem with the book. The story is quite forgettable. I remember some of the details but the story itself is a bit of blur. Not that it was that much better immediately after reading.
What I really liked was the fact it tries to interweave well known and lesser known (at least in my region) fairy tales in to one story. I suppose they are all Grimm tales, though I wouldn't know enough about that to check it. The only problem is that the execution of this idea doesn't really work. It results in some fairy tales being really glanced over while others receive almost half the book. It never really worked for me.
I was also wondering about the world. Almost every fairy tale has his/her own prince/evil queen et cetera. How can they all live in peace together? The characters are all quite interchangeable except for one girl who gets kidnapped all the time.
I didn't really plan on continuing the series, although I normally like fairy tales with a twist I saw that this one wasn't really for me, but I already had an ARC for the next book in this series, so I read that one as well. (Review to come)
A Grimm Legacy is the first book in the Grimm Tales series. The second book is Grimm Memories.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
kylielynelle's review
3.0
A NetGalleyARC
I really enjoyed A Grimm Legacy. It was clever, fast paced, and had just enough of an introduction to a love story to satisfy those who are interested in fantasy romance without overwhelming the rest of the plot. It was hard for me to connect all the love interests together though- I kept getting confused about who was interested in who. I hope the love interests will be expanded upon in the continuation of the series so that I can follow the love plot more easily. I loved that Jennings stuck to the original dark versions of the Grimm's Fairy Tales, and even used a couple of the more obscure stories that aren't as well known. It was a tad bizarre how Jennings mixed modern day technology into the traditional Grimm universe, and really didn't explain how things such as deep freezes and cell phones came to be in the land of fairy tales. However, it's also very clear that this is to be a series, so perhaps that subject will be tackled in the second book. Overall, A Grimm Legacy is a great read. I think that middle grade readers who are interested in fairy tales, princesses, or even the fantasy genre in general will really get into this new and invigorating series.
I really enjoyed A Grimm Legacy. It was clever, fast paced, and had just enough of an introduction to a love story to satisfy those who are interested in fantasy romance without overwhelming the rest of the plot. It was hard for me to connect all the love interests together though- I kept getting confused about who was interested in who. I hope the love interests will be expanded upon in the continuation of the series so that I can follow the love plot more easily. I loved that Jennings stuck to the original dark versions of the Grimm's Fairy Tales, and even used a couple of the more obscure stories that aren't as well known. It was a tad bizarre how Jennings mixed modern day technology into the traditional Grimm universe, and really didn't explain how things such as deep freezes and cell phones came to be in the land of fairy tales. However, it's also very clear that this is to be a series, so perhaps that subject will be tackled in the second book. Overall, A Grimm Legacy is a great read. I think that middle grade readers who are interested in fairy tales, princesses, or even the fantasy genre in general will really get into this new and invigorating series.
skundrik87's review
4.0
I was provided with a free copy of this book in return for a fair review.
This one started out a little rocky, with a couple places where the narrative was a little contradictory, and all four main characters being introduced too quickly in too few chapters. That being said, I really love fairy tale rewrites and the premise of this one was well thought out and amusing. I love it when fairy tale rewrites include some of the lesser known tales. I had trouble throughout distinguishing between the characters just because of the rapidity with which they had been introduced and the characters were not really developing throughout the novel, but the constant introduction of new fairy tales and dangers kept the story moving along at a fairly good clip. The one really stylistic annoyance was the chapter titles being quotes from the chapter itself. I found that annoying, but I have no idea why. I will be reading the next one of these and adding it to my list of fairy-tale rewrites I feel comfortable recommending.
This one started out a little rocky, with a couple places where the narrative was a little contradictory, and all four main characters being introduced too quickly in too few chapters. That being said, I really love fairy tale rewrites and the premise of this one was well thought out and amusing. I love it when fairy tale rewrites include some of the lesser known tales. I had trouble throughout distinguishing between the characters just because of the rapidity with which they had been introduced and the characters were not really developing throughout the novel, but the constant introduction of new fairy tales and dangers kept the story moving along at a fairly good clip. The one really stylistic annoyance was the chapter titles being quotes from the chapter itself. I found that annoying, but I have no idea why. I will be reading the next one of these and adding it to my list of fairy-tale rewrites I feel comfortable recommending.
thataprilgirl's review
3.0
The story was nice but written for kids not young adult. It sometimes seemed like an unedited version of the book as the story wandered away many a times. The idea was nice but overall it could have been presented in a much better, much interesting way..
ireadthebooks's review
I couldn't make it through this one. The characters didn't grab me and seemed much younger than their apparent ages. This read far more like a middle-grades novel than the YA that the publisher's web page said it was.
If we look at it as an MG title, it would probably stack up better. The writing is simplistic and juvenile, and the plot is largely action-oriented. From chapter one, something is always happening. Why it's happening is not always clear, other than it's actiony and throws the characters into mayhem. At 35% I had to call it quits. The plot had already been 2 or 3 major setting change, magical transportation, "what just happened to us, where are we" moments and I had very little grasp on what the central conflict actually WAS. They just kept running into different crises and I was uninterested.
If we look at it as an MG title, it would probably stack up better. The writing is simplistic and juvenile, and the plot is largely action-oriented. From chapter one, something is always happening. Why it's happening is not always clear, other than it's actiony and throws the characters into mayhem. At 35% I had to call it quits. The plot had already been 2 or 3 major setting change, magical transportation, "what just happened to us, where are we" moments and I had very little grasp on what the central conflict actually WAS. They just kept running into different crises and I was uninterested.