About the Book
Mirabelle's past is shrouded in secrecy, from her parents' tragic deaths to her guardians' half-truths about why she can't return to her birthplace, Beau Rivage. Desperate to see the town, Mira runs away--and discovers a world she never could have imagined.
In Beau Rivage, nothing is what it seems--the strangely pale girl with a morbid interest in apples, the obnoxious playboy who's a beast to everyone he meets, and the chivalrous guy who has a thing for damsels in distress. Here, fairy tales come to life, curses are awakened, and ancient stories are played out again and again.
But fairy tales aren't pretty things, and they don't always end in happily ever after. Mira has a role to play, a fairy tale destiny to embrace or resist. As she struggles to take control of her fate, Mira is drawn into the lives of two brothers with fairy tale curses of their own...brothers who share a dark secret. And she'll find that love, just like fairy tales, can have sharp edges and hidden thorns.
-- "Journal"
About the Author :
Sarah Cross loves fairy tales in all their incarnations. Her first novel, "Dull Boy, " is about another kind of myth--superheroes. Visit her online at www.sarahcross.com
Review :
A girl struggles to escape her fairy-tale fate in this suspenseful fantasy.
Mira will turn 16 in a few days. Though she loves her godmothers, she wants to return to the city of her birth and find her parents' graves, one of the many things that her godmothers forbid. She runs away and travels to Beau Rivage, not knowing that the town is magical and that she risks death by returning. She quickly meets a boy she instantly dislikes, Blue, who has blue, spiked hair and seems to enjoy insulting her. But Blue's older brother Felix charms her and gives her a free luxury room in the family's casino hotel. Mira can't understand why everyone warns her not to spend time with Felix, and she quickly falls in love with him. Finally, Mira learns that she, with the other teens in the story, is cursed to live out fairy tales. She finds herself caught in not just one foretold fate that threatens her, but two--and the second could kill her. Cross, who knows her fairy tales, weaves a number of them into her story, giving them interesting twists as she applies them to her vulnerable and rebellious teen characters. Earnest Freddie, cynical Viv and captivating Felix all stand out as the archetypes they're supposed to embody, and as individuals as well.
Clever fun. --Kirkus Reviews
-- "Journal"
Mirabelle Lively knows little about her past or her deceased parents; her loving, though overprotective, guardian godmothers, Elsa and Bliss, have kept it that way. But with her sixteenth birthday approaching, Mira runs away to Beau Rivage to visit her birthplace and her parents' graves, hoping to find answers. The city and residents are not as they appear, and as mysteries and secrets unfold, so do revelations, including whether or not curses and fairy tales could be real and whether Mira is destined for happily ever after or a more sinister fate. Incorporating suspense and romance, this contemporary, edgy, Grimm-based novel is an entertaining and well-written entry in the crowded but popular genre. With nods to many fairy tales--including Cinderella and Hansel and Gretel--readers will find familiar, if occasionally predictable, elements. However, there are also some creative twists as the engaging YA cast navigates issues ranging from destiny versus free will to self-discovery to the power of love. Includes some strong language and mature scenarios. --Booklist
-- "Journal"
When Mirabelle runs away from her godmothers to Beau Rivage, the city where she was born, she hopes to discover answers about her parents' tragic death. Instead, she finds a group of unusual teenagers, each with a fairy-tale curse. In this strange seaside city, scenarios from fairy tales are played out over and over, and Mira has her own part in the drama: she's a 'Somnolent, ' doomed to prick her finger and fall into an enchanted sleep like Sleeping Beauty. The problem is she's not interested in the charming (but slightly boring) 'prince' who is fated to be her romantic counterpart. Mira is much more attracted to suave, handsome Felix, who bears a curse he can't, or won't, explain to her. Felix's brother Blue repeatedly warns Mira that Felix is a danger to her, but Mira is sure that the magical patterns can be broken. When she finally uncovers Felix's gruesome secret, she must find a way to turn her own curse into a means of escape. Mira is a likable heroine who is strong enough to buck the dangerous and strange situation she finds herself caught in. This novel has elements of tales from Grimm, Perrault, and Andersen, including familiar stories as well as some that aren't well-known. This modern fairy-tale mash-up will appeal to fans of urban fantasy and is a solid choice for any collection. --School Library Journal
-- "Journal"
