Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Book Review: Wondrous Strange by Leslie Livingston


Review: Wondrous Strange
Author: Lesley Livingston
No. Of Pages: 327
Release Date: 23 December 2008

SINCE THE DAWN OF TIME, THE FAERIE HAVE TAKEN...

Seventeen-year-old actress Kelly Winslow always thought faeries were just something from childhood stories. Then she meets Sonny Flannery. He’s a changeling – a mortal taken as an infant and raised among Faerie – and within short order he’s turned Kelley’s heart inside out and her life upside down.

For Kelley’s beloved Central Park isn’t just a park – it’s a gateway between her ordinary city and the Faerie’s dangerous, bewitching Otherworld. Now Kelley’s eyes are opening not just to the Faerie that surround her, but to the heritage that awaits her...a destiny both wondrous and strange.

My Thoughts:

I loved this book!

To be perfectly honest I was a little afraid to read this because of all the hype, everyone loves it, which usually means that I don’t but this case everyone was right, Wondrous Strange is a masterfully written tale.

Kelley is stubborn and wilful but in the absolute best way possible, she’s smart and uses her head, she knows when things are wrong and doesn’t go charging into danger deliberately. Although it does seem to find her. I can relate to her in the way that she handles things, she takes it all in might not believe half of it and just goes with the flow which is wonderful to witness.

Sonny is perfect. He’s charming and caring but not overbearingly so, he is there for Kelley when she is in danger but doesn’t treat her like a child. He treats her like a person and actually asks her to stay safe, not tell her, which is refreshing.

I think the main reason I loved this book is because it incorporates my all time favourite play, A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream. The fact that the play was acted out within the book, Kelley is the actress playing Titania, whilst everything was going on in the real world was awesome.

I will chuck in a little extra peek, the guy who plays Puck in the play who befriends Kelley in real life, is awesome! Once you know who he is your jaw will probably drop like mine did, so make sure if you read this book to pay attention.

I was admittedly a little confused in the beginning with all of the new terms and dream sequences but as the story progressed I became more and more engrossed. I did figure out a couple of the big bombshells early but there were definitely things that took me completely by surprise as I read them.

I will say that I think, from memory, this is my first real trip into the world of Faerie. I can’t remember reading too much about them before this unless they cropped up in other book but were not the main focus. This is the perfect introduction to full on Faerie and I recommend it to everyone.

This book is part of a trilogy and I will definitely be picking up the next two books.

4.5/5

Others in this Series:
Darklight


Others who have reviewed this:
I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read!

Available From:
Amazon
Book Depository

8 comments:

ParaJunkee said...

I didn't read the review LOL - because I want to read them all together after the deadline. But I'm testing your comments. And looks like they are working. ♥ Parajunkee

Bookalicious Ramblings said...

I'm afraid I'm not going to comment on the review either because this is not the kind of book I'm into (I'm more looking forward to your Sophie Kinsella review!), but I just wanted to congratulate you on your loooovely new layout! It's gorgeous! :D

Wings said...

Thank you!

The Sophie Kinsella should be up by Friday...i hope :)

Mandyfish said...

Well, unlike a couple of others, I did read your review, but you know that.

I had that jaw dropping moment too - isn't it awesome the way the play is intermixed with the characters?

As far as intros. into the Fairy Realm go....you picked a good one!

Wings said...

thank you mandy!

i loved Puck...because i loved puck in the play too...i love it when authors have the guts to use such awesome characters like that.

Anonymous said...

great review.....

ParaJunkee said...

Ok read it now. LOL. You have to read more faerie books, I'm kinda addicted from the smutty adult ones to the happy YA novels like this one. Great insights into the book, enjoyed reading. - Parajunkee

Jo said...

Glad you liked it. I think I might have liked this more if I had read (or seen) A Midsummer Night's Dream more recently than 2001.

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