Blog Tour Book Review & Amazon/E-book Giveaway: Part-Time Princess by Pamela DuMond

Part-time Princess

Pamela DuMond

Goodreads | Amazon | Tour 

Publication Date: July 28th 2014

Genre:  Comedy, Romance, New Adult

Lucy Trabbicio’s a down-on-her-luck, young, American, former biker-bar cocktail waitress desperate to find a job. Lady Elizabeth Billingsley hires Lucy to travel to Fredonia, the tiny jewel of a country in the Alps, for ten days ‘tops’ to impersonate her.

Say what? How the heck is that going to happen?

In the mother of all makeovers, Elizabeth’s people teach Lucy how to dress, walk, talk, eat, be coiffed and even get naked like a European Lady.

The goal?

To keep Crown Prince Cristoph Timmel interested in Elizabeth until she finishes her unexpected, pressing personal business in the States.

But fate intervenes… Lucy meets and is wildly attracted to sexy, bad-boy Nick on the oh-so-long flights to Fredonia. Unfortunately for Lucy—Nick and Elizabeth have a hot sexual history, which Nick wants to immediately resume.

Prince Cristoph proposes marriage. What's an imposter girl to do?Elizabeth insists that she’ll make it back home in time for the wedding. Lucy accepts Cristoph’s proposal and is on the fast track to becoming a Princess but continues to fall for the wrong Prince of Fredonia—Nick. When another tiny glitch arises—someone’s trying to kill her.

The only folks helping Lucy are her wild, party hard, take-no-prisoners Ladies-in-Waiting. 

When the real Lady Elizabeth decides she’s not marrying Cristoph and never returning to Fredonia, Lucy’s faced with an uncomfortable decision—continue her deception, marry the prince she’s not in love with and live a dream life albeit without Nick, her dream guy? Or tell the truth and return to poverty and oblivion?

A modern day sexy fairy tale with romance, twists and turns, LOL moments, a few tears and an empowering ending.

So I’ve been reading a lot of fantasy lately. And most of it is pretty normal fare fantasy voice wise. So when I saw this book come up I decided it was time to break my reading streak and go for something a bit... lighter.

Part-Time Princess is about a girl, Lucy, who is fired from her job (the guy was totally asking for it though) and is desperate to get another job to keep her Uncle in a nice home and keep her from living on the streets. So she turns to internet classifieds and applies for every job she thinks applies to her.

One of these jobs ends up being impersonating a Princess for a few weeks and it pays amazingly well, just what she needs. She also happens to look very similar, though her personality is quite different.

Obviously you all can see where this is going to end up. There are shenanigans a-glore.

Lucy is a great character. I loved reading her voice as she tried really hard to roll with the punches. Her job is way over her head, however, and she knows it. There is definitely a suspension of disbelief we have to put on (because these people have known Elizabeth her whole life, how is it that the only thing they notice differently about Lucy is that she’s curvier, come on!) but I happily suspended it and enjoyed the story.

The romance was done really well for this kind of story. Often I have trouble reading stories like this because I can’t stand the second-hand embarrassment or the way everyone is BETRAYED, but there were some clever leavings done by the main love interest that made it feel less weird in the end and well... I won't spoil it for you.

I enjoyed the tense feeling of anxiety as Lucy’s stay grew longer and longer and then on top of that trying to figure out who was trying to kill “Elizabeth”.

Overall this book was exactly what I needed. The prose is light-hearted, the story comedy-based and the characters entertaining. If you enjoy princess stories with hijinks (like Princess Diaries for example) this is one to pick up and enjoy.

4 Bookmarks

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Blog Tour & Amazon Card Giveaway (INT): Coral & Bone by Tiffany Daune

Coral & Bone

Tiffany Daune

Goodreads | Amazon | Tour 

Publication Date: July 8th 2014

Publisher: Jester Ink Press

Genre:  Paranormal, Fantasy, Young Adult

Pages: 290

Halen knows the sparks igniting under her fingertips are dangerous. She has spent her entire life trying to quell the tingly feelings that make her destroy things, but now that she is back in Rockaway Beach, where she watched her father drown, the flames have become impossible to tame.Halen is trying to hold on, but when she is thrust into a mysterious new world, the underwater realm of Elosia, she unravels the secrets of her past and can't help but ignite. As she explores Elosia, she realizes her life has been a lie. And when those who have deceived her come to her for help, Halen must choose—walk away or unleash the magick that could destroy them all

When you first see Coral and Bone the initial thought is that it is a mermaid book. You sit there going ‘Oh she’s going to learn that she was secretly a mermaid and it’ll be pretty basic’. That’s not where this book goes, however. Don’t get me wrong, there are mermaids in the book… in name at least, but that’s far from what our main character is and it is not a truly important part of this book in my opinion (okay somewhat important, but not really important to Halen's specific origins).

Of course I don’t want to give too much away, it’s better to read these things on your own.

Our main character, Halen, has moved around all her life with her mother. Suddenly her senses are working into overdrive and new birthmarks have appeared on her and life in general has gotten really weird.

Not surprisingly there is a strong YOU ARE THE CHOSEN ONE feeling to the beginning of the book. There was one or two chapters in particular that made me wonder if this book was going to fall into a lot of overdone cliches. Luckily however, after that initial dip, Coral and Bone steered more into unique and original story telling, including some fantastic plot twists.

Overall, I really enjoyed Daune’s writing for the book. There were are a few times that fell into feeling a bit off, but then another scene would grab my attention and I’d enjoy it so much I’d forget about that off feeling.

My absolutely favourite parts of this book are how it ended (which I’ll get into under my spoilers tag) and the way Daune cleverly used a cliche to hide one of her twists.

First the cliche camoflauge! Halen and Dax’s relationship seemed to be a INSTA LOVE type of relationship. She’s been drawing him and they have an instant connection and it just screams fated love that is all the rage in YA books right now. Of course, though we may suspect that he was Natalie’s ex-boyfriend, it doesn’t cross many reader’s minds to pin him as their Guardian. Especially with Tage working so hard and him being introduced as full Elosian.

Now on to my feelings on the ending. And by the ending I mean the very end. The fact that Halen has eaten Asair’s soul accidently and now they are secretly living in the same body is just awesome. It gives us so many worries for the next book and even if the author never writes another book in the series, there’s something satisfying about wondering all the things that could happen. It’s rather horror movie cyclical like.

I’d describe this book as a mix of fantasy and urban fantasy. There are some parts that are pure high fantasy and then others, when they are in the “real” world, that you can’t help but get an urban fantasy vibe from. I think it’s pretty unique and I enjoyed it as a read.

4 Bookmarks

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ARC Book Review: Mystic City by Theo Lawrence & Giveaway

Mystic City

Theo Lawrence

ARC Disclaimer: I was not paid in any way by the publishers to review this book favourably. The review is my own honest opinion (Whether or not it is agreed with). Thanks to Random Buzzers for choosing me for Ambuzzadorship
Publication Date: October 9th 2012

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Pages: 416

Genre:  Scifi, Dystopia, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself.

I am going to admit that I read the back of Mystic City, looked at the taglines and wasn't entirely sure how I felt about it. On one hand "Yes! Dystopia! Oo! Messing with memories!" and on the other hand "Oh god, not the true love beats all tagline." Don't get me wrong, I like corny (I am quite a fan of Hunter's rendition of the "Flying Dachshund"), but most of the books toting that tagline are not well written or at least written in an enjoyable way that I can take seriously.

As I began to read however, I began to really enjoy the world being created here. I think of it as an Alternate Universe, X-men type world where they came out, them being the Mystics. In shows and comics where people with powers come out there is always the whole "normal people will not accept us" but as they are usually "beginnings" stories, we never quite see what would happen if people didn't accept them due to fear and prejudice. Mystic City is that world.

The plot itself follows the daughter of one of the major politicians who have been pushing down the Mystics and using their powers to fuel the city. She wakes up with no memories and is told that she had had a drug overdose, but before than had revealed that she had been sneaking around with her father's political rival and are now engaged, a true Romeo and Juliet story… right?

I really enjoy the idea of telling the story after the true courting already happened. It also takes care of that pesky insta-love issue Young Adult Romance books tend to have. It also gave the main character, Aria, a good sense of paranoia to begin with, instead of a naïve rich girl that she could have been.

There are many parts that the mystery is completely obvious, but there are others that took me completely by surprise. The pacing is well done, and the end had me gripped. I don't know if there's sequel planned, but honestly I wish the book had gone further, setting up for Aria's next step as opposed to just rehashing the aftermath.

Overall this book was not the most amazing book I've read in my life that blew my mind, but I also enjoyed it and I'll probably read it again at sometime and recommend it to friends who enjoy a bit of romantic escapism.

4 Bookmarks

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A Midsummer's Night Giveaway: High Fantasy

Today's post uses Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier as a jumping point.

Read my review of this book: Wildwood Dancing Review

Marillier has a very distinct high fantasy style of writing. It is not surprising that many of her books teeter between being considered YA or Adult. On one hand the protagonist is often younger, and on the other there is a maturity and complexity to her style that many people nowadays are not used to in the YA genre.

So most other fairytale adaptations in the style of what I like to call "High Fantasy" are adult adaptations. Because I use books as an escape from hectic, stressful life I find myself usually drawn to simplistic styles of writing (MG and YA), so I am not well versed in adult adaptations of fairytales BUT Rose over at The Cosy Dragon even states in her intro post that she is the opposite, so to learn more about what kind of adult adaptations are this high fantasy style, she would def know more.

As for the fairytale, Alex at Raiding Bookshelves actually wrote a post dedicated to it, "The Twelve Dancing Princesses". This might honestly be the most popular fairytale for YA/MG authors to adapt. Other books include: Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George, Entwined by Heather Dixon, The Thirteenth Princess by Diane Zahler, and The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell. What exactly makes this so popular to adapt, I'm not entirely sure. It might be the whole mystery, danger and time running out aspect.

TOMORROW will be the final day for the giveaway which will end Sunday, June 22nd at Midnight USA Eastern Time. I plan on posting my "final words" on the adaptions tomorrow and then Sunday there will be a wrap up posts with the winners. I will include links to the reviews and posts related to the giveaway from all three participating blogs.

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A Midsummer's Night Giveaway: Cultural and Historical

Today's post uses Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson as a jumping point.

Read my review of this book: Toads and Diamonds Review

One of the great thing about fairytales is how, although in the US at least they are mostly thought of as taking place in Western Europe, their stories are often just the skeleton, lacking cultural, historical and setting details that mark it as being able to only take place in a Western  Culture. On top of that, many fairytales contain motifs and tropes that are easily put together in other cultures. For example, "Cinderella"s elements are seen in fairytale/legends from all over the world (Cruel Mother, Made to Work, Lost Item).

So a really cool thing that an author can do in a fairytale adaptation, is take one that we may think of as Western and stick it in a completely different culture, or at least one that many readers do not know as much.

In the case of Toads and Diamonds we are thrust in to the cultures of India, Hindu and Muslim. We not only get the enjoyment of the tale, but we learn about these cultures. In the custom of YA, I don't know many others that do this with non-Western culures (Although Wrede's Snow White and Rose Red historically portrays Elizabethan England and Wildwood Dancing the culture of Transylvania), but I really wish there were more because it brings so many things together.

Also! Another post up from Raiding Bookshelves:

A Midsummers Night's Giveaway: Rumplestiltskin

And don't forget to check up on both Raiding Bookshelves and The Cosy Dragon for fairytale themed book reviews that they've been posting.

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A Midsummer's Night Giveaway: The YA Paranormal Versions

Today's post uses Wrecked by Anna Davies as a jumping point.

Read my review of this book: Wrecked Review

Wrecked is written in a style that is very, very well known to anyone who reads a lot of Young Adult books nowadays. That style would be the very popular style of YA Paranormal. I have to admit, YA Paranormal is not  my personal style so I tend to be a bit hard on it. I'm not much for the drama and angst that these books are full of.

Although when it comes to fairytales, The Little Mermaid is a perfect for the drama/angst formula.

This style is becoming somewhat popular. The most popular fairytale adaptation in this style is hands down Beastly by Alex Finn. Although there was that "Red Riding Hood" movie that they actually wrote a book from that fits the bill as well. I really do think with fairytales becoming more popular, we'll see more and more of this style coming about.

As for The Little Mermaid, there are a few other adaptations out there, as the fairytale itself is very popular, but I feel like Disney took the cake here and a lot of writers have a hard time competing with such a heavy weight. Wrecked sets itself apart, for sure, by switching the male/female roles of the original tale.

Also, check out the "Beauty and the Beast" Themed post over at Raiding Bookshelves:

A Midsummers Night's Giveaway: Beauty and the Beast

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A Midsummer's Night Giveaway: Something Different

Today's post uses Ice by Sarah Beth Durst as a jumping point.

Read my review of this book: Ice Review

Ice sticks out from other fairytale retellings immediately. It is some parts Contemporary, some parts Science Fiction, some parts Mythological Fantasy. It's hard to put any other books in the same style of this retelling. It's got a very adult feeling to it, more similar to books that have parts of Mythology involved such as O.R. Melling's The Book of Dreams and my recently read The Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey.

It is somewhat similar in style to Cinder by Marissa Meyer, yet that is a bit of a stretch.

The fairytale it is based on, "East of the Sun, West of the Moon" may be the second most popular fairytale to retell nowadays. It isn't too surprising, however, as it is such a strange tale to begin with, and then add a strong dose of strong girl power, rare with fairytales. Another version I enjoy is Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George.

This does win, hands down, the most original YA retelling that I have ever found.

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A Midsummer's Night Giveaway: The Basic Fantasy Retelling

Today's post uses The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale as a jumping point.

Read my review of this book: The Goose Girl Review

The Goose Girl is a prime example of what I like to call the basic fantasy retelling of a fairytale. The style of writing is very comforting, very before-bed, very Disney-esque. The world-building lives to serve the fairytale and expand on an already interesting tale. These books are some of my all time favourites. For me Ella Enchanted is a great example of the same feeling.

Usually Middle-Grade novels are where you most find this kind of style of writing, but when focusing on fairytales, legends, mythology or fantasy, it fits perfectly. This book was in fact my reintroduction to fairytale adaptations after growing up on Disney and Gail Carson Levine.

As for the fairytale in question. "The Goose Girl" is one by Brothers Grimm, but it stands out as being quite long in a collection of very short stories. It is also very detailed, including names of characters who are only minor. Shannon Hale's version is a very true retelling, with pretty much everything included in the original tale, included in her version.

In Other News, Alexandra @ Raiding Bookshelves has hopped onto the giveaway, go ahead and check out her post focusing on the "Twelve Dancing Princesses": The Twelve Dancing Princesses

As for Rose @ The Cosy Dragon, if you haven't visited her opening post yet here it is: Midsummer's Night Giveaway (Fairytale Adaptations)

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A Midsummer's Night Giveaway: An Introduction

Fairytales have captured the world for ages. Classicists put them in the same categories as Myth, Legends and Folklore with similar reoccurring themes and use as both explaining nature and teaching lessons.

The most famed collection of fairytales is that of the Grimm Brother's. Their collection of tales include oral folklore, previously published and popular tales (Rapunzel being an example), and stories that they even wrote themselves. Many of the tales had gruesome bits to them, as was the style of tales such as them.

Most of what Western Society thinks of when they think of fairytales are those collected by them. Other tales however are for the most part from the European region, some possibly originally written by authors, others a version of a oral retelling.

The tradition of retelling tales and putting one's own spin on them has never died down, even in modern society. The biggest example is that of Disney, who starting with Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, created a legacy of fairytale retelling. There were many novels that set out to retell the tales as well, in the late  80's and early 90's there was a boom where several fairytale adaptations were published in a collection.

Once again, however, fairytales are starting to regain their popularity, more coming out every year (the big one this year of course being Cinder). This is especially true in the age group of Young Adult.

Which brings us to my focus this Midsummer Week. I adore fairytales, completely obsessed, I am slowly but surely making my way through most of the YA retellings that are even available out there. This week for example I'm reading a version of "Red Riding Hood" by the name of Sisters Red, a version of "Toads and Diamonds" called Once Upon A Toad and then finally a free-for-all retelling by the name of The Grimm Legacy.


I wanted to spend this week discussing the different ways YA authors adapt fairytales, the tales that are the most common (Did you know there are over five versions of "Twelve Dancing Princesses" that have been published of late?). The posts will be focused on each of the five prizes winners will be able to choose from.

Monday: Focus on The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

Tuesday: Focus on Ice by Sarah Beth Durst

Wednesday: Focus on Wrecked by Anna Davies

Thursday: Focus on Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson

Friday: Focus on Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

These five books are so incredibly different and at least three of them rank a some of my all time favourite books that I have ever read.

As I post about these Rose over at The Cosy Dragon will be posting some posts and reviews related to fairytale retellings (and fairytale inspired books).

Now for the Giveaway which starts TODAY! First of all this giveaway is International since I know many of my followers aren't from the USA like myself, my wallet may try and argue with me, but I'd die to not be able to open it to everyone.

There will be 3 winners, which means that even the 3rd winner should have a bit of a choice between the prizes available. All the books available for prizes (except Enna Burning, The Goose Girl's sequel that I have an extra of, so I'm throwing it in as well) will have reviews that I will link to on their focus post so that you guys can know at least my opinion on each prize.

All in all, Have a Happy Summer Solstice and Good Luck!

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Update: A Study of YA Fairytales

Hello everyone! I just want to make a quick announcement since plans I've been making have just fallen into place.

During the week of Midsummer/Summer Solstice I plan to hold giveaway and talk about the popularity of fairytale adaptations in Young Adult. As you all know very well I love YA Fairytales and read them often (and review them often as well), and I love sharing them with the world, so it's only fitting that my first giveaway relates to that. I mean, my header is an imagined version of Thumbelina for goodness sakes!

It's also fitting to have my first giveaway around then because it will be right before my 3 month anniversary (which seems to be a big milestone in the Book Blog Community as it separates the consistent bloggers from the rest).

Now, the reason why I mention it now, a little more than a week ahead, is because I wanted to open the discussion part of the giveaway up for other blogs to take part in too, I'd love for the "Midsummer Night's Giveaway" to be more than just A Journey Through Pages. You can post up my giveaway (and I'd include following your blog as a requirement) or have your own, but mainly I'd love for you to post your own thoughts on YA Fairytale Adaptations or even just Fairytales in general and your experience with them (or about a specific one you love). My personal focus will be on the different styles and ways authors adapt the books (using the giveaway books as examples).

So if you'd like to contribute and participate, PLEASE contact me at journeythrupagesATymailDOTcom. Posts and Giveaway will be running from Sunday June 17th to Saturday June 23rd, I personally have 5 posts to spread in between then. Also just so you know, if you participate you can still enter the giveaway.

Now as for the giveaway, there will be five prizes:

Goose Girl AND Enna Burning by Shannon Hale
Wrecked ARC by Anna Davies
Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson
Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
Ice by Sarah Beth Durst

I tried to pick Fairytale Adaptations with very different writing/adaptation styles to them, and they are also all different fairytales (Goose Girl, Little Mermaid, Toads and Diamonds, Twelve Dancing Princesses/Frog Prince, East of the Sun West of the Moon).