Blog Tour Guest Post with Elissa Sussman, Author of Burn (and GIVEAWAY!)

Welcome to the blog tour for Burn by Elissa Sussman! I have read this book and I adored it! Stray and Burn are such wonderful and original novels in YA fantasy. Read about feminism in fairy tales, and enter the giveaway!

Stray review | Stray Swoon Thursday | Burn review

Meet Elissa Sussman!

On avoiding White Feminist fairy tales while being a white feminist 

by Elissa Sussman

One of my favorite quotes about fairy tales is a Greek saying: “The fairy tale has no landlord”. This is exactly why I love exploring the fantastical world of fairy tales – the opportunities for reinvention are vast and wonderful. Stories without “landlords” can shift and adjust to reflect the storyteller and the landscape they inhabit. Look closely and fairy tale retellings can also act as a history lesson – an expression of a culture’s changing views and values. Especially when it comes to young women. 

Fairy tales, for the most part, are stories about the transition from girlhood to womanhood. The way we tell them, expresses the way our culture views them or sometimes in reaction to it. 

Fairy tales, like feminism, are constantly evolving. While some of the heroines of modern fairy tales have gained agency, they also can reflect problematic aspects of what is often termed “White Feminism”. 

For those who don’t know, “White Feminism” is not the same as being a white person who is also a feminist. “White Feminism” (as defined by Urban Dictionary) is: 

“A brand of feminism centered around the ideals and struggles of primarily white women. While not outright exclusive, its failure to consider other women and its preoccupation with Western standards and the problems faced by the "average woman" is often alienating to women of color, non-straight women, trans women, and women belonging to religious or cultural minorities.” 

White Feminism fairy tales often assume the universality of their heroine’s plight, without taking into consideration how exclusionary they often are. While able to make leaps of faith regarding magic and other mystic elements, calls for diversity are often ignored in favor of “historical realism”, with the (incorrect) assumption that all fairy tales have the same Grimm Brothers’ origins. 

“Intersectional Feminism”, on the other hand, is the movement to combat White Feminism’s limited perspective. Even though I am a white feminist, it was important to avoid being a White Feminist when it came to writing STRAY and BURN. 

For me, that meant taking great care in writing diverse characters while also acknowledging the possibility that my privilege might garner attention or praise for something diverse authors have already done. It meant reading books by such authors – not just other fairy tale retellings, like ASH by Malinda Lo, but other genres as well, like Tess Sharpe’s FAR FROM YOU or Brandy Colbert’s POINTE – that could expand my own limited perspective. It meant learning from mistakes made in STRAY (thou shalt not use food to describe the color of skin) and getting beta readers who might see something I might not – such as asking Deaf readers to lend their insight on Deaf representation in BURN.

My feminism includes acknowledging my limitations. To use my privilege to help, not hinder. It includes elevating voices that are often shouted over. To be thoughtful, respectful and accountable. To listen and learn. And the fairy tales I write need to reflect the feminism I practice. Because my feminism is pretty darn useless if it’s not intersectional.

About Elissa Sussman:

Elissa Sussman is a writer, a reader and a pumpkin pie eater. 

She received her BA from Sarah Lawrence College and in a previous life managed animators and organized spreadsheets at some of the best animation studios in the world, including Nickelodeon, Disney, Dreamworks and Sony Imageworks. You can see her name in the credits of THE CROODS, HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA, THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG and TANGLED. 

She currently lives in Los Angeles with her boyfriend and their rescue mutt, Basil. 

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

About Burn:

Burn by Elissa Sussman

Book Two of the Four Sisters series

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Publication Date: January 19, 2016

Official Summary: 

After helping to rescue Princess Aislynn, Elanor has finally rejoined the rebel camp she calls home. Stolen from her parents at a young age and forced into service by the Wicked Queen, Elanor now wants nothing more than to see the queen removed from power. But Elanor has secrets, mistakes she’s spent years trying to forget, and the closer the rebels get to the throne, the harder it is for Elanor to keep her past hidden away.

With fellow rebels on her side—including Princess Aislynn, Thackery, and the handsome and mysterious Matthias—it is time for Elanor to make a decision. Will she protect her secrets? Or risk everything to save the people she loves?

The thrilling companion to Elissa Sussman’s masterful and original fairy tale, Stray, that will appeal to readers of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and fans of Wicked, Into the Woods, and the Disney princess movies. 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

About Stray:

Stray by Elissa Sussman

Book One of the Four Sisters series

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Publication Date: October 7, 2014

Summary (from Goodreads):

“I am grateful for my father, who keeps me good and sweet. I am grateful for my mother, who keeps her own heart guarded and safe. I am grateful for my adviser, who keeps me protected. I am grateful for the Path, which keeps me pure. Ever after.”

Princess Aislynn has long dreamed about attending her Introduction Ball, about dancing with the handsome suitors her adviser has chosen for her, about meeting her true love and starting her happily ever after.

When the night of the ball finally arrives and Nerine Academy is awash with roses and royalty, Aislynn wants nothing more than to dance the night away, dutifully following the Path that has been laid out for her. She does not intend to stray.

But try as she might, Aislynn has never quite managed to control the magic that burns within her-magic brought on by wicked, terrible desires that threaten the Path she has vowed to take.

After all, it is wrong to want what you do not need. Isn’t it?

STRAY is the first in a collection of intertwined stories, all set in a world where magic is a curse that only women bear and society is dictated by a strict doctrine called The Path. A cross between The Handmaid’s Tale and Wicked, with a dash of Grimm and Disney thrown in, this original fairy tale will be released October 7th, 2014 from Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

The Book Trailer:

The Giveaway:

1 winner will receive a signed paperback of Stray and buttons. US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the Tour:

Week One:
1/11/2016- Dazzled by Books- Interview
1/12/2016- Seeing Double In Neverland- Review
1/13/2016- The Eater of Books!- Guest Post
1/14/2016- RhiReading- Review
1/15/2016- Two Chicks on Books- Interview

Week Two:
1/18/2016- Stories & Sweeties- Review
1/19/2016- Fire and Ice- Guest Post
1/20/2016- Owl Always Be Reading- Review
1/21/2016- Dark Faerie Tales- Interview
1/22/2016- Night Owl Book Café- Review

Review: Burn by Elissa Sussman

Burn by Elissa Sussman

Book Two of the Four Sisters series

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Publication Date: January 19, 2016

Rating: 4 stars

Source: Gifted ARC

Summary (from Goodreads):

After helping to rescue Princess Aislynn, Elanor has finally rejoined the rebel camp she calls home. Stolen from her parents at a young age and forced into service by the Wicked Queen, Elanor now wants nothing more than to see the queen removed from power. But Elanor has secrets, mistakes she’s spent years trying to forget, and the closer the rebels get to the throne, the harder it is for Elanor to keep her past hidden away.

With fellow rebels on her side—including Princess Aislynn, Thackery, and the handsome and mysterious Matthias—it is time for Elanor to make a decision. Will she protect her secrets? Or risk everything to save the people she loves?

The thrilling companion to Elissa Sussman’s masterful and original fairy tale, Stray, that will appeal to readers of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and fans of Wicked, Into the Woods, and the Disney princess movies. 

What I Liked:

I was so incredibly excited to see that there would be a book to follow Stray, one of my favorite novels of 2014. I remember thinking that while Stray ended well, good enough for a standalone, there was a lot of potential for a companion novel. Burn is a companion sequel - it's told from a different character's POV, but advances the story from where Stray left off. In fact, Aislynn and Thackery are pretty big players in this!

Elanor is finally back in the Mountain with the other Orphans, rebels trying to take down Queen Josetta. There is something off about the Wicked Queen - her huntsmen have been going through different routes, expanding to different areas. Elanor used to be enslaved by the Queen, and there are certain things that she'd rather never remember. Elanor has been haunted by the past for so long. But she and the other Orphans are determined to make the Queen pay for evil - forever.

There was so much incredible depth to this book. Elanor is different from Aislynn (protagonist of Stray), and I loved seeing this completely different heroine. Elanor is totally kickbutt, able to wield a dagger or bows and arrows or ax with incredible ease. She's level-headed and somewhat stoic. We get a look into her past bit by bit, so we're slowly exposed to her story. It's a heartbreaking story in a very different way than you'd think. I really like Elanor and how her character is shaped by her past, as well as how her character grows throughout this book.

Elanor is also dealing with family struggles; her adoptive brother is going to leave the Mountain (which is basically unheard of, among the Orphans) - and their adoptive mother wants to go with him. This breaks Elanor's heart, preparing to lose both members of her family. I love that this book isn't just a fantasy book that deals with an evil queen - family is such a central important part of the story.

And not just for Elanor! A new character, Matthias, joins the Orphans after he is rescued from the Queen's dungeons by Elanor and Rhys (fellow Orphan). Matthias's father gave him to the Queen at a young age, and he rarely ever saw his mother. Matthias is sweet and eager, but also very determined and focused on what he wants. I liked him, even with all the secrets and truths surrounding him. He's an interesting guy, and I'm curious to how his role in the story will grow in the next book (I'm assuming there will be two more books? "Four Sisters" series?).

There are so many secondary characters that I loved and wish I could hug. Rhys, who is a charming sweetie. Wren, whose story is more heartbreaking than Elanor's. Brigid, who is a warrior in her own way. Even the animals, Dagger (a fox) and Cinnamon (a wolf). I love them both!

Stray was known to be an original fairy tale - I'm not sure if Burn is supposed to be another original fairy tale, but I think it's just as lovely and intricate and sweeping as a fairy tale. There is something magical about Sussman's writing, how she constructs this world, how she crafts the story. There is a character's growth and story, but there is also the rest of the world, the secondary characters, etc.

I like that this is a companion sequel! It takes off the pressure a little when the sequel is a companion. You know that the story will continue to progress forward, but in the eyes of another character. We see a lot of Thackery and Aislynn in this book, who are swoony and lovely as ever. I definitely see Thackery as more than a love interest, though I love his relationship with Aislynn!

And the series plot has developed little by little - there is significance to several magic items, and a connection to the Four Sisters. What will happen if someone has all four? Let's hope Elanor, Aislynn, Thackery, and the gang never find out...

There is romance in this book! It's such a sweet romance - I loved the subtle swoon in this book, just like in Stray. I love how empowering some of the scenes were, as well as how romantic others were. I won't say too much on the romance, but rest assured, it's very satisfying... I just wish there was more, especially towards the end.

This book ended well, just like a standalone, really! Which makes sense, since it seems like each book in the series will be a companion that could function as a standalone but also advances the plot really well. No cliffhanger (thank goodness - my last few reads have had cliffhanger after cliffhanger!), no brutal ending. I can't wait to read the next book!

What I Did Not Like:

There is one loose thread that was not tied, and it's bothering me a lot. Unfortunately I can't say it here without spoiling a whole bunch of things (literally it's a small sentence but it would unravel so much if I typed it). I want to know more about This Certain Thing, because it didn't get resolve in the end, and it mad me sad. However, it's highly possible that the author will include more resolution to This Certain Thing in future books, just like how we saw so much of Thackery, and Aislynn, from Stray. Right? *rationalizes everything*

Would I Recommend It:

I highly recommend this series! I adore the fantasy, the fairy tale, the world that Sussman has created, and the characters especially. There is a beautiful quality to these stories! You don't have to be a fantasy fan to enjoy them. And the books read so quickly!

Rating:

4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars. Unfortunately that Certain Thing dropped my rating slightly - but I so loved this book. I can't wait to read more!

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

Interview with Elissa Sussman, Author of Stray (and GIVEAWAY!)

Hello lovelies! Today, I have a special post for you - an interview with the wonderful Elissa Sussman! Check it out, my review, and be sure to take a peek at the giveaway at the bottom of the post!

Meet Elissa!

Alyssa: Hi, Elissa! Thank you so much for joining me today on my blog! How cool is it that our names share the same root :-)

Elissa: Thank you for having me! I always love encountering other Alyssa/Elissas in the wild. 

Alyssa: :D :D :D So, let’s get to it, lady! Describe STRAY in nine words. GO!

Elissa: Fairy tales, feminism, fairy godmothers, faith, fantasy and food!

Alyssa: If you had to do a mash-up of two books, to describe your book (like, Kristin Cashore’s FIRE meets Rosamund Hodge’s CRUEL BEAUTY, or something), which two novels would you choose? They don’t necessarily have to be YA novels ;)

Elissa: STRAY was originally pitched as THE HANDMAID’S TALE meets Grimm’s Fairy Tales, which I think is a pretty accurate mash-up. 

Alyssa: What’s another fantasy, fairy tale-esque YA novel that you love?

Elissa: There are so many! I’m a huge fan of Heather Dixon’s ENTWINED, which is the reason my agent approached Greenwillow Books with STRAY. I love smart, subversive retellings, like Malinda Lo’s ASH, an LGBT version of Cinderella and Jane Yolen’s BRIAR ROSE, a Sleeping Beauty story retold through a Holocaust survivor. And I love any time a retelling gets really dark, like Robin McKinley’s DEERSKIN and Catherynne M. Valente’s SIX GUN SNOW WHITE. 

Alyssa: OMG I loved Entwined! How did you get the general idea for STRAY? It’s tagged as an original fairy tale :D

Elissa: STRAY has an incredibly nerdy origin story that can be traced back to my senior year of college. I was writing a paper about the representation of female characters in animation – as you do – and watching some of my favorite Disney movies when I started to notice how fairy godmothers were being portrayed in movies like CINDERELLA and SLEEPING BEAUTY. 

Here are these characters with exceptional magical abilities, yet they’re presented as nothing more than scatterbrained caretakers to the heroine. In contrast, Maleficent is just as powerful, but she’s a “bad fairy” that dares to use her powers for her own benefit. The concept that “bad” women (witches or evil queens) use magic to help themselves, while “good” women (fairy godmothers) use magic to help others became the basis of STRAY’s belief system.  

Alyssa: How about names? How did you go about choosing names for the characters in STRAY?

Elissa: Aislynn is meant to evoke “ashes”, as her story draws a lot of inspiration from Cinderella, while Tahlia is both a nod to an Italian version of Sleeping Beauty called “Sun, Moon and Talia” and my friend (and reader) Tal. Ford is named for my grandfather, Milford and Everett for my grade school crush. But most of the names were culled from an on-going “interesting name” list that I’m constantly adding to. Fantasy names can be tough to pick – you want them to feel unique and magical, but you want to avoid ones that are impossible to pronounce. My rule has become that if spellcheck comes up with the (no spelling suggestions) notation, it might not be the best choice for a name. 

Alyssa: Did you read lots of other fairy tales (like Grimm’s, as you mentioned, for example), as research?

Elissa: I did! I love doing research, which meant reading different versions of popular fairy tales and books that explore the historical and social impact of fairy tales, like Joan Gould’s excellent Spinning Straw Into Gold. I’m also an enormous fan of the musical INTO THE WOODS, which is a fantastic blend of several fairy tales, with their darker themes intact. I would listen to the soundtrack or watch old episodes of Shelley Duvall’s Faerie Tale Theatre whenever I needed help getting into a fairy tale mindset. 

Alyssa: What is something that you must always have, when writing? For example, coffee, 7UP, candy, etc.?

Elissa: I’m a pretty persnickety writer in the sense that I need to have complete silence while I work – no music or background noise for me! I’m not particular about drinks or snacks but if it’s chilly out (a rarity in LA) there is nothing better than a cup of chai tea and a slice of lemon poppy seed cake. 

Alyssa: Let’s talk romance – how do you like your romance, in terms of YA books?

Elissa: I like my romance but I tend to enjoy it more as a side dish, rather than the main course. Then again, I really like side dishes. Mmm, potatoes. 

Alyssa: STRAY is a standalone? Or will there be companion novels? Or sequel novels? :D

Elissa: STRAY is the first in a collection of stories that follow different characters in this same world, somewhat like The Enchanted Forest Chronicles or The Lunar Chronicles. 

Alyssa: Are you working on another novel at the moment? Can you tell us anything about it?

Elissa: I’m working on the next book in the collection, BURN. Though there will be two new protagonists (one who is introduced towards the end of STRAY), we’ll still be seeing a lot of Aislynn and the others. 

Alyssa: I know that authors have zero control over the covers, but I must ask – how do you feel about STRAY’s cover? Did Harper’s design team accurately portray the novel, in the cover? (Personally, I think the cover is wonderful!)

Elissa: Thank you! I had also heard that authors don’t get much control over covers, so I was pleasantly surprised when the Greenwillow team asked if I had any ideas. Little did they know I had an entire pinterest board dedicated to STRAY! One of the images I sent them was this amazing print by Melissa Nucera (aka ThisYearsGirls) on Etsy. Greenwillow also loved her work and sent her a copy of the book to see if she’d be interested in adapting that image for the cover. Luckily she was and ended up weaving a bunch of subtle nods to the story into the image. I could not be more thrilled with the final result. 

Alyssa: How about the title? Did you choose it? Your editor? Were there other titles in contention?

Elissa: It’s been STRAY since the beginning and I’m quite grateful that there was never any request to change it, since thinking up titles is pretty much the hardest thing ever. 

Alyssa: Is there anyone you’d like to mention, any critique partners or family members or friends, anyone that played a unique or special part in the creation of this story?

Elissa: My mom! She might not even know this, but so much of Aislynn is based off of her. She grew up in a strict, religious household, not as extreme as the Path, but with a lot of rules and guidelines that might seem unusual to someone who didn't grow up with them. For example, Orthodox Jews aren't allowed to mix meat and milk – ever. So something like eating a cheeseburger, which a lot of people do on a regular basis, was a really big deal for her. It was a significant, important form of rebellion against a belief system she was in the process of challenging. Similarly, a lot of Aislynn’s actions throughout the book might be perceived as insignificant in the face of such sexism and oppression. But when it’s the only culture you've ever known, “small” acts of rebellion can often be an incredible act of bravery. 

Alyssa: And that’s it from me! Thank you so much for stopping by, Elissa, and best of luck with the release!

Elissa: Thank you for having me!

About the Author:

Elissa Sussman is a writer, a reader and a pumpkin pie eater. 

Her debut novel, STRAY (Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins), is a YA fantasy about fairy godmothers, magic and food. She received her BA from Sarah Lawrence College and in a previous life managed animators and organized spreadsheets at some of the best animation studios in the world, including Nickelodeon, Disney, Dreamworks and Sony Imageworks. You can see her name in the credits of THE CROODS, HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA, THE 

PRINCESS AND THE FROG and TANGLED. 

She currently lives in Los Angeles with her boyfriend and their rescue mutt, Basil 

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

About the Book:

Stray by Elissa Sussman

Book One of the Four Sisters series

Publisher: Greenwillow

Publication Date: October 7, 2014

Summary (from Goodreads):

“I am grateful for my father, who keeps me good and sweet. I am grateful for my mother, who keeps her own heart guarded and safe. I am grateful for my adviser, who keeps me protected. I am grateful for the Path, which keeps me pure. Ever after.”

Princess Aislynn has long dreamed about attending her Introduction Ball, about dancing with the handsome suitors her adviser has chosen for her, about meeting her true love and starting her happily ever after.

When the night of the ball finally arrives and Nerine Academy is awash with roses and royalty, Aislynn wants nothing more than to dance the night away, dutifully following the Path that has been laid out for her. She does not intend to stray.

But try as she might, Aislynn has never quite managed to control the magic that burns within her-magic brought on by wicked, terrible desires that threaten the Path she has vowed to take.

After all, it is wrong to want what you do not need. Isn't it?

STRAY is the first in a collection of intertwined stories, all set in a world where magic is a curse that only women bear and society is dictated by a strict doctrine called The Path. A cross between The Handmaid’s Tale and Wicked, with a dash of Grimm and Disney thrown in, this original fairy tale will be released October 7th, 2014 from Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

The Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Swoon Thursday (#85): Stray by Elissa Sussman

Swoon Thursday is a hot meme hosted by the fabulous ladies at YA Bound!

- From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering

- Try to make the swoon excerpt 140 characters (or less), if you are going to tweet about it. Use the hashtag #YABOUND when tweeting

This week, my swoon is from Stray by Elissa Sussman!

Suddenly Thackery took her hand. "Your fingers are warm," he murmured, pressing her hand to his chest. "Can you feel that?" And she could. She could feel his heart beating beneath her palm.

Aislynn raised her eyes to his. They were so very green. She saw herself in them, and it was like staring into the mirror she had always wished for, where the reflection was winsome and fine.

Then he kissed her, and it was better than dancing, better than summer, better than bread. All of her seemed to be turned inside out in one glorious swoop. 

- eARC, 65%

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Read my review of Stray!

This is one of the sweetest passages of the book... seriously though, this book has so many gorgeous moments!

Review: Stray by Elissa Sussman

Stray by Elissa Sussman

Book One of an untitled series

Publisher: Greenwillow

Publication Date: October 7, 2014

Rating: 4 stars

Source eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

“I am grateful for my father, who keeps me good and sweet. I am grateful for my mother, who keeps her own heart guarded and safe. I am grateful for my adviser, who keeps me protected. I am grateful for the Path, which keeps me pure. Ever after.”

Princess Aislynn has long dreamed about attending her Introduction Ball, about dancing with the handsome suitors her adviser has chosen for her, about meeting her true love and starting her happily ever after.

When the night of the ball finally arrives and Nerine Academy is awash with roses and royalty, Aislynn wants nothing more than to dance the night away, dutifully following the Path that has been laid out for her. She does not intend to stray.

But try as she might, Aislynn has never quite managed to control the magic that burns within her-magic brought on by wicked, terrible desires that threaten the Path she has vowed to take.

After all, it is wrong to want what you do not need. Isn’t it?

STRAY is the first in a collection of intertwined stories, all set in a world where magic is a curse that only women bear and society is dictated by a strict doctrine called The Path. A cross between The Handmaid’s Tale and Wicked, with a dash of Grimm and Disney thrown in, this original fairy tale will be released October 7th, 2014 from Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins.

What I Liked:

Ah! Original fairy tale plus fantasy plus subtle romance equals win! So much win! This book was awesomeeeee! I'm not used to fairy tales being full-length novels, but that's how they originated (most of them, I believe?). However, I LOVED this story. I LOVED Aislynn's struggles as a maiden, as a fairy godmother, as a girl trying to find her way.

Aislynn has really powerful magic. Her abilities sometimes spill over, getting her in trouble at her academy. She is a princess trying to push down her magic and find a suitable match so she can be married at sixteen and settle down. Everything is about staying on the Path, which is dictated by the headmistress of the academy, the Adviser of the family, even a little by the fairy godmother of the maiden... but not by the maiden. When Aislynn and her magic and her actions become too much for the academy, she is redirected to another academy, to be a fairy godmother (think NUN) of the lost and confused princess of two really important people (can't remember their names). Aislynn knows things aren't right, but she doesn't want to stray...

I thought I was going to have a hard time with this one because there is heavy emphasis on the Path, and what is good for everyone. This idea is a lot like destiny, I suppose, but like, someone chooses everything for you, so it's not... I don't know but I didn't like this idea of the Path at all. But that's just it - the author does an amazing job of developing the idea of the Path, and basically making me hate it. 

It made me a bit angry how blindly Aislynn and all the maidens and fairy godmothers blindly followed the Path and the headmistresses and the Advisers and everyone - but again, this is a testament to how well Sussman built this world and constructed this idea. I hate the blindly following submissive thing, but I think the author did a really good job with this idea. It's one of those things that you hate, but then you're like, well, the author WANTS me to hate this.

So basically... the author did a fantastic job with the world-building. This is an original fantasy world, so it had to be creative and unique, and it was (in my opinion). I've never read anything with fairy godmothers portrayed as basically nuns? Cold, heartless nuns, but that sort of thing. Sussman definitely captured my attention, when it comes to the world-building and craftsmanship! And the story did too, of course.

I think I liked Aislynn, definitely more towards the middle and end of the book. Basically once she is out of the academy. I felt soooo bad for her when she was exiled to the next academy to be a fairy godmother. That's such an awful punishment, really. And the I hated the headmistress and her cruelty. I wasn't sure how to feel about Princess Linnea... in the end, I'm pretty apathetic towards the princess. Meh.

The story itself is quite intriguing. I wanted to know how Sussman would tie in the overall story arc with Aislynn's banishment to another academy. How would Aislynn having powerful abilities influence the story, how would that come into play with the evil queen, how would it help/hurt the princess? Would Aislynn get her own happy ending?

There is a subtle romance in this book. It's more like a friendship with romantic feelings. The only thing is, I sort of only saw Thackery functioning as a love interest. Was that the intent? I was hoping for more from the sexy gardener. He didn't do much besides tell jokes and pick flowers and help people escape sometimes... but that's okay, he's a fabulous love interest. I like how the romance is subtle but totally there but very underlying.

The ending was good! It wraps up like a standalone should, but I'm curious to see if Sussman will write companion novels in this world. I know there will be more novels, since the summary of this book says so, but will they be sequel stories, or companion stories? Tricky tricky...

What I Did Not Like:

I might have already mentioned my dislikes in the likes section (how backward of me, I know). I didn't really have much to complain about or anything - I wanted more from Thackery, as a protagonist, and not just a love interest. I wanted him to play a more important role, or be more manly or something. I just feel like he was part of the background - there, but not something/someone to really notice. Kind of.

Would I Recommend It:

I really enjoyed this book, and I would totally recommend it! I mean, I would recommend anything fairy-tale-related, to be honest... I don't think I've read an original fairy tale that I didn't like. Fairy tale retellings - different ball game. But this one is an original fairy tale, and it's awesome, and it's fantasy, and you should read it!

Rating:

4 stars. An excellent debut novel! I hope to read (and love?) the next books by this author!!

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

Waiting on Wednesday (#67): Stray by Elissa Sussman

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I'm featuring:

Stray by Elissa Sussman

Book One of an untitled series

Publisher: Greenwillow

Publication Date: October 7, 2014

Summary (from Goodreads):

Epic and provocative, STRAY is an original fairy tale in which magic is a curse that only women bear and society is dictated by a strict religious doctrine called The Path.

Princess Aislynn knows all about the curse. Its magic is a part of her, like her awkward nose and thin fingers. It’s also something she can’t control. And girls who can’t control their abilities have a tendency to disappear. So for her own protection, Aislynn is sworn into the Order of Fairy Godmothers where she must spend the rest of her life chaste and devoted to serving another royal family.

Tasked with tending to the sweet, but sheltered Princess Linnea, Aislynn also finds a reluctant friend in the palace gardener, Thackery, who makes no secret of his disdain for her former life. The more time they spend together, though, the more she begins to doubt the rules she has observed so obediently. As Aislynn’s feelings threaten to undo the sacred vows she has taken, she risks not only her own life but Linnea’s as well. With the princess engaged to a devoted follower of The Path, there are some who would do anything to keep Aislynn from straying.

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Original fairy tale? Fantasy? Sign me up!