Review: Briar Rose by Jana Oliver

Briar Rose by Jana Oliver
Publisher: Macmillan
Publication date: September 12th, 2013
Number of pages: 470 pgs
Format: Paperback
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository

For Briar Rose, life is anything but a fairy tale. She's stuck in a small town in deepest Georgia with parents who won't let her out of their sight, a bunch of small-minded, gossiping neighbours and an evil ex who's spreading nasty rumours about what she may or may not have done in the back of his car. She's tired of it all, so when, on her sixteenth birthday, her parents tell her that she is cursed and will go to sleep for a hundred years when the clock strikes midnight, she's actually kind of glad to leave it all behind. She says her goodbyes, lies down, and closes her eyes . . . And then she wakes up. Cold, alone and in the middle of the darkest, most twisted fairy tale she could ever have dreamed of. Now Briar must fight her way out of the story that has been created for her, but she can't do it alone. She never believed in handsome princes, but now she's met one her only chance is to put her life in his hands, or there will be no happy ever after and no waking up

I admit I have never read any of Jana Oliver's work, so this was my first time with her writing. Briar Rose is basically an enchanting modernized fairytale.
Briar has been having dreams of fairytales for years and always wished for a prince to come and save her, take her out of her town to someplace else. Someplace that does not suck.
This is a very clever idea Jana has portrayed and I absolutely loved the world she created, her characters and the taste of forbidden love.

A magical world full of monsters,romance, trickery, heroes and mayhem. It's not your average fairytale, but it is one that is unforgettable and a definite page-turner.

It starts off with Briar, whose family has a troubled history with another, who, the son of she is forbidden to talk to, less alone, look at.
Joshua I adored from off the bat. He doesn't understand why he is forced to stay away from Briar, but that does not mean he can't look at her from afar, which is basically the only thing he can do. It doesn't help matters that their best friend happens to be the same girl, so how does one stay away from someone when they are close to the very same person?

When Briar gets told of her curse that has been throughout their family for generations, she believes it. And it's not until it does take place the fun really starts.
In her dream-state, Briar gets involved in a world, not like her imagination always wanted, but real all the same.
Briar changes a lot throughout the story, she has to do lots of things she normally wouldn't, but that comes with not having a chance in her curse. She has to find a way out, and for that to happen she has to conquer certain things.

I loved seeing the relationship between Briar and Joshua develop. It is one I was rooting from the very beginning and it was obvious these two were meant to be, it was just a matter of them finding that out. I feel their relationship really begins to blossom during her dream-state after he goes in after her. Whether that's to save her, or just to protect her from whatever may be out there. But it's because of this that enhances the story so much more.  The romance between the two of them was done so beautifully. It was almost like a romeo and juliet thing --  except for a different outcome ;)

While Briar might have wanted a prince to come and rescue her in real life, she may discover that what she wanted has been standing in front of her the entire time, she was just too obsessed with a fairytale to notice --- until now.

We get introduced to other characters. Ruric, who was an actual prince, to Aurora herself, who is not what you imagined, but all important just the same. Every character has a role to place if they want to survive the things that happen. Sacrifices need to be made, and hope they can make things a better place.

I loved every bit of this story, and could not recommend it enough.

Rating: 4.5/5

Review: Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

Alice in Zombieland  (White Rabbit Chronicles, #1) by Gena Showalter
Publisher: Harlequin Teen Australia
Publication date: October 1st, 2012
Number of pages: 404 pgs
Format: Paperback
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository | Bookworld AU

She won't rest until she's sent every walking corpse back to its grave.

Forever.

Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that's all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.

Her father was right. The monsters are real.

To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn't careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies.

Oh boy! Man, this was pure awesome. I have a big fan of Gena's work. I've read some of her YA (Intertwined) and I go crazy over her PNR series (LotU) so naturally this was a MUST READ for me.
I love re-tellings of fairytales and the sort, and the thought of zombies in a story like this, with a twist intrigued me even more so.
I could smack myself for waiting this long to read it though. I had so much to read and it kind of fell to the backburner, but I am so glad I did give this a chance as it was so awesome. I should not have expected anything less from a fabulous author such as Gena!

Gena gives us  such an amazing story. It's not what you would expect, nor are used to, but Gena brings a whole new aspect to this world and it's such an interesting one that I would not have wanted anything but.
We meet Alice fairly quickly who is the daughter to two loving parents and a sister to a younger sibling. Then, one things changes everything. A horrible crash completely throws her whole world upside down. Her life. Gone. Her family. Gone.  As a survivor to a horrible tragedy, she can't get the image of how her family was taken from her... but this is a secret she can't bare to tell anyone for fear she may appear to be crazy.

Soon Alice (going by "Ali") has to move in with her grandparents and attend a new school. As if that isn't daunting enough. The moment she sees bad boy Cole Holland, she is drawn in by him. A first look and she is smacked with images, exotic and intense images of the two of them making out. WHAT THE? You must be thinking. It is kind of strange, I thought so too.  The relationship between Ali and Cole was so intense, so soulful, exciting and aching to see more.
Gena sure knows how to write romances, and this one is no exception. She brings out everything and more.. especially when things begin to get complicated...

I really adored the characters. Ali, our protagonist I felt for quite deeply. How could you not? After witnessing the murders of her family, having been uprooted and starting a new life someplace else --- it couldn't have been an easy adjustment for a teenager. Her experiences. Her emotions and everything that came after was so real. It's easily relatable especially if you have lost someone close to you. Becoming an orphan is not something she anticipated and that is something Ali needs to deal with and find some way to cope.

Cole easily became a favourite character of mine by the end of the book. Initially he may appear to be your average bad boy, but he was so much more than that. As you begin to get to know him, you see him for who he is, what he has been through and the world he has opened up to Ali.

Of course given the title of the book, it was a given that this take on this world would include zombies. That might have been a little odd to think about at first, but Gena works it into this story as easy as pie. They aren't your average zombies. They are different, but yet have that similar feel about them.
I was very intrigued and this version of zombies enticed me throughout the story. I will never look at them the same way again.

If you are a fan of Genas, or never heard of her before. If you want something different and are intrigued by this story, then I would recommend giving this a shot. You will not be disappointed.
I look forward to the upcoming sequel. I can't wait to find myself back in this world once again.

Review: 5/5