Welcome to my stop on the Hemlock Veils Blog Tour
hosted by YA Bound Book Tours.
by Jennie Davenport
Release Date: November 25th, 2014
Blurb: When Elizabeth Ashton escapes her damaging city life and finds herself in the remote town of Hemlock Veils, Oregon, she is smitten by its quaint mystery; but the surrounding forest holds an enchantment she didn’t think existed, and worse, a most terrifying monster. The town claims it vicious and evil, but Elizabeth suspects something is amiss. Even with its enormous, hairy frame, gruesome claws, and knifelike teeth, the monster’s eyes speak to her: wolf-like and ringed with gold, yet holding an awareness that can only be human. That’s when Elizabeth knows she is the only one who can see the struggling soul trapped inside, the soul to which she is moved.
Secretly, Elizabeth befriends the beast at night, discovering there’s more to his story and that the rising of the sun transforms him into a human more complex than his beastly self. Elizabeth eventually learns that his curse is unlike any other and that a single murderous act is all that stands between him and his freedom. Though love is not enough to break his curse, it may be the only means by which the unimaginable can be done: sacrifice a beauty for the beast.
Cindy's Review:
At a Glance/The Cover:
The cover is super intriguing. Suspenseful. Dark. Curious. And I love retellings. Fairy tale retellings. Hemlock Veils is a more grown up version than the normal YA retellings. This novel features a slightly older protagonist and a hotter male interest. Well, I mean YA boys are definitely hot. But they can only know so much. And after all, they're still young.
And that line: sacrifice a beauty for the beast definitely pulled me in. Sounds deep. And recently, I've read a lot of Beauty and the Beast retellings. There are a lot out there and every single one of them have their own unique charm. And plot. And story. So I decided to test this one out also.
The Characters/My Opinion:
Elizabeth - Well, what can I say? She can read people pretty well. She's super nice, helpful. Of course, she has her own story to tell. Her own horrendous background raved with death and drugs. And now Elizabeth's at Hemlock Veils to start anew. Hemlock Veils is a sleepy town of Oregon. I actually really enjoyed learning about her old employment and how she got to Hemlock Veils. It's quite an interesting story there.
There are some twists and turns that I was expecting. I kind of could guess what's the big secret that absolutely no one knows. So when it was revealed towards the middle of the book, I definitely shouted an i-knew-it triumph. :)
Henry - The love interest. The one with the perfect background. The perfect house. The perfect body. The only thing he's lacking? His attitude. Cold. Scary. Mysterious. Of course, it didn't stop Elizabeth from trying to get along with him. And later on, befriending him.
Brian - Ugh. I just have to mention him. Because I hope I would never meet someone like Brian ever in my life. Ever. He's a manipulative person who thinks highly of himself. He bullies people when he's drunk and acts like he's a perfect gentlemen when people are watching. No. Just no.
Although this had some suspense to it and I was dying to know the truth, I think the book was a bit long. It could have been way shorter. The first half of the book was literally about Elizabeth and Henry talking. And talking. I mean, yes, she was finding out about things like the town, the beast, Henry. We learned more of her story, but I don't think really needs like 150 pages just give a background. It moved really slow in the beginning. We don't really learn anything until near the end of the middle section.
Once things picked up though, it was easier to fly by. And there were also some twists I wasn't expecting. I loved the endearment of each character and how tight knit this small town is.
Overall Thoughts:
It was an interesting the Beauty and the Beast retelling. I enjoyed this side of the story. And I'm pretty this is a series even though I thought it was a stand alone. The ending was open-ended. But maybe it is a stand alone. I mean, there are stories out there where it's like ...."and he opened the treasure box.......The end."
The Rating: (1-10): 7.5
Author Bio:
Jennie lives for the fall, and not just because of her adoration for the NFL (Go Broncos!). In her perfect world, she would have the springs, summers, and falls of Colorado, and the winters of Arizona—someplace where the climate and weather would allow her to go on a trail run all year round. But even though she prefers the pines and mountains, she is a devoted fan of all nature, from sandy beaches to woodsy cabins, and all are her greatest inspiration. She believes nature is one of the best healing remedies, with a magic all its own.
Jennie’s passion for writing is the way she survives, and is as vital to her sanity as oxygen, caffeine, food, and music. Even before she began writing it, well-told, original, and character-driven romance was always her weak spot. Add the paranormal or magical realism element and she may never make it back to reality.
Links:
I saw this on another blog the other day and it does look really good!
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