Review - Utterly Charming by Kristine Grayson

TITLE:     Utterly Charming     
AUTHOR:    Kristine Grayson
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 308 pages
PUBLISHED:   Sourcebooks, 2011
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:   In the tradition of New York Times bestselling author Susan Anderson, comes a fresh and funny story of eternal love that already has the romance world buzzing.


In this thoroughly unique and irresistible romantic romp from a talented new author, a struggling Seattle lawyer, desperate to keep her fledgling law firm from going under, takes a case involving a strange but incredibly attractive man. Before she knows it, all of Nora's wishes come true, along with the realization that her client is Prince Charming...the real Prince Charming. There's just one problem: despite being a gorgeous hunk, he's a 1,000 year old magician who still has to deal with a Sleeping Beauty and one wicked stepmother before he and Nora can have a future together.

MY TAKE:    Kristine Grayson has obviously been having fun taking beloved fairytales and legends and giving them settings in the present.  She has done it again by providing the age-old tale of Sleeping Beauty and her Prince Charming several fun twists and new possibilities.  


Earlier this year I read Wickedly Charming and fell in love with Ms. Grayson's storytelling.  I liked her explanation that there are several Prince Charmings!  They are all from the same family and are the heroes for many of the lovely Princesses in the tales.  


So on to Utterly...  Sleeping Beauty is really named Emma and has been in her glass coffin for 1,000 years - being fought over by Aethlelstan Blackstone the Wizard (aka Prince Charming) and her wicked witch stepmother Ealhswith.  Their epic battles have been waged these many centuries and will finally come to an end when the lawyerly Nora takes charge of the situation.


This was a fun romp through fairytale land with many characters popping up.  The Fates were a real hoot as they tried out modern Punk wear.  One of my favorites had to be Sancho Panza.  The magical dwarf was hysterical and frankly stole the show for me.  I want much more of him!  Another part that had me laughing was when Nora's mother's boyfriend Jeffrey Chawsir had to convince Sancho and Emma that he knew he wasn't that Geoffrey Chaucer since they had both known the famous author.  The fact that Jeffrey also happened to be a professor of medieval studies just added to the humor.


The love story that was supposed to be Aethlelstan/PC and Emma/SB wasn't quite what the legends had made of it.  When the wizard and his sidekick Sancho meet up with Nora for the first time, sparks start to fly and Blackstone finds out that he's met his match.  The romance was sweet and made for a light, enjoyable read.

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

You can find your copy at:  

Amazon, Kindle, The Book Depository, Barnes & Noble, Nook

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - The Mermaid's Pendant by Leann Neal Reilly

TITLE:    The Mermaid's Pendant
AUTHOR/EDITOR:    Leann Neal Reilly
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 572 pages
PUBLISHED:   Zephon Books, 2010
ISBN#:   978-0-98568-7505
HOW'D I GET IT:   Received from Publisher for Review and TLC Blog Tours

 Inspired by the beloved classic The Little Mermaid, THE MERMAID’S PENDANT is a modern fairy tale about growing up and discovering who you are—and what you believe in. At times lyrical, this novel is a fantastic journey filled with magic, myth, romance, and adventure.
FROM GOODREADS: 


Four years after John Wilkerson claims the mermaid Tamarind for his wife, they have an idyllic marriage that depends on a talisman that she crafted on their island paradise. But Tamarind learns a painful truth: it takes more than legs to live on land and more than magic to sustain a bond. When the talisman breaks, she and John are forced to rely on themselves instead of magic.

Three wise women play key roles in the young lovers’ journey to mature love. Ana, Tamarind’s aging mentor, casts spells and performs seductions to keep the lovers apart. Valerie, an ex-pat jewelry maker cum fairy godmother, works her own magic to bring them together. Lucy, their widowed neighbor, grounds the couple in the realities of marriage, parenting, and family.


THE MERMAID’S PENDANT is a story for anyone who has ever believed in the transforming power of love.

MY TAKE:   **I have tried to write this without any spoilers, but it has proven to be a tough task and I apologize if anyone feels I've let too much slip out. 

I have always been a fan of the original tale of The Little Mermaid.  It's a little grittier and "real" than the beloved Disney take on the story.  It is darker, based more on the theme of love lost and sacrifice than of the happily-ever-after everyone associates with the title nowadays.  This wonderful modern and updated version is closer to that first telling of the classic story.

I must admit that I really didn't care for John in the beginning.  I thought he was full of himself, selfish, and promiscuous.  He was technically cheating on two women for a while.  Not my kind of man.  I did warm up to him eventually.  Especially when he gets caught up in a web of deceit that really wasn't his doing.  I almost felt sorry for him, not quite though.  I tend to be hard nosed when it comes to infidelity issues.  But what counts, is that I did like him when it came down to it.

I loved Tamarind!  She was fresh and quite funny without meaning to be.  It was nice seeing our jaded world through her innocent eyes.  The author did a lovely job of showing her naivete and her strength at the same time.  Her belief in humans and her loyalty was very sweet, if misguided and mostly undeserved.  She is very straight-forward and unfortunately learns how devious and underhanded people can be.  I loved the descriptions of her and her surroundings as well as her life as a mermaid.

There were several other characters who supported the story, both good and bad.  With the evil outweighing the good, Tamarind and John had their work cut out for them.  I loved that Tamarind found Valerie as a role-model and sort of guardian.  Tamarind's faith in her teacher Ana turns out to be ill placed and she suffers for it.  Tamarind's neighbor Lucy also helps teach the pair what it takes to make it in this life.  She's a nice balance for John's ex, Zoe.  I immediately detested her when she appeared on the scene.  She's one of "those" type of women.  All of these characters were well written and fleshed out quite nicely.  They did what they were created to do in as much as you either loved them or hated them.  

A very imaginative remake with a healthy dose of magic and reality, I highly recommend this book and I think it is another story that would be an outstanding choice for a book club selection.  There are many points to ponder in this tale that can be applied to our own everyday lives.  My copy has a great reading guide in the back that would spur some lively discussions.  You can also download it HERE.

To learn more about author Leann Neal Reilly, you can check out her website and find her on Facebook. 
   
MY RATING:    4/5

WHERE TO BUY IT:    Amazon, IndieBound, The Book Depository, Powell's Books

If you'd like to read more reviews for this book, stop by the TLC Book Tours site for a list of participating bloggers.

Thank you to the author and TLC Book Tours for including One Book Shy on this tour.

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.