Book Review: Tris and Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison

Title: Tris and Izzie
Author: Matte Ivie Harrison
Publisher: EgmontUS
Expected Release Date: October 11th 2011
Format: e-book, arc
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 2 stars

A modern retelling of the German fairytale "Tristan and Isolde", Tris and Izzie is about a young witch named Izzie who is dating Mark King, the captain of the basketball team and thinks her life is going swimmingly well. Until -- she makes a love potion for her best friend Brangane and then ends up taking it herself accidentally, and falling in love with Tristan, the new guy at school.

My Review
I'm not familiar with the fairytale Tristan and Isolde although I may have seen the movie when I was little. Still can't remember what it was about it except from the fact that it's a love story between two star-crossed lovers... I think. So I jumped in to read this one since I always love me a good love story.

I'm not familiar with the author, haven't read anything else from her, but I liked her writing. It was simple and the story had a nice pace, without any boring moments. I wouldn't say the same for the plot though. Although I liked Izzie a little I found the story lacking a proper structure. The author doesn't give us time to know the characters and I ended up not caring about them. The scenes and dialogues between them seemed unrealistic. I mean how breaks up with his girlfriend and then after two minutes starts kissing his ex-girlfriend's best friend? Not really...

Tristan's and Izzie's love wasn't believable either. It was like they were forced to love each other or better Izzie was forced to love him... after leaving Mark. I was expecting swoon worthy moments from them but I was disappointed. Tristan was plain, one dimensional and I couldn't have cared less for him.

Sometimes Izzie would sound and act like a child. In a few scenes she sounded like those spoiled brads and I wanted to smack her head but then she would do something and change my opinion. Her attitude made me not care about her. I don't really have a problem with characters even when they are bad written as long as the plot is good. The plot or the idea behind it is good and could have been better if it was better developed.

Overall, I would say pass on this book. I didn't hate it but I didn't like it either. The cover though is amazing!

A Kiss In Time >> Book Review

A Kiss In Time by Alex Flinn

hardcover pages: 371

My Rating 3.5 stars

"What is that?" She points to the numbers on the shirt.

"The year. Old Navy puts the year on all their flag T-shirts. It's short of a racket, I guess-you have to buy a new one every year."

"That...is...the...year?" She looks short of sick. Her face is suddenly almost the same color green as her eyes. She begins to shake. "Oh, my...oh, no." She crumples back onto the floor, as she was when I first saw her. "It cannot be true. It cannot."

I kneel beside her. "What's the matter now? I thought you were fine."

She looks at me, then starts screaming. "Fine? Fine? I have been asleep nearly three hundred years!"

(-excerpt from A Kiss In Time)

Talia fell under a spell...

Jack broke the curse.

I was told to beware the accursed spindle, but it was so enchanting, so hypnotic....

I was looking for a little adventure the day I ditched my tour group. But finding a comatose town, with a hot-looking chick asleep in it, was so not what I had in mind.

I awakened in the same place but in another time-to a strangers soft kiss.

I couldn't help kissing her. Sometimes you just have to to kiss someone. I didn't know this would happen.

Now I am in dire trouble because my father, the king, says I have brought ruin upon our country. I have no choice but to run away with this commoner!

Now I'm stuck with a bratty princess and a truck of her jewels... The good news: My parents will freak!

Think you have dating issues? Try locking lips with a snoozing stunner who turns out to be 316 years old. 

Can a kiss transcend all-even time?

My Review

This story is the retelling of the fairytale Sleeping Beauty.

I have a read another book of Alex Flinn called Beastly (review coming up soon) and I have to say I like this book better.

I am not really into fairytales so I wasn’t that much exited about reading it but I am glad I did! I loved it. She blends the story nicely into the modern world.

I am not going to say much about the story most of you are aware of the Sleeping Beauty so I will go on how she interpreted things for this magic world.

We have normal American Jack, which is the prince charming in this case, that goes on a trip in Europe. He gets bored one day and decides to explore Belgium with his friend until he meets Talia, our princess.

With the wrong directions taken from the guy at the hotel they end up away from the city into the wilderness. They arrive at a 17^th century castle. But all the people in it are asleep and when Jack sees Talia he wants to kiss her so bad that he can’t explain the urge.

After that nothing is the same. He finds himself bound to this spoiled girl and the thing is his parents don’t believe him.

Hiding a whole Kingdom in Europe was nicely explained and the end was surprising. I would never thought of actually having the kingdom as an attraction for tourists.

Overall I liked a lot. It’s a sweet romantic story with witty characters and hilarious moments as Talia tries to handle the gadgets. The dialogue I think makes the book worth reading. It’s insanely funny.

I would recommend this to anyone who likes fairytales and happily ever endings. 

Frosy 

Buy the book at Amazon | Book Depository (Hardcover Format)

and Amazon | Book Depository (Paperback Format)




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