DearWilderness's Books

Book Review:Emerald Bound

Title: Emerald Bound

Authors: Teresa Richards
Published: 2016
Language: English
Rating: 3.5 foxes out of 5

I received an arc from Netgalley in an exchange for an honest review. 


3.5 Foxes out of 5

How I feel when there is a new Fairy Tale retelling out:




I blame it on OUAT and my love for this man:

 

Danger was what made the game of truth and dare fun, but Maggie did not expect it to go this far. Dared to spy on the star high school baseball player’s house (with a father rumored to be in the FBI) the game goes quickly awry. Caught spying, she and her friends are invited to their house. Except...something's wrong. There's a noticeable gloom in the house, a wrongness, that sends the readers heart shuddering. I've never read a retelling for the Princess and the Pea, even as a child I found the tale to be quite bland (I mean what kind of plot line revolves around a pea?). But, Teresa Richards was able to bring it to life by turning the pea into a an emerald that sucks the souls of unsuspecting girls. 



This book was just so darn entertaining. I love retellings, I love reading my favorite fairy tales with an added twist. Teresa Richards was able to skillfully turn a nursery tale into a complex, dark book that compelled me to abandon my anatomy homework for (Et tu, book?). 
I am a firm believer that all retellings need to bring something new to the table (i.e: Cinder=futuristic cyborgs, ACOTAR=fairies, etc), and Teresa Richards not only brings a lot to the table, SHE BRINGS THE TABLE. This book was unique, with plot twists, and intricate side stories, and complex characters. (oh, and as a side not, let’s not forget the AMAZING depiction of female friendship)

Light and breezy, Maggie is a narrator designed to entertain. And boy, does she. Humorous, and with plenty of pop culture references, she is compelling to read. Each character had their own voice: from poor, imprisoned Lindy to vapid Marshall. Told between two POVs; from Maggie, in modern day times, and Lindy, in 1600 Sweden, we are able to slowly pierce the mystery behind the emerald. 

One of the cons for this book, that lowered my rating, is that I found the villains to be two dimensional. As in, they had the typical motives, the typical lines, the typical cruelty. They didn’t feel real to me, and if anything, they felt like cartoon caricatures of what a villain should be. 
But, despite this, I am eagerly awaiting the next book.

If you’re looking for a twist on a beloved fairy tale, for compelling characters, or for hours’ worth of entertainment…pick up this book immediately. 


What to read next if you enjoyed this book:

For other Fairy Tale retellings:
-Cinder by marrisa mayer
-A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sara J Maas
-Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

For similar writing styles:
-Anything by Ally Carter
-Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier


You can read this review and others on my website:

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/7...

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Sincerely,