Posts
Pages: 352
Publication: May 1st 2011 Sourcebooks Casablanca
Cinderella's Prince Charming is divorced and at a dead-end in his career, so he opens a bookstore and travels the land ordering books and discovering new authors. Still handsome and still charming, he has given up on women, royalty, and anything that smacks of a future.
Mellie is sick and tired of being called the Evil Stepmother. She did her best by her stepdaughter Snow White, but the girl resented her to no end and made all kinds of false accusations. Neither of them believes in happily ever after anymore, but both of them believe in happily for the moment...
My thoughts:
I found this book charming and sweet. It was fun to read, and I liked her takes on fairytales and what isn't always told in them.
It takes place in our world, but what we do not know is that there are more magical kingdoms in another dimension of some sort. Prince Charming left his kingdom, because what else was there to do than to wait for his dad to die. These "fairy-tale" characters also live for a long time. He went through a painful divorce with his Ella, it was not a match made in heaven. Poor Charming is sure charming but he is also a nerd that loves books (oh he won my heart at once there!), his hair is not as thick as it used to be, and as Ella pointed out his weight is no longer perfect. So he is a normal man, just still very charming, and I liked him. Then we have the wicked stepmother, yes Snow White's stepmum, though she is not as evil as those wicked Grim brothers made her out to be. There is another story there, and I did feel sorry for her and the bad rep she got. Sure she was a bit pushy at first, but she calmed down and I liked her. They were just two people with painful pasts and they wanted more to life.
After having finished this book I did hope that Grayson will go back to this world and write about more characters. What I definitely liked was when they talked about the Snow White story, because it sure is icky that the prince wanted a dead woman, what did he actually want to do to her? Oh the story will tell you, the real story. Amusing and disturbing. A great spin to stories we all know.
Conclusion:
It was an amusing story to read. Sure they were slow to fall in love, but who could blame them. But it was there from page 1 so I just had to wait for that HEA, a more realistic HEA than the fairy-tale ones they knew by heart. I would read more by this author. At the end I was charmed, wickedly charmed.
Rating:
Quick read
Cover:
It does look good, but either I wanna see his face or cut him out..and is that one of Chris' guys?
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My Flash Fiction entry
And the winner of The Untied Kingdom is: Anna
who has been notified
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My Flash Fiction entry
And the winner of The Untied Kingdom is: Anna
who has been notified
Thanks for the review. Sometimes the slow to fall in love is a good thing.
ReplyDeleteBrandi from Blkosiner’s Book Blog
I like the idea of this story! I like the idea that fairy tale happy endings aren't always happy...does that make me a little sick? :) It's always good to see a book loving hero as well - I agree!
ReplyDeleteI've been curious about this one. I like the idea of modern twists on classic fairy tales. The fact that you would read more by this author is a good sign! :)
ReplyDeleteAweee, now Charming has my heart for loving to read. And I wouldn't give him a hard time for gaining a few pounds.
ReplyDeleteSounds fun and sweet. It's hard for me to think of paranormal fantasies as contemporary, but this mix really seems to work here.
I was briefly hopeful that he'd given up on women to take up with other princes. ;)
ReplyDeleteChris you naughty girl, how dare you! Prince Charming? Never! Oh wait, in "Shrek 2" they suggested something like this... ;P
ReplyDeleteCharming story and great review - thanks! I wouldn't guess it's a continuation of old good Cinderella looking at the cover...
i do have this one on my want list. love how books and a bookstore is incorporated.
ReplyDeleteHe opens a bookstore and travels the land ordering books and discovering new authors?? I'm in love! Yep, I'll have to read this one.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds really sweet :) And that he loves books just makes him more charming :D
ReplyDeleteI'm always a fan of anything fairy-tale related, they never fail to amuse me:) Sounds like a cute, fun story!
ReplyDeleteAlright, I'm already in love with Prince Charming. I'll have to pick this one up.
ReplyDeleteOh nice review! Hon, you always do wonderful reviews...this books sound interesting for sure.
ReplyDeleteHugs
Hawk
Brandi
ReplyDeleteIt sure is, I liked when they fall in love fast, but I sure like it slow too
Mel
Nah, it makes you normal :) he had only danced with her and then they got married..come on, how long could that last?!
Julie
I liked it, and I also realized that she has written this fantasy series under another name, and i really liked that series
Missie
ReplyDeleteHe even says it, I am a nerd, and I went all awwwww *hug time*
Ella had been so evil, just cos he had lost his sixpack. Psawh, he was still a hottie.
I had such a hard time putting a genre on this one, I mean parallel dimensions fairytale...yup
Chris
Oh you ;) And who is this guy..I totally recognize him
Ana
Lol, oh she will never behave. But who knows what Prince Charming in the old fairytale really wanted..he did like shoes ;)
VVB
I love those things too
Diana
ReplyDeleteI know, awww a man who loves books *Swoons*
Elysium
Very very charming, a man should love books :D
Jenny
I like them too, I even read this cool graphic novels with fairy-tales in them :)
Carol
He was so nice, insecure and nerdy, awww
Hawk
Doesn't it just sound so good :)
I don't recognize him. But I think he's wearing pink lipstick.
ReplyDeleteChris
ReplyDeletePink lipstick, tsk ;)
He looks so familiar..so very, hm
Oh I need to get this book. I love twists on fairy tales. This sounds perfect and a little more grown up than the one's I've been reading.
ReplyDeleteOh, and you are so mean to those sweet innocent unicorns. Just because they were drawn poorly doesn't make them evil! lol Seriously, it was a fun FF
Sounds precious and fun. I bet I would dig it. Thanks for the review.
ReplyDeleteNice review. I going to add this one to my pile. I with you on the cover;)
ReplyDeleteCharmed..wickedly charmed?? Love it and can't wait to read my copy!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds so good, and I like the cover!
ReplyDeleteI like that Prince Charming opens a book store :)
Sounds a little weird to me. I like fairytales but I don't know how to feel about the different characters getting together. I guess I'm a traditionalist at heart.
ReplyDeletePrince Charming in this book is quite different from the one I used to read about in my childhood fairy-tales! He appears to be going through a crisis in this book :D I love fairy-tale retellings - I think I might give it a try.
ReplyDeleteIt does sound like fun, but stil, dating your stepmother?
ReplyDeleteI do like a fairytale connected book. Definitely one I will look out for.
ReplyDeleteprince charming is a nerd?? i love it!
ReplyDeleteMelissa
ReplyDeleteLol, I am evil I know, but those unicorns were nasty creatures, and badly drawn hahaha.
It was a good take on old tales. And it made sense too.
JuJu
It was all sweet and nice, so I am sure
Laurie
I totally want that castle...now!
Staci
I sure hope you like it! Cos I have seen a DNF and a 2, while I was all charmed
Naida
That is sure my perfect prince :D
Jenny
ReplyDeleteYou got a point there. I think I liked it because she showed how his and Cinderella's marriage could not work.
Misha
He is sure going through a crisis poor thing. He is so insecure and lost in his own tale
Aurian
Oh no, it was not his stepmum. He married Cinderella...and got a divorce and now he has met Snow White's stepmum
Vivienne
They are so fun, I do wanna read more
Carrie
Hihi, I know! I love nerds :D
This sounds really good. I want to read this one.
ReplyDeleteYvonne
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed it :) So fun
I love fairy-tale retellings and this sounds like a really fun one. I'll definitely have to read this one. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeletehey, that sounds like fun! ;)
ReplyDeleteA prince who loves books? - That sure is charming! And I love that he gets romantically involved with an older woman who has a "wicked" reputation :)
ReplyDeleteLOL, Cinderella's ex-Prince and Snow White's stepmother finding there HEA. Sounds wickedly naughty. :)
ReplyDeleteSimcha
ReplyDeleteIt was just so cute and nice, and I liked when she mixed things up too :)
Steph
Lol, yes that's good ;) Then again I think they more or less was the same age anyway :)
Cherry
It was :)
Janna
The places your mind go ;) But yes it was
I actually like the sound of this one...it sounds real, if that makes sense. Fabulous review :)
ReplyDeleteI want to be wickedly charmed too. ;)
ReplyDeleteMelissa
ReplyDeleteIt was just so sweet and nice
Nina
I am sure you'd like it too
Oh this sounds like a lovely fun HEA read. :) Thanks!!!
ReplyDeleteMelissa
ReplyDeleteI do love a good HEA :)