Waiting On Wednesday: Persuasion by Martina Boone

“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine, and it gives you a chance to spotlight a book that you are eagerly waiting to be released.

This week, I picked:

Persuasion 

By Martina Boone

Publication Date: October 27, 2015

From Goodreads:

Beautiful Creatures meets The Raven Boys in the spellbinding second novel in the Heirs of Watson Island trilogy that “skillfully blends rich magic and folklore with adventure, sweeping romance, and hidden treasure” (Publishers Weekly, on Compulsion).

Grieving the death of her godfather and haunted by her cousin Cassie’s betrayal, Barrie returns from a trip to San Francisco to find the Watson plantation under siege. Ghost-hunters hope to glimpse the ancient spirit who sets the river on fire each night, and reporters chase rumors of a stolen shipment of Civil War gold that may be hidden at Colesworth Place. The chaos turns dangerous as Cassie hires a team of archeologists to excavate beneath the mansion ruins. Because more is buried there than treasure.

A stranger filled with magic arrives at Watson’s Landing claiming that the key to the Watson and Beaufort gifts—and the Colesworth curse—also lies beneath the mansion. With a mix of threats and promises, the man convinces Barrie and Cassie to cast a spell there at midnight. But what he conjures may have deadly consequences.

While Barrie struggles to make sense of the escalating peril and her growing and forbidden feelings for Eight Beaufort, it’s impossible to know whom to trust and what to fight for—Eight or herself. Millions of dollars and the fate of the founding families is at stake. Now Barrie must choose between what she feels deep in her heart and what will keep Watson’s Landing safe in this stunning addition to a series filled with “decadent settings, mysterious magic, and family histories rife with debauchery” (Kirkus Reviews, on Compulsion). 

Why I picked it:

I really liked the first book in the series, and I'm curious to see what happens next with Barrie and Eight. I'm also curious to see how Barrie deals with the loss of her godfather. {That particular death hit me pretty hard} If you would like to put this book on hold click here.

Monday Meme Spotlight: Classics Retold

     Ah, the classics. A lot of people pick them up and immediately put them back down. The print is tiny, the words are long, and the details come in heaps. But everyone says they're SO amazing- so how can you get the gist without reading the whole book or reading through the dry SparkNotes? Try a YA retelling- there's a whole lot out there. Here are a few that I like.

1. Masque of the Red Death- Bethany Griffin: This is a retelling of the short story of same name by the master of suspense, Edgar Allen Poe. While few, if any, can live up to his writing, Ms. Griffin does an admirable job expanding on the mysterious thriller. Though Poe's work is primarily metaphorical, Griffin takes a literal stance on the plot of a plague invading a lavish party. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I appreciated the retelling of Poe's classic. Click here to get the retelling, or here to try Poe's classic. You won't regret either. And check out Poe's awesome statue by clicking that link. 

2. The Fool's Girl- Celia Rees: This is a retelling of Shakespeare's classic play, Twelfth Night. While it's not the first, it's absolutely one of my favorites. The novel takes place in Elizabethan England, and Shakespeare even makes an appearance as a character, leading, of course, to many adventures. It's filled with humor and suspense (one of the main characters is a fool, a jester, as the title implies) and leads to an epic quest to find a stolen relic. Check it out here or wade through Shakespearean English (with helpful commentary) here. They're both worth it!

3. For Darkness Shows the Stars- Diana Peterfreund: Here we find a really, really cool retelling of a great classic- Jane Austen's Persuasion, set in the wilds of....space. That's right. Space. It's a sci-fi delight, with love lost and regained, an extraordinary journey, and something that isn't a spin-off of the more well-known Pride and Prejudice (not that I don't love that one too). But this twist on a great classic provides a new perspective- humanity has been decimated, and they are living in a world ruled by anti-technology tyrants called 'Luddites'. It's a wild ride, I assure you. Click here to check out the book or here to enjoy Austen's classic.

4. The Once Upon a Time series- Various authors: There are a ton of books in this series, all classic fairy tales retold by some excellent authors. From Beauty and the Beast (Belle) to Jack and the Bean Stalk (The World Above) this series covers a wide variety of classic tales, so there are many options for every preference. My favorites, personally, are The World Above (previously mentioned), The Diamond Secret (a story of Anastasia), and Violet Eyes (The Princess and the Pea). Click here to take a look at the selection- I'm sure there will be something to interest you! Or click here to order a book that contains many of the original fairy tales from which these books are taken. 

    No matter what kind of book you like to read, there's something out there for you. If you don't feel like tackling the originals, check out one of these books or google 'classics retold' to find even more YA adaptations of those fantastic, if difficult, stories. 

    P.S- This is a cool chart of all kinds of YA retellings.