Beheld

November 1, 2016
Following Mirrored (2015), Towering (2013), and more, Flinn continues her retellings of folk and fairy tales, this time featuring "Little Red Riding Hood," "Rumpelstiltskin," "East of the Sun and West of the Moon," and "The Ugly Duckling."Flinn frames her story with the ongoing tale of Kendra, a benevolent witch born in 1652 but an eternal teenager, and her continuing quest for her one true love, James. Escaping 1692 Salem, Massachusetts, where Ann Putnam runs afoul of a wolf, she moves around, finally staying for a while in Bavaria, where, in 1812, she runs a small bookshop. She tells the story of Cornelia, who falls in love with Karl and ends up having to spin straw into gold. But is it Karl who really loves her or the deformed bookshop assistant? Kendra then recounts a tale of the London Blitz in which a girl marries a man whose face she is not allowed to see for a year. Finally she ends with the story of a short boy who loses his best friend when Kendra herself grants his wish to be tall. The author tells each of these stories from the point of view of the main character with the emphasis on romance, including Kendra's with James, whom she occasionally finds through the centuries. She's got her formula down to a science, and her fans will not be disappointed. These fizzily undemanding romantic spins on familiar tales go down easy. (Paranormal romance. 12-18)

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December 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up-Sometimes life feels like it needs a little magic to make things perfect, and even talented teenage witches struggle to make things work. Kendra is an immortal witch, destructible only by fire-and perhaps love. When she meets James in 17th-century Salem, MA, they immediately connect, and their love takes flight. However, tensions surrounding the Salem witch trials force them to flee, and they are separated. Kendra travels through the centuries and provides a magical touch in four different fairy-tale stories as she searches for James. Can magic help her find her true love? This book offers an interesting way of exploring teenage life throughout multiple time periods and settings. The author has done research regarding the characters who are not fictional, and she skillfully weaves historical circumstances with the personal experiences of her characters. Young adult readers will relate to common social experiences and interactions. The stories contain some mild sexual content, such as kissing and implied intimacy, and the language used in present-day settings is also authentic, including words such as badass and slutty. Overall, this is a compelling read for young adult fans of fantasy and light romance. The unique use of settings and narration style will keep readers intrigued till the last page. VERDICT For fantasy readers and those who have enjoyed Flinn's previous novels.-Hannah Ralston, Southworth Library, SUNY Canton

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2018
Famous fairy tales, including "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Rumpelstiltskin," take unexpected turns when the charming immortal witch Kendra recounts her version of how events really unfolded. Flinn's novel is episodic, and the frame story about Kendra's own centuries-spanning search for a lost love never gathers much steam. Nevertheless, fans of fairy tales with strong heroines will appreciate these revisions of familiar plots.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)