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Alexandra Martin didn’t believe in fairytales… Alex has always been more interested in rocks and science than stories about princesses and magic. Now she’s far too busy with her summer internship at the Gem and Mineral Museum to think about children’s stories. Between avoiding her former best friend and high school baseball star, Luke Reed, and trying to hide her unrequited crush on her mentor at the museum, the real world is occupying all of her time. …Until she walked into one. It turns out fairytales aren’t all fun and games. A curse has turned her neat and orderly world upside down, and to break it, she bands together with a fellow intern and a recently awakened princess who’s been asleep for almost 900 years. Can this trio of unlikely heroines put an end to an ominous enchantment, discover true love, and keep an ancient and evil magic from being unleashed on modern-day Los Angeles?
306 pages, Paperback
First published February 4, 2012
46 people are currently reading
2249 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Grey
13 books146 followersJessica Grey is an author, fairy tale believer, baseball lover, and recovering Star Wars fangirl. A life-long Californian, she now lives with her two children near Colorado Springs, where she spends her time writing, complaining about snow in April, and drinking way too much caffeine.
Jessica writes witty, modern Jane Austen adaptations and Young Adult fairy tales featuring strong girls and magic.
You can find out more about Jessica's novels and short story collections at www.authorjessicagrey.com.
Jessica writes witty, modern Jane Austen adaptations and Young Adult fairy tales featuring strong girls and magic.
You can find out more about Jessica's novels and short story collections at www.authorjessicagrey.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
December 25, 2012
I love Los Angeles. Despite growing up in one of the poorest and most dangerous parts of this city, my father made sure that I was well acquainted with the museums in this city. I spent many of my birthdays at Disneyland whose castle belongs to one of my favorite princesses: Sleeping Beauty. So when I found out that Jessica Grey had taken Sleeping Beauty’s story and placed it in modern-day Los Angeles, I was ecstatic. And having read the entire book, it was not what I expected and I loved it.
Coming into this book, I expected the Disney’s cartoon transposed into the 21st century. Instead what we got was a believable story of what it would be like if a princess from the middle ages had woken up in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, when Luke (the hottie baseball player friend) wakes up Lilia, he falls asleep in her place. Now Alex, her friend Becca, and Lilia need to rescue Luke from the evil fairy with the help of the magic found in metals and gems.
I loved the story. Three intelligent young ladies work together to save Luke from the evil fairy, something certainly more interesting and clever than having Prince Charming rescue a damsel in distress. The dialogue was well thought out and you luckily won’t find any annoying teenagers here. The author is clearly well acquainted with Los Angeles and though the museum that plays host to this story is nonexistent, it has enough fragments of real museums in Los Angeles to make the story more realistic.
Jessica Grey took a well-known story, made it her own, modernized it without losing the important parts and made it so that those who knew the story well could not predict how it would turn out. And that’s what I like to see, a story I love reimagined in a way that makes it more interesting without having it lose the reasons that make me love it.
Coming into this book, I expected the Disney’s cartoon transposed into the 21st century. Instead what we got was a believable story of what it would be like if a princess from the middle ages had woken up in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, when Luke (the hottie baseball player friend) wakes up Lilia, he falls asleep in her place. Now Alex, her friend Becca, and Lilia need to rescue Luke from the evil fairy with the help of the magic found in metals and gems.
I loved the story. Three intelligent young ladies work together to save Luke from the evil fairy, something certainly more interesting and clever than having Prince Charming rescue a damsel in distress. The dialogue was well thought out and you luckily won’t find any annoying teenagers here. The author is clearly well acquainted with Los Angeles and though the museum that plays host to this story is nonexistent, it has enough fragments of real museums in Los Angeles to make the story more realistic.
Jessica Grey took a well-known story, made it her own, modernized it without losing the important parts and made it so that those who knew the story well could not predict how it would turn out. And that’s what I like to see, a story I love reimagined in a way that makes it more interesting without having it lose the reasons that make me love it.
May 19, 2013
2.75 stars.
Let me start off by saying the story is not what made this a 2.75 star book for me and that others may not have a problem with what bugged me about this book.
Alexandra Martin is interning for her fourth and final summer at GeMMLA, the Gem and Mineral Museum of Los Angeles. A shy loner, she’s more comfortable at the museum, especially since there’s another intern there from a rival school named Becca who, though she’s more popular and outgoing, has been friends with Alex ever since that first summer. It also doesn’t hurt that Nicholas Hunt, the PhD candidate who’s the intern advisor at the museum is totally hot, even though others seem to think he’s obnoxious.
Luke Reed is a childhood friend of Alex’s and though they were best friends until the seventh grade when Luke started to become popular, their friendship didn’t really end until ninth grade when Luke did something to effectively end their friendship, they haven’t been completely off each other’s radar as Luke was a popular jock at their school, destined for the major leagues, and their mothers are best friends. Though Alex has managed to avoid Luke throughout high school, with the exception of the time when he asked her to junior prom at his mother’s request (needless to say, she turned him down), Alex is shocked to find him at orientation and even more shocked to find that he’ll be interning at her museum.
Everything seems pretty normal until Nicholas calls Alex to inform her that the museum has acquired some artifacts from a dig in France. When he asks her to meet him early at the museum, she is unable to find Nicholas and instead finds Luke with a long beard and long hair asleep on a jewel encrusted bed, with a real-life newly awakened sleeping beauty named Liliana nearby.
So the trio of girls go on a quest to stop and break her spell. Yeah, that’s right, there’s a pretty nifty twist on the Sleeping Beauty story here, and I’m not going to be the one to give it away, even though it’s not something you have to wait until the end to find it out.
Though they were trying to learn how to cast spells and harness their powers and despite the fact that Alex is told she has some of the strongest powers ever seen in a human, it didn’t quite make sense that she would be able to grasp how to use them and cast the spells she did so quickly.
While the story is cute and the idea is original, this just wasn’t a can’t-put-down book for me. The writing was a bit wooden and, as another reviewer on Goodreads said, contractions aren’t just for pregnant women. It makes sense for Lilia to speak more formally, she’s from another century (and the whole understanding English thing was touched on but majorly, underwhelmingly glossed over), so that’s fine. But eighteen-year-olds from America? It just sounds weird and awkward. Seriously, the lack of contractions was so freaking distracting, I started caring less and less about the story and more about trying to figure out what the hell this woman has against the apostrophe. Also, though the girls were at times a little snarky with each other, goofed around and lightly swore occasionally, they were a bit too “Golly gee!” for me, I don’t know any teen who thinks or says some of the stuff that comes out of these characters’ mouths.
And the scene in the meadow went on for waaaaay too long. I was sort of hoping the vines would come take me away.
Alex’s progression from introverted young woman to one that is strong and believes in herself was realistic and the message for younger girls is definitely a good one. Like I said, good idea, but not loving the execution. At some time I may pick up the sequel, but at this point, it’s not something that’s high on my reading list.
Let me start off by saying the story is not what made this a 2.75 star book for me and that others may not have a problem with what bugged me about this book.
Alexandra Martin is interning for her fourth and final summer at GeMMLA, the Gem and Mineral Museum of Los Angeles. A shy loner, she’s more comfortable at the museum, especially since there’s another intern there from a rival school named Becca who, though she’s more popular and outgoing, has been friends with Alex ever since that first summer. It also doesn’t hurt that Nicholas Hunt, the PhD candidate who’s the intern advisor at the museum is totally hot, even though others seem to think he’s obnoxious.
Luke Reed is a childhood friend of Alex’s and though they were best friends until the seventh grade when Luke started to become popular, their friendship didn’t really end until ninth grade when Luke did something to effectively end their friendship, they haven’t been completely off each other’s radar as Luke was a popular jock at their school, destined for the major leagues, and their mothers are best friends. Though Alex has managed to avoid Luke throughout high school, with the exception of the time when he asked her to junior prom at his mother’s request (needless to say, she turned him down), Alex is shocked to find him at orientation and even more shocked to find that he’ll be interning at her museum.
Everything seems pretty normal until Nicholas calls Alex to inform her that the museum has acquired some artifacts from a dig in France. When he asks her to meet him early at the museum, she is unable to find Nicholas and instead finds Luke with a long beard and long hair asleep on a jewel encrusted bed, with a real-life newly awakened sleeping beauty named Liliana nearby.
So the trio of girls go on a quest to stop and break her spell. Yeah, that’s right, there’s a pretty nifty twist on the Sleeping Beauty story here, and I’m not going to be the one to give it away, even though it’s not something you have to wait until the end to find it out.
Though they were trying to learn how to cast spells and harness their powers and despite the fact that Alex is told she has some of the strongest powers ever seen in a human, it didn’t quite make sense that she would be able to grasp how to use them and cast the spells she did so quickly.
While the story is cute and the idea is original, this just wasn’t a can’t-put-down book for me. The writing was a bit wooden and, as another reviewer on Goodreads said, contractions aren’t just for pregnant women. It makes sense for Lilia to speak more formally, she’s from another century (and the whole understanding English thing was touched on but majorly, underwhelmingly glossed over), so that’s fine. But eighteen-year-olds from America? It just sounds weird and awkward. Seriously, the lack of contractions was so freaking distracting, I started caring less and less about the story and more about trying to figure out what the hell this woman has against the apostrophe. Also, though the girls were at times a little snarky with each other, goofed around and lightly swore occasionally, they were a bit too “Golly gee!” for me, I don’t know any teen who thinks or says some of the stuff that comes out of these characters’ mouths.
And the scene in the meadow went on for waaaaay too long. I was sort of hoping the vines would come take me away.
Alex’s progression from introverted young woman to one that is strong and believes in herself was realistic and the message for younger girls is definitely a good one. Like I said, good idea, but not loving the execution. At some time I may pick up the sequel, but at this point, it’s not something that’s high on my reading list.
September 6, 2017
Awake: A Fairytale is a modern retelling of the classic story Sleeping Beauty, a personal favorite of yours truly, by the by. I learned about this book when I entered the Once Upon A Time flash fiction contest hosted on Yearning for Wonderland. Between the beautiful cover and the subject matter, I couldn't resist it. Let's talk about it, shall we?
a description:
Alexandra Martin has just graduated high school and is interning at a local museum over the summer. Bright and caring, Alex has always felt like she didn't fit in and finds solace in the familiar surroundings of the museum. When her childhood friend, Luke, unexpectedly signs up to intern at the museum and a mysterious shipment of artifacts is delivered, Alex is forced to learn not only to believe in her own inner strength, but the possibility that magic is real.
some rambling thoughts:
Awake: A Fairytale is extremely refreshing. Ms. Grey does a fantastic job of taking an old classic and making it her own. At the heart of this fairy tale is a bond of friendship between three girls, Lilia, Becca, and Alex. The girls learn to not only rely on each other, but help build one another up. They present a fantastic example of what true and lasting friendships should be build upon, trust, caring, and fun. Luke is a-flippin-dorable, handsome, snarky, and smart. He's not your typical jock nor your traditional "hero." He's an even keeled character willing to protect those he cares about, while at the same time being brave enough to let others save the day.
The twist and turns of the plot line were what kept me reading. I enjoyed seeing how Ms. Grey weaved the classic tales of Sleeping Beauty with her own modern musings. The main focus of this story is the developing plot. Ms. Grey does not play up the angst and drama between Luke and Alex in order to make for inorganic tension, but trusts her story and her writing to do it naturally.
The best part, this is a stand alone novel that will be part of a three part series of modernized fairy tales. Can I just say-- YES PLEASE. I am a huge fan of companion books. I get the resolution I need NOW and look forward to (hopefully) revisiting old friends later without worrying about them in between meetings.
Overall, I highly enjoyed Ms. Grey's debut novel and look forward to procuring meself some more of her lovely books in the future. If you are a fan of fairy tales retold and looking for something fun and heartfelt, this is the book for you.
a description:
Alexandra Martin has just graduated high school and is interning at a local museum over the summer. Bright and caring, Alex has always felt like she didn't fit in and finds solace in the familiar surroundings of the museum. When her childhood friend, Luke, unexpectedly signs up to intern at the museum and a mysterious shipment of artifacts is delivered, Alex is forced to learn not only to believe in her own inner strength, but the possibility that magic is real.
some rambling thoughts:
Awake: A Fairytale is extremely refreshing. Ms. Grey does a fantastic job of taking an old classic and making it her own. At the heart of this fairy tale is a bond of friendship between three girls, Lilia, Becca, and Alex. The girls learn to not only rely on each other, but help build one another up. They present a fantastic example of what true and lasting friendships should be build upon, trust, caring, and fun. Luke is a-flippin-dorable, handsome, snarky, and smart. He's not your typical jock nor your traditional "hero." He's an even keeled character willing to protect those he cares about, while at the same time being brave enough to let others save the day.
The twist and turns of the plot line were what kept me reading. I enjoyed seeing how Ms. Grey weaved the classic tales of Sleeping Beauty with her own modern musings. The main focus of this story is the developing plot. Ms. Grey does not play up the angst and drama between Luke and Alex in order to make for inorganic tension, but trusts her story and her writing to do it naturally.
The best part, this is a stand alone novel that will be part of a three part series of modernized fairy tales. Can I just say-- YES PLEASE. I am a huge fan of companion books. I get the resolution I need NOW and look forward to (hopefully) revisiting old friends later without worrying about them in between meetings.
Overall, I highly enjoyed Ms. Grey's debut novel and look forward to procuring meself some more of her lovely books in the future. If you are a fan of fairy tales retold and looking for something fun and heartfelt, this is the book for you.
February 12, 2012
Fairytales have an enduring quality and thanks to Disney every girl can dream of a Happily-Ever-After, but its how you get there that is the true story. The work one has to do for the relationship to succeed is what makes the ending all the more satisfying. In fact, it is the requirement of any good relationship.
Debut author Jessica Grey has created a world suspended just above reality, but with its Los Angeles setting it’s not a stretch. I admit that I have only ever seen the Disney film about Sleeping Beauty and have never read the actual fairy tale, but Grey keeps the basic Disney elements (for people like me perhaps) so that the story is not completely unrecognizable and then Grey twists the elements to make it exciting. In Awake the tale of Sleeping Beauty is tilted on its axis and given a dynamic and captivating new approach.
Alex Martin is a classic heroine because she doesn’t try to be one. Alex doesn’t realize the real power she holds, literally and figuratively. She is the girl that is beautiful and smart, but does not see it herself, but our hero Luke does. So to progress with Alex throughout the novel and to watch her really come into herself is one of the best parts. Alex still doesn’t really understand how others see her at the end, but she is embraced and held up by the love and affection of Luke which is all that she needs to be successful.
Luke is sexy. I have a quote on my blog which I try to live by when I create the heroes in my novels and I think it represents Luke exceptionally well. Author Umberto Eco said “The real hero is always a hero by mistake; he dreams of being an honest coward like everybody else”. Luke acts in the manner of a hero, but he does not purposefully try to be the hero. Luke’s feelings for Alex are what compel him to act the way he does and it is because Luke is being true to himself that he is heroic.
When the romance of Luke and Alex finally comes to fruition it is a meeting of equals and because of that we can only imagine what an enduring relationship occurs beyond the pages of Awake. It is relationships like the ones in Awake that keep me reading because it portrays the hope that even the least conspicuous individuals can have a happy ending.
Awake has my endorsement.
Final recommendation: Add a little magic to your life and read Awake.
Debut author Jessica Grey has created a world suspended just above reality, but with its Los Angeles setting it’s not a stretch. I admit that I have only ever seen the Disney film about Sleeping Beauty and have never read the actual fairy tale, but Grey keeps the basic Disney elements (for people like me perhaps) so that the story is not completely unrecognizable and then Grey twists the elements to make it exciting. In Awake the tale of Sleeping Beauty is tilted on its axis and given a dynamic and captivating new approach.
Alex Martin is a classic heroine because she doesn’t try to be one. Alex doesn’t realize the real power she holds, literally and figuratively. She is the girl that is beautiful and smart, but does not see it herself, but our hero Luke does. So to progress with Alex throughout the novel and to watch her really come into herself is one of the best parts. Alex still doesn’t really understand how others see her at the end, but she is embraced and held up by the love and affection of Luke which is all that she needs to be successful.
Luke is sexy. I have a quote on my blog which I try to live by when I create the heroes in my novels and I think it represents Luke exceptionally well. Author Umberto Eco said “The real hero is always a hero by mistake; he dreams of being an honest coward like everybody else”. Luke acts in the manner of a hero, but he does not purposefully try to be the hero. Luke’s feelings for Alex are what compel him to act the way he does and it is because Luke is being true to himself that he is heroic.
When the romance of Luke and Alex finally comes to fruition it is a meeting of equals and because of that we can only imagine what an enduring relationship occurs beyond the pages of Awake. It is relationships like the ones in Awake that keep me reading because it portrays the hope that even the least conspicuous individuals can have a happy ending.
Awake has my endorsement.
Final recommendation: Add a little magic to your life and read Awake.
April 22, 2012
Alex Martin just graduated high school was looking forward to her summer internship at GeMMLA, that was…until Luke Reed showed up! Why would the high school baseball star be working at the museum? Just because their moms were friendly, Alex did not like being around Jake, ever since Freshman year. But, Alex did have her best friend, Becca, working with her for the summer; now she had to convince Becca that their boss, Nick, was not a bad guy! And, no, Alex did not have a crush on her boss.
Alex got a frantic message from Nick in the middle of the night, so she went to GeMMLA early to find out what was happening. Instead of finding Nick, she finds a strange girl in Renaissance garb standing in the middle of the store room, with no sign of Nick or Luke…. And thus the fairy re-telling begins.
Alex doesn’t believe in magic – she’s more of a science gal – show me the evidence. When she hears Lilia’s story, she is still rather skeptical. But when an unexplained storm brews over Los Angeles, Alex starts to believe. This is a very smart story; it is well-written with language that has substance and intelligence. I also loved how skeptical Alex is until she ‘feels the power.’ Luke is also quite swoon-worthy in this story, a boy with heart. Becca, the best friend, is quirky and a great companion to the story.
This story makes you realize that there just might be magic in the world.. you just have to tap in to it, to believe and to see it all around you. I will read anything by Jessica Grey, as she spins tales easily, with heart, intelligence and wit.
for my full review, visit my bookblog.
Alex got a frantic message from Nick in the middle of the night, so she went to GeMMLA early to find out what was happening. Instead of finding Nick, she finds a strange girl in Renaissance garb standing in the middle of the store room, with no sign of Nick or Luke…. And thus the fairy re-telling begins.
Alex doesn’t believe in magic – she’s more of a science gal – show me the evidence. When she hears Lilia’s story, she is still rather skeptical. But when an unexplained storm brews over Los Angeles, Alex starts to believe. This is a very smart story; it is well-written with language that has substance and intelligence. I also loved how skeptical Alex is until she ‘feels the power.’ Luke is also quite swoon-worthy in this story, a boy with heart. Becca, the best friend, is quirky and a great companion to the story.
This story makes you realize that there just might be magic in the world.. you just have to tap in to it, to believe and to see it all around you. I will read anything by Jessica Grey, as she spins tales easily, with heart, intelligence and wit.
for my full review, visit my bookblog.
July 23, 2012
Cool, I won a First Reads! Can't wait!
Thank you!
--
Update:
Well that was pretty awesome. Took me a bit to get into it, but then it was allright. Can't wait to read the next in the series. I did find it a bit unplausible that in today's society these kids didn't know fairytales and hadn't been "disneyfied" by the age of three like everyone else.
I am ashamed to say however my copy of the book looks like I've read it a dozen times; with pages and cover all curled and, um, some pages bent. But then I never was one of those people who handled books like the pages would disintigrate if I actually touched them.
And oh, I just didn't like Lilia at all.
Thank you!
--
Update:
Well that was pretty awesome. Took me a bit to get into it, but then it was allright. Can't wait to read the next in the series. I did find it a bit unplausible that in today's society these kids didn't know fairytales and hadn't been "disneyfied" by the age of three like everyone else.
I am ashamed to say however my copy of the book looks like I've read it a dozen times; with pages and cover all curled and, um, some pages bent. But then I never was one of those people who handled books like the pages would disintigrate if I actually touched them.
And oh, I just didn't like Lilia at all.
February 14, 2012
Fun, smart, enjoyable read. I enjoyed Alex's strong character and how she worked thru her own perception of herself. I never felt she didn't like herself, even when she felt "unpopular" and I really liked that about her. Interesting take on Sleeping Beauty. Thoughtful and well written. Loved that it took place in Los Angeles and that the cute boy was soft spoken and protective. Looking forward to more from Jessica Grey!!
June 13, 2012
A very fine debut from a promising author. This novel details the story of a very self-conscious, unconfident high school girl as she spends her last summer before college interning at LA's Gem and Mineral Museum, as usual. What's not usual is the fact that her old friend Luke, whom she had a falling out with in high school, is now interning there as well. And what's more unusual still is when the "major artifact finds" brought to the museum by her supervisor, the slightly smarmy, self-involved Nicholas, turn out to involve a massive gem-encrusted bed, complete with sleeping princess.
When Luke wakes up the sleeping girl and accidentally takes her place in the enchanted bed, Alex and her friend Becca have to help the princess navigate modern life and unravel the truth behind her enchantment and her family history.
And, of course, all of this is interwoven with a tale of youthful true love and self-discovery.
While it is, at it's heart, a "special snowflake" story about how an unassuming nerdy girl finds out she's Truly Special and Powerful, it's wrapped up in an interesting take on the Sleeping Beauty myth, with a nice dose of cynicism from the teen girls who've suddenly been exposed to magic and enchantment. There's a few great one-liners about attempting to attribute the oddities they've seen to genetics or scientific explanations, and their hesitant acceptance of the situation is very realistic. Even the love story feels appropriate, given the setup for it and the sweet way it evolves.
The novel is bogged down a little by some clumsy dialogue, and there are a lot of missing commas and awkward punctuation that made me have to read a few sentences over again. But really, that doesn't detract from the story or the engaging characters.
Two major quibbles. First, there's absolutely no reason why a gem and mineral museum would be receiving a shipment of artifacts, particularly a wrought-metal bed studded with sculpted gemstones. That's something that would go to an art museum or a historical gallery, not a museum that specializes in gemology and mineralogical study. There's some deus ex machina handwaving that covers that at the very end, but it was EXTREMELY distracting for this archaeologist when the shipment was first coming in. My other quibble is that Lilia, the enchanted princess, figures out modern American life a little too quickly - there's a few perfunctory moments of "this soft book; no, you mean magazine" but by and large, she just goes from the 12th century to today without blinking. Again, there's some handwaving for this, but it's a little forced - some more time spent showing Lilia being awkward and out of place, rather than perfect, would've added a little more depth.
But in the end, this was a delightful little fairy tale romp, and I look forward to reading more by this author!
When Luke wakes up the sleeping girl and accidentally takes her place in the enchanted bed, Alex and her friend Becca have to help the princess navigate modern life and unravel the truth behind her enchantment and her family history.
And, of course, all of this is interwoven with a tale of youthful true love and self-discovery.
While it is, at it's heart, a "special snowflake" story about how an unassuming nerdy girl finds out she's Truly Special and Powerful, it's wrapped up in an interesting take on the Sleeping Beauty myth, with a nice dose of cynicism from the teen girls who've suddenly been exposed to magic and enchantment. There's a few great one-liners about attempting to attribute the oddities they've seen to genetics or scientific explanations, and their hesitant acceptance of the situation is very realistic. Even the love story feels appropriate, given the setup for it and the sweet way it evolves.
The novel is bogged down a little by some clumsy dialogue, and there are a lot of missing commas and awkward punctuation that made me have to read a few sentences over again. But really, that doesn't detract from the story or the engaging characters.
Two major quibbles. First, there's absolutely no reason why a gem and mineral museum would be receiving a shipment of artifacts, particularly a wrought-metal bed studded with sculpted gemstones. That's something that would go to an art museum or a historical gallery, not a museum that specializes in gemology and mineralogical study. There's some deus ex machina handwaving that covers that at the very end, but it was EXTREMELY distracting for this archaeologist when the shipment was first coming in. My other quibble is that Lilia, the enchanted princess, figures out modern American life a little too quickly - there's a few perfunctory moments of "this soft book; no, you mean magazine" but by and large, she just goes from the 12th century to today without blinking. Again, there's some handwaving for this, but it's a little forced - some more time spent showing Lilia being awkward and out of place, rather than perfect, would've added a little more depth.
But in the end, this was a delightful little fairy tale romp, and I look forward to reading more by this author!
Read
April 11, 2013What would happen if Sleeping Beauty never woke up? She never discovered her prince, never found true love. Jessica Grey explores this issue in her debut novel AWAKE, complete with a unique spin where we wind up with a modern-day Sleeping Handsome, where the girl gets to be the hero for once.
Alex has always been very scientific. She loves gems and rocks, making her yearly summer internship at the Gem and Mineral Museum of Los Angeles a dream come true. When GeMMLA scores a huge coup and brings over the precious stones from a recent archaeological dig, the practical world she knows and loves crumbles. She goes to work early only to discover a strange girl in Medieval clothes wandering around, and a guy who looks strangely like her childhood friend Luke sleeping on a stunning, gem-ladden bed. The strange girl, Lilia, claims that he kissed her and fell into an enchanted sleep himself. Alex must now come to terms with whether or not fairy tales are real, since Lilia is claiming to be a princess from a kingdom long-dead and there's no way Luke could have grown such a long beard overnight. Teaming up with her friend Becca, the three girls set about researching the curse and attempting to save Luke while keeping Lilia a secret. They also discover stunning truths and find themselves in more trouble than they could have ever envisioned...
Jessica Grey's book of short stories, out now!
I don't know what I was expecting when I read AWAKE, but it never occurred to me that we'd get a Sleeping Handsome out of the deal. It was really interesting to consider, "What would happen if the man who found Sleeping Beauty and kissed her awake wasn't her true love?" Well, obviously the curse would transfer. She'd wake up and he'd fall into his own enchanted sleep. I thought that was pretty creative. I also enjoyed watching three girls put on their thinking caps and use their brains to solve the mysteries of the past. It does take a while for the book to get off the ground, but once the fairy tale elements are introduced, the story begins and it's easier to fall into. I was never a scientific, pragmatic girl, but I love that Alex is, and think that we need more girls like her in YA for the teenagers who are that way. I liked that science blended with fantasy to create a tale that actually could take place in today's world.
According to Grey, a sequel entitled ATONE is tentatively set to release by the end of June. It's another fairy tale, this time featuring Alex's friend Becca!
Alex has always been very scientific. She loves gems and rocks, making her yearly summer internship at the Gem and Mineral Museum of Los Angeles a dream come true. When GeMMLA scores a huge coup and brings over the precious stones from a recent archaeological dig, the practical world she knows and loves crumbles. She goes to work early only to discover a strange girl in Medieval clothes wandering around, and a guy who looks strangely like her childhood friend Luke sleeping on a stunning, gem-ladden bed. The strange girl, Lilia, claims that he kissed her and fell into an enchanted sleep himself. Alex must now come to terms with whether or not fairy tales are real, since Lilia is claiming to be a princess from a kingdom long-dead and there's no way Luke could have grown such a long beard overnight. Teaming up with her friend Becca, the three girls set about researching the curse and attempting to save Luke while keeping Lilia a secret. They also discover stunning truths and find themselves in more trouble than they could have ever envisioned...
Jessica Grey's book of short stories, out now!
I don't know what I was expecting when I read AWAKE, but it never occurred to me that we'd get a Sleeping Handsome out of the deal. It was really interesting to consider, "What would happen if the man who found Sleeping Beauty and kissed her awake wasn't her true love?" Well, obviously the curse would transfer. She'd wake up and he'd fall into his own enchanted sleep. I thought that was pretty creative. I also enjoyed watching three girls put on their thinking caps and use their brains to solve the mysteries of the past. It does take a while for the book to get off the ground, but once the fairy tale elements are introduced, the story begins and it's easier to fall into. I was never a scientific, pragmatic girl, but I love that Alex is, and think that we need more girls like her in YA for the teenagers who are that way. I liked that science blended with fantasy to create a tale that actually could take place in today's world.
According to Grey, a sequel entitled ATONE is tentatively set to release by the end of June. It's another fairy tale, this time featuring Alex's friend Becca!
August 16, 2013
Alexandra “Alex” Martin wants to have a peaceful summer interning in LA’s Gem and Mineral Museum while getting to work with her crush. Instead, Alex’s crush turns out to be not crushworthy, her ex-best friend that she was happy to avoid forever actively wants to be friends again, and–to top off the oh so bad start to her internship–she gets swept up in helping a 900 year old cursed princess break a spell. Oh, and a very, very angry fairy is after her. What a way to start a summer, eh?
I didn’t find Awake to be a fast-paced read; it felt more like a pleasant stroll with some exciting moments on the path. At times, I couldn’t help but wonder if the author considered every plot hole and every “what about” and sealed them up good and tight. For example, if someone goes missing, there wasn’t hand-waving and writing that it would be fine, the author goes and creates a detailed cover story and has her characters make sure the story has every hole covered (i.e., absence letters, texting and calling people who would worry about them, pack clothes so it looks like they are gone). Ms. Grey is very thorough when it comes to these details so it makes the story a bit more believable. These side trips are what slowed down the storytelling a bit, but it also made it feel more real. The magic scenes, on the other hand, were exciting, fantastic, and detailed so that I could easily visualize the magic and do so quite vividly.
Awake reminds me of the TV series Charmed in that there seems to always be the power of three. In this case, that also seems to be the basis as the three heroines in the novel have to work together to defeat the villain. It was fun watching the three girls get to know each other better and work together. Alex and Becca, a fellow intern, are total geeks, so they’ve got their colored pens and note-taking action while revering over old books when doing their fairy tale research. Lilia, the third in the trio, is a pampered princess, and her attitude as spoiled nobility but wise in magic is amusing. There is romance (I fell for Luke in his very first scene), but the driving force in this novel is the connection between the three heroines. Alex’s growth from an insecure teenager to a confident woman is another major force in the novel.
Overall, I enjoyed the novel and look forward to the follow-up novels. So many loose-ends are tied up so that Awake feels standalone. Still, because the characters are fun, I’m looking forward to reading more about Becca and Lilia’s future stories. I recommend this to fairy tale fans of all ages and give it a 5 out of 5!
I didn’t find Awake to be a fast-paced read; it felt more like a pleasant stroll with some exciting moments on the path. At times, I couldn’t help but wonder if the author considered every plot hole and every “what about” and sealed them up good and tight. For example, if someone goes missing, there wasn’t hand-waving and writing that it would be fine, the author goes and creates a detailed cover story and has her characters make sure the story has every hole covered (i.e., absence letters, texting and calling people who would worry about them, pack clothes so it looks like they are gone). Ms. Grey is very thorough when it comes to these details so it makes the story a bit more believable. These side trips are what slowed down the storytelling a bit, but it also made it feel more real. The magic scenes, on the other hand, were exciting, fantastic, and detailed so that I could easily visualize the magic and do so quite vividly.
Awake reminds me of the TV series Charmed in that there seems to always be the power of three. In this case, that also seems to be the basis as the three heroines in the novel have to work together to defeat the villain. It was fun watching the three girls get to know each other better and work together. Alex and Becca, a fellow intern, are total geeks, so they’ve got their colored pens and note-taking action while revering over old books when doing their fairy tale research. Lilia, the third in the trio, is a pampered princess, and her attitude as spoiled nobility but wise in magic is amusing. There is romance (I fell for Luke in his very first scene), but the driving force in this novel is the connection between the three heroines. Alex’s growth from an insecure teenager to a confident woman is another major force in the novel.
Overall, I enjoyed the novel and look forward to the follow-up novels. So many loose-ends are tied up so that Awake feels standalone. Still, because the characters are fun, I’m looking forward to reading more about Becca and Lilia’s future stories. I recommend this to fairy tale fans of all ages and give it a 5 out of 5!
February 7, 2012
It’s the last summer before college, and Alex Martin is looking forward to spending it… in a museum. No, she’s not a normal 18 year old, but she and her best friend Becca Ward have interned at LA’s Gem and Mineral Museum every summer. This year however provides one crucial difference—her childhood friend, Luke Reed, has joined the geeky rock squad.
Alex and Luke haven’t really talked since their freshman year of high school, when Luke’s status as a baseball star put him on a different social level than Alex. She is none too pleased by the thought of sharing her favorite place with him, especially since she was kind of hoping to catch the eye of their advisor, the dreamy Nicholas Hunt.
But when Alex finds Luke lying on an enchanted bed, trapped in a magical slumber, suddenly all her summer plans are out the window. She and Becca are joined by Lilia, a 12th century princess who’s been asleep for 850 years. Yes, Luke tried to wake up Sleeping Beauty with a kiss, but instead, he simply took her place.
Now the three girls have to figure out exactly what the spell is, who cast it, and how they can save Luke from the evil fairy behind it all. To do that, Alex and Becca will have to come to terms with the fact that magic actually exists, and accept their own ability to use it.
Awake is a phenomenal story. It takes all the familiar elements of Sleeping Beauty and twists them into something that is both recognizable and new at the same time. The dialogue between the three girls sparkled, and the relationship between Alex and Luke was romantic and real.
The magic scenes were my favorite parts of the story. Jessica Grey invented an entire system of magic for her book, and it is brilliant and consistent. Even though I know diamonds and precious metal have no magical qualities, I could easily believe Alex and Becca were able to work spells with them.
I read Awake in one day, which is not something I often do anymore. My brain usually starts to wander after about five chapters, and I’ll switch to another book or a movie. This time though I was too eager to find out how it all turned out in the end to put it down.
Grey’s style is smooth and easy to follow. Her characters are real, and her story is delightful. I can’t wait to read the next book in this trilogy.
Alex and Luke haven’t really talked since their freshman year of high school, when Luke’s status as a baseball star put him on a different social level than Alex. She is none too pleased by the thought of sharing her favorite place with him, especially since she was kind of hoping to catch the eye of their advisor, the dreamy Nicholas Hunt.
But when Alex finds Luke lying on an enchanted bed, trapped in a magical slumber, suddenly all her summer plans are out the window. She and Becca are joined by Lilia, a 12th century princess who’s been asleep for 850 years. Yes, Luke tried to wake up Sleeping Beauty with a kiss, but instead, he simply took her place.
Now the three girls have to figure out exactly what the spell is, who cast it, and how they can save Luke from the evil fairy behind it all. To do that, Alex and Becca will have to come to terms with the fact that magic actually exists, and accept their own ability to use it.
Awake is a phenomenal story. It takes all the familiar elements of Sleeping Beauty and twists them into something that is both recognizable and new at the same time. The dialogue between the three girls sparkled, and the relationship between Alex and Luke was romantic and real.
The magic scenes were my favorite parts of the story. Jessica Grey invented an entire system of magic for her book, and it is brilliant and consistent. Even though I know diamonds and precious metal have no magical qualities, I could easily believe Alex and Becca were able to work spells with them.
I read Awake in one day, which is not something I often do anymore. My brain usually starts to wander after about five chapters, and I’ll switch to another book or a movie. This time though I was too eager to find out how it all turned out in the end to put it down.
Grey’s style is smooth and easy to follow. Her characters are real, and her story is delightful. I can’t wait to read the next book in this trilogy.
January 7, 2013
For more of my book reviews, please visit my blog, The Baking Bookworm (www.thebakingbookworm.blogspot.ca)
My Thoughts: When I saw this ebook I figured it was right up my alley. Young Adult, supernatural element, a good, light read. Yay me! What really drew me to this book was it's take on fairytales in the modern world. The main idea behind the storyline was a very interesting twist on a traditional tale -- what if the wrong person kissed Sleeping Beauty? Unique idea but the execution of the story left a lot to be desired.
I found the pace very slow, the dialogue felt forced (and a little corny at times) and there wasn't a lot of action. When we're talking sleeping princesses under an ancient curse I was expecting more twists, more 'fairytale' elements and a lot more action. Granted, it is the beginning of a series so a little room for story set up/character intro has to be given but this story just didn't grab me as much as I was hoping.
Now, because we're dealing with fairytales I know that the reader has to give the author some room when it comes to ancient curses and sleeping beauties. That said, a fantasy/supernatural read still has to be plausible for me to jump on board. It's a very fine balance between the 'real world' and introducing a believable magical element/world. Some authors, like J.K. Rowling, excel at bringing magic into our world in a believable way. This book almost got it. Almost.
I think the thing that bothered me the most was how fast Lilia, the ancient princess, seems to jump into modern-day Los Angeles and all its colloquialisms, fashion etc. She's been asleep for 900 years. A LOT has changed in that time and yet she gets 90210'd much too fast to be believable (for me, anyway). I'm such a cynic.
Now before you assume that I didn't like this book I have to say that I did enjoy it overall. The characters were interesting and I loved how Alex transforms from a gem lovin' nerd to a much more confident, strong young woman. There is some good foreshadowing that occurs at the end of the book which tweaked my interest in possibly reading the next book in this series.
My Rating: 2.5/5 stars
My Thoughts: When I saw this ebook I figured it was right up my alley. Young Adult, supernatural element, a good, light read. Yay me! What really drew me to this book was it's take on fairytales in the modern world. The main idea behind the storyline was a very interesting twist on a traditional tale -- what if the wrong person kissed Sleeping Beauty? Unique idea but the execution of the story left a lot to be desired.
I found the pace very slow, the dialogue felt forced (and a little corny at times) and there wasn't a lot of action. When we're talking sleeping princesses under an ancient curse I was expecting more twists, more 'fairytale' elements and a lot more action. Granted, it is the beginning of a series so a little room for story set up/character intro has to be given but this story just didn't grab me as much as I was hoping.
Now, because we're dealing with fairytales I know that the reader has to give the author some room when it comes to ancient curses and sleeping beauties. That said, a fantasy/supernatural read still has to be plausible for me to jump on board. It's a very fine balance between the 'real world' and introducing a believable magical element/world. Some authors, like J.K. Rowling, excel at bringing magic into our world in a believable way. This book almost got it. Almost.
I think the thing that bothered me the most was how fast Lilia, the ancient princess, seems to jump into modern-day Los Angeles and all its colloquialisms, fashion etc. She's been asleep for 900 years. A LOT has changed in that time and yet she gets 90210'd much too fast to be believable (for me, anyway). I'm such a cynic.
Now before you assume that I didn't like this book I have to say that I did enjoy it overall. The characters were interesting and I loved how Alex transforms from a gem lovin' nerd to a much more confident, strong young woman. There is some good foreshadowing that occurs at the end of the book which tweaked my interest in possibly reading the next book in this series.
My Rating: 2.5/5 stars
April 28, 2012
First, I have to let you know that while I do not personally know the author, I have been friends with her mom for years through an internet group. And I totally took advantage of that friendship to request a review copy of this book after reading an excerpt.
Alexandra Martin is pretty and smart and believes more in science than fairy tales. Until she stumbles onto her very own USO (Unidentified Sleeping Object). Along with her friend Becca, who also prefers facts over fantasy, Alex is suddenly thrown into a mixed-up version of the Sleeping Beauty story. Of course, there is also a beautiful princess involved. But what happens when true love is nowhere to be found?
This was such a fun story; there was just nothing I didn’t like about it. It was funny; there were some silly scenes and the girls (even the princess) didn’t mind laughing at themselves. The dialogue was realistic (well, as realistic as dialogue about 900-year-old princesses can be). Alex and Becca were self-described nerds and weren’t the least bit ashamed of being smart. Princess Lilia even jumped right in to help solve the mystery and was very sweet to the other girls.
It’s not all sunlight and roses, though. Actually, there are roses. Lots of them, but that’s not really a good thing. But I digress. Alex has no idea how attractive men find her beauty and brains and has very little self-confidence at the beginning of the story. Her confidence grows, and it’s not just because of men (which would kind of ruin the whole girl-power thing the story has going on), but because with her friends’ help, she realizes just how much she’s capable of.
There was just enough foreshadowing to keep drawing me in, but not so much that it gave away the end of the story. I read this in two nights, only because I couldn’t stay awake long enough to finish it the first night. I loved reading about Alex and her friends fighting the evil fairy and rescuing her prince.
I got this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Alexandra Martin is pretty and smart and believes more in science than fairy tales. Until she stumbles onto her very own USO (Unidentified Sleeping Object). Along with her friend Becca, who also prefers facts over fantasy, Alex is suddenly thrown into a mixed-up version of the Sleeping Beauty story. Of course, there is also a beautiful princess involved. But what happens when true love is nowhere to be found?
This was such a fun story; there was just nothing I didn’t like about it. It was funny; there were some silly scenes and the girls (even the princess) didn’t mind laughing at themselves. The dialogue was realistic (well, as realistic as dialogue about 900-year-old princesses can be). Alex and Becca were self-described nerds and weren’t the least bit ashamed of being smart. Princess Lilia even jumped right in to help solve the mystery and was very sweet to the other girls.
It’s not all sunlight and roses, though. Actually, there are roses. Lots of them, but that’s not really a good thing. But I digress. Alex has no idea how attractive men find her beauty and brains and has very little self-confidence at the beginning of the story. Her confidence grows, and it’s not just because of men (which would kind of ruin the whole girl-power thing the story has going on), but because with her friends’ help, she realizes just how much she’s capable of.
There was just enough foreshadowing to keep drawing me in, but not so much that it gave away the end of the story. I read this in two nights, only because I couldn’t stay awake long enough to finish it the first night. I loved reading about Alex and her friends fighting the evil fairy and rescuing her prince.
I got this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
August 17, 2012
What a wonderful story!! Awake is a modern retelling of Sleeping Beauty with a few twists and turns to add it's own originality to the classic fairytale.
Alex is kind of nerdy. She doesn't have many friends and really has no social life outside of the time she spends on her internship at the Gem and Mineral Museum. She is more than happy to blend into the background and not have any real attention focused on her. She has a bit of a crush on Nicholas her mentor and pretty much when he says jump she asks how high. One of her few friends Becca also interns at the museum and much to her surprise on the first day of her current internship she discovers that her old childhood friend Luke is also there. Luke is the polar opposite to Alex. He is incredibly popular, an amazing baseball player and girls swoon in his presence.
It's when Alex stumbles upon a gem encrusted bed, a princess named Lilia and a sleeping enchanted Luke that all the action begins! Alex, Becca and Lilia must band together to find a away to break the enchantment and rescue Luke.
When I finished reading Awake, the first thought that popped into my head when I thought of Alex was that she was like a butterfly emerging from inside her cocoon. The transformation in her was so great!! By the end of the book she is so strong and self assured. I loved all the interactions between Alex, Becca and Lilia and there were points in the book where you just couldn't help the huge grin on your face at some of their antics... And then we have Luke. And I'm pretty sure that I would be one of those girls that swooned in his presence!! I loved his caring and protective nature.
And add into all of that the magic and fantasy and Awake proves to be a book that will suck you in and have you engrossed until the very end!! A fantastically magical read!!
Alex is kind of nerdy. She doesn't have many friends and really has no social life outside of the time she spends on her internship at the Gem and Mineral Museum. She is more than happy to blend into the background and not have any real attention focused on her. She has a bit of a crush on Nicholas her mentor and pretty much when he says jump she asks how high. One of her few friends Becca also interns at the museum and much to her surprise on the first day of her current internship she discovers that her old childhood friend Luke is also there. Luke is the polar opposite to Alex. He is incredibly popular, an amazing baseball player and girls swoon in his presence.
It's when Alex stumbles upon a gem encrusted bed, a princess named Lilia and a sleeping enchanted Luke that all the action begins! Alex, Becca and Lilia must band together to find a away to break the enchantment and rescue Luke.
When I finished reading Awake, the first thought that popped into my head when I thought of Alex was that she was like a butterfly emerging from inside her cocoon. The transformation in her was so great!! By the end of the book she is so strong and self assured. I loved all the interactions between Alex, Becca and Lilia and there were points in the book where you just couldn't help the huge grin on your face at some of their antics... And then we have Luke. And I'm pretty sure that I would be one of those girls that swooned in his presence!! I loved his caring and protective nature.
And add into all of that the magic and fantasy and Awake proves to be a book that will suck you in and have you engrossed until the very end!! A fantastically magical read!!
April 29, 2015
Sleeping Beauty comes out of her enchanted sleep... only she's replaced by Sleeping Handsome.
Shy, self-conscious Alexandra has to work together with her friend Becca and the now-awake Princess Lilia to save her childhood friend from an evil and ancient enchantment. Not only this, but she has to deal with the discovery of her power at the same time and learn how to master it. Science and magic clash in this modern-day re-telling of Sleeping Beauty but, as always, love prevails.
It took me a while to start reading this book but once I did, I was not sorry. The beginning was excellent. You got involved in the story from page one. The main character, Alex, is down-to-earth, even if she is too hard on herself. I loved how author describes Alex's ongoing battle with glasses in the rain. I can absolutely relate. My only criticism, as an avid Disney fan is Alex's obvious disdain for all things Disney, but I can appreciate that her scepticism was necessary to the story.
It is not often that one comes across a book dominated by strong female characters, and the author pulled it off in a smashing way, while still managing to include enough of the main characters love interest (despite his state) that it was not unbelievable when they fell in love.
Ms. Grey's descriptions of the magic, especially when they were in Briar Rose's house/palace, were clear and colourful, and you can clearly tell that she knew exactly what the magic in her book was supposed to do and why it did it and this came across well.
Personally, I felt like it slowed down a little towards the end. But it only lasted for about two chapters, then I was hooked again.
Overall a great read and an promising start to the series.
Shy, self-conscious Alexandra has to work together with her friend Becca and the now-awake Princess Lilia to save her childhood friend from an evil and ancient enchantment. Not only this, but she has to deal with the discovery of her power at the same time and learn how to master it. Science and magic clash in this modern-day re-telling of Sleeping Beauty but, as always, love prevails.
It took me a while to start reading this book but once I did, I was not sorry. The beginning was excellent. You got involved in the story from page one. The main character, Alex, is down-to-earth, even if she is too hard on herself. I loved how author describes Alex's ongoing battle with glasses in the rain. I can absolutely relate. My only criticism, as an avid Disney fan is Alex's obvious disdain for all things Disney, but I can appreciate that her scepticism was necessary to the story.
It is not often that one comes across a book dominated by strong female characters, and the author pulled it off in a smashing way, while still managing to include enough of the main characters love interest (despite his state) that it was not unbelievable when they fell in love.
Ms. Grey's descriptions of the magic, especially when they were in Briar Rose's house/palace, were clear and colourful, and you can clearly tell that she knew exactly what the magic in her book was supposed to do and why it did it and this came across well.
Personally, I felt like it slowed down a little towards the end. But it only lasted for about two chapters, then I was hooked again.
Overall a great read and an promising start to the series.
March 6, 2012
An old fairytale, retold in a interesting way...the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty. Glad I found it, and for free, what's better?
While interning at a Museum during her last summer before college, Alex is thrown into a fairytale world she was not expecting. She stumbles upon an enchanted bed with a sleeping person on it, and while fascinated at the sight, she realizes she recognizes the sleeping form upon the bed...Luke. She and Luke had been really close since young kids up until freshman year of high school. She always had a crush on Luke. Now she finds he is in a sort of spell-bound sleep created by an evil Fae (or fairy) whom originally put the spell on what we've all known from child stories as Sleeping Beauty; her aunt, Briar Rose put the spell on her. Seems Luke found the girl on the bed, and kissed her to awaken her, only the spell got transfered to him intead.
Now Alex has to find a way to awake him, without the same transfer happening to her. With the help of her friend, Becca, and the 'now awake Sleeping Beauty', whose name is Lilia, she has to find a way to break the spell, and awake Luke from the tangles of the evil Fairy. As they do their research to find the antidote to the spell, she and Becca learn they have a little magic within themselves, as they are descendants of Lilia's sisters. Putting their magical abilities together they almost kick Briar Rose's a**.
They manage to awake Luke, by of course, a 'True love's Kiss'... but they haven't seen the last of Briar Rose. They must prepare for her come-back. I will definitely be reading the next one.
While interning at a Museum during her last summer before college, Alex is thrown into a fairytale world she was not expecting. She stumbles upon an enchanted bed with a sleeping person on it, and while fascinated at the sight, she realizes she recognizes the sleeping form upon the bed...Luke. She and Luke had been really close since young kids up until freshman year of high school. She always had a crush on Luke. Now she finds he is in a sort of spell-bound sleep created by an evil Fae (or fairy) whom originally put the spell on what we've all known from child stories as Sleeping Beauty; her aunt, Briar Rose put the spell on her. Seems Luke found the girl on the bed, and kissed her to awaken her, only the spell got transfered to him intead.
Now Alex has to find a way to awake him, without the same transfer happening to her. With the help of her friend, Becca, and the 'now awake Sleeping Beauty', whose name is Lilia, she has to find a way to break the spell, and awake Luke from the tangles of the evil Fairy. As they do their research to find the antidote to the spell, she and Becca learn they have a little magic within themselves, as they are descendants of Lilia's sisters. Putting their magical abilities together they almost kick Briar Rose's a**.
They manage to awake Luke, by of course, a 'True love's Kiss'... but they haven't seen the last of Briar Rose. They must prepare for her come-back. I will definitely be reading the next one.
February 7, 2012
I loved this story!
What would happen if after more than 800 years had passed, Sleeping Beauty was kissed by the wrong person? And what if that person switched places with Sleeping Beauty?
Alex, Becca and Luke are interning at the Gem and Mineral Museum for the summer when a new exhibit comes in. In the exhibit is this beautiful bed encrusted with gems. Alex arrives early to the museum and finds Luke sleeping in the bed! Sitting on a crate nearby is a Princess! It turns out the Princess, Lilia de la Foret, has been sleeping in the bed for nearly 900 years! Luke and Lilia have switched places! Alex, Becca and Lilia band together to figure out how to break the spell and free Luke!
Grey paints a vivid picture of magic working in unison with nature. It’s an enchanting adventure of courage, self-discovery and friendship. The story is woven together with humor, mystery and true love. Grey was also able to stir in me those feelings you get during a first kiss! *sign*
I adore how Luke always tries to protect Alex, even while he is asleep. He is the strong silent type, not pushy but always there when you need him!
ARC was provided by author.
What would happen if after more than 800 years had passed, Sleeping Beauty was kissed by the wrong person? And what if that person switched places with Sleeping Beauty?
Alex, Becca and Luke are interning at the Gem and Mineral Museum for the summer when a new exhibit comes in. In the exhibit is this beautiful bed encrusted with gems. Alex arrives early to the museum and finds Luke sleeping in the bed! Sitting on a crate nearby is a Princess! It turns out the Princess, Lilia de la Foret, has been sleeping in the bed for nearly 900 years! Luke and Lilia have switched places! Alex, Becca and Lilia band together to figure out how to break the spell and free Luke!
Grey paints a vivid picture of magic working in unison with nature. It’s an enchanting adventure of courage, self-discovery and friendship. The story is woven together with humor, mystery and true love. Grey was also able to stir in me those feelings you get during a first kiss! *sign*
I adore how Luke always tries to protect Alex, even while he is asleep. He is the strong silent type, not pushy but always there when you need him!
ARC was provided by author.
March 16, 2012
As a child, I never believed fairy tales. I never bought into the whole "happily ever after" line. There was no prince to wake the sleeping princess, there were no birds to sing her to sleep or help her dress for the ball. Fairy tales did not exist outside of the brightly colored Disney world.
Alex thought the same way. She spent her days and nights alone with hardly any friends. She was the introverted geek who never quite found her way out of invisibility. She spends her summers interning at the Gem and Mineral museum, the least glamorous of them all, hiding among the rocks. That is, until she discovers fairy tales are very, very, real.
Through a series of roller coaster plot turns, Alex not only discovers who she is, but who she wants to be. That person is not a meek little geek hiding behind a book, but an empowered force to be reckoned with. And heck if I don't love an empowered female protagonist. Through this all, she manages to discover what's been in front of her the whole time: true love. See? Fairy tales to exist, dreams really do come true...sometimes you need a little magic and an 850 Sleeping Beauty to prove it.
Alex thought the same way. She spent her days and nights alone with hardly any friends. She was the introverted geek who never quite found her way out of invisibility. She spends her summers interning at the Gem and Mineral museum, the least glamorous of them all, hiding among the rocks. That is, until she discovers fairy tales are very, very, real.
Through a series of roller coaster plot turns, Alex not only discovers who she is, but who she wants to be. That person is not a meek little geek hiding behind a book, but an empowered force to be reckoned with. And heck if I don't love an empowered female protagonist. Through this all, she manages to discover what's been in front of her the whole time: true love. See? Fairy tales to exist, dreams really do come true...sometimes you need a little magic and an 850 Sleeping Beauty to prove it.
October 28, 2015
I loved it! I'm not sure I can stick this in as a fairy tale retelling, because while there is Sleeping Beauty elements in there, it's more complicated than that. It's not exactly a retelling but Princess Lilia does appear.
It was an interesting read, especially when the main character is a "geek" who likes rocks and gems, and she volunteers at a museum with her friend Becca and her childhood friend Luke, and after the museum gets a shipment sent from France, they discover a sleeping princess lying on the bed made of gold and jewels, and Luke who kissed her, but instead of waking her up with true love's kiss, the spell transferred on to him and it Luke now that was asleep on the bed with the enchantment on him.
While dodging the craziness of their immediate supervisor, crazy Nicholas who is weird and sleazy, trying to find a way to break the spell and wake Luke up, deal with an 800 year old princess in modern times, fight evil fae who want to kill Alex, Becca and Lilia, and it makes for an interesting story.
p.s.
It was an interesting read, especially when the main character is a "geek" who likes rocks and gems, and she volunteers at a museum with her friend Becca and her childhood friend Luke, and after the museum gets a shipment sent from France, they discover a sleeping princess lying on the bed made of gold and jewels, and Luke who kissed her, but instead of waking her up with true love's kiss, the spell transferred on to him and it Luke now that was asleep on the bed with the enchantment on him.
While dodging the craziness of their immediate supervisor, crazy Nicholas who is weird and sleazy, trying to find a way to break the spell and wake Luke up, deal with an 800 year old princess in modern times, fight evil fae who want to kill Alex, Becca and Lilia, and it makes for an interesting story.
p.s.
April 17, 2012
Awake: A Fairytale by Jessica Grey
My opinion of he book Awake: A Fairytale by Jessica Grey was a wonderful YA book. It was a very touching story with Alex, Luke, Becca, and Lilia. Alex worked as a intern in a museum with Becca and Luke. Alex grew up with Luke and their moms are best friends, but in high school they had a falling out and rarely spoke anymore which was making work difficult. A new shipment came in and they stumble on a Demi-fae princess by the name of Lilia who was enchanted asleep for 900 years. They find out her story is similar to the fairytale Sleeping Beauty. Together the girls try to help Lilia unravel the curse and to try and help Luke. During this journey the discover things about each and everyone one of them not just about Lilia. Is there really such a thing as true love or is it a fairytale. Follow Jessica on this wonderful journey so far this is book 1 of 3. I can't wait for book 2 the downfall is the expected release date is in 2014. So I need to watch for it. This is Jessica's first book and was very sweet and touching.
My opinion of he book Awake: A Fairytale by Jessica Grey was a wonderful YA book. It was a very touching story with Alex, Luke, Becca, and Lilia. Alex worked as a intern in a museum with Becca and Luke. Alex grew up with Luke and their moms are best friends, but in high school they had a falling out and rarely spoke anymore which was making work difficult. A new shipment came in and they stumble on a Demi-fae princess by the name of Lilia who was enchanted asleep for 900 years. They find out her story is similar to the fairytale Sleeping Beauty. Together the girls try to help Lilia unravel the curse and to try and help Luke. During this journey the discover things about each and everyone one of them not just about Lilia. Is there really such a thing as true love or is it a fairytale. Follow Jessica on this wonderful journey so far this is book 1 of 3. I can't wait for book 2 the downfall is the expected release date is in 2014. So I need to watch for it. This is Jessica's first book and was very sweet and touching.
September 9, 2012
First of all I just want to say that I really love this cover.
This is a modern day re-telling of the classic fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty. Or should I say Sleeping Beauty brings her fairy tale to the modern day. The biggest twist of the story..... sleeping Beauty is half - fae.
I found this book a cute, fast paced easy to read book. I liked how it was based on a fairy tale but was made better by introducing the fae. It sort of a love story, sort of an action story and a girl finding herself story.
The characters were quite enjoyable. Alex and Becca, the two nerdy girls interning at them gem museum for the summer, who are actually babes but don't know it. Luke the hot jock who is in love with our main character Alex the nerdy girl, who have known each other since they were younger. Oh, and of course Lilia, the 900 year old sleeping princess who has finally woken up, just no where near her own time period.
Overall this was a fun, light read. You should read it if you want a break from the dark paranormal.
This is a modern day re-telling of the classic fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty. Or should I say Sleeping Beauty brings her fairy tale to the modern day. The biggest twist of the story..... sleeping Beauty is half - fae.
I found this book a cute, fast paced easy to read book. I liked how it was based on a fairy tale but was made better by introducing the fae. It sort of a love story, sort of an action story and a girl finding herself story.
The characters were quite enjoyable. Alex and Becca, the two nerdy girls interning at them gem museum for the summer, who are actually babes but don't know it. Luke the hot jock who is in love with our main character Alex the nerdy girl, who have known each other since they were younger. Oh, and of course Lilia, the 900 year old sleeping princess who has finally woken up, just no where near her own time period.
Overall this was a fun, light read. You should read it if you want a break from the dark paranormal.
July 27, 2013
I enjoyed this book a lot. Alex has spent every summer working at the museum with her friend Becca, this summer before college no different, or so she thought. Turns out her ex-childhood friend, Luke, will be interning there too. Trying to keep her vulnerabilities buried, Alex vows to do her best just to avoid him the best she can. She is especially looking forward to this summer because she will be helping out the hunky and soon-to-be Dr. Nicholas Hunt. It all starts out well, especially with the project Nicholas wants her to help with, that is until she gets a weird message from him on her phone one night and the next morning discovers a gorgeous bed in storage with a deep slumbering Luke, complete with beard, and a very much alive, awake and real Sleeping Beauty. Looks like her problems are just beginning...oh and not to mention magical abilities, evil fae, an old curse stemmed from jealousy, good friends and the kind of love worth fighting for.
March 5, 2012
This was such a lovely book! I got it free on my kindle app and I didn't know what to expect because some freebies are truly awful.
Awake was really good, it reminded me a little of some of Alex Flynn's novels.
It was filled with humor, adventure, and even some romance.
I mean how can you help but love Luke, such a great guy the fact that he was present in the novel even though he technically wasn't was very original.
I also loved the fact that Alex learns so much about herself and Becca and Lilia are great too.
PLUS it's a completely clean romance which isn't very common nowadays.
Honestly people read this book like now! If you like fairytale retellings and good stories that deal with more than Mary Sues needing Knights in Shining Armors.
My only complaint is that the next book in the trilogy will come out next year!
Awake was really good, it reminded me a little of some of Alex Flynn's novels.
It was filled with humor, adventure, and even some romance.
I mean how can you help but love Luke, such a great guy the fact that he was present in the novel even though he technically wasn't was very original.
I also loved the fact that Alex learns so much about herself and Becca and Lilia are great too.
PLUS it's a completely clean romance which isn't very common nowadays.
Honestly people read this book like now! If you like fairytale retellings and good stories that deal with more than Mary Sues needing Knights in Shining Armors.
My only complaint is that the next book in the trilogy will come out next year!
May 6, 2012
So far loving this intelligent creative take on fairytales like Sleeping Beauty. The author has done her homework, incorporating various versions with a fresh modern setting. I have been having trouble putting it down each night!
Just finished Awake and I really did enjoy it. If there were anything I would change it might be that there were times I wished it were written in first person. Sometimes the voices of the characters were a bit detached. It was hard to get a feel for Alex's emotions. Maybe it's that I just prefer stories written in first person. But as far as the story itself goes, I thought it was very creative and I could picture it as a movie. Looking forward to the next book by Jessica Grey!
Just finished Awake and I really did enjoy it. If there were anything I would change it might be that there were times I wished it were written in first person. Sometimes the voices of the characters were a bit detached. It was hard to get a feel for Alex's emotions. Maybe it's that I just prefer stories written in first person. But as far as the story itself goes, I thought it was very creative and I could picture it as a movie. Looking forward to the next book by Jessica Grey!
May 6, 2012
Interesting take on the tale of Sleeping Beauty. Loved the twist of the "true story" of "Sleeping Beauty" - how the enchantment came to be, who was good and bad, how the magic worked, who worked the magic, as well as the history of it. However, the story moved just a little too slowly and even the build ups and final confrontations didn't pack as much power as I would have liked to see. Nonetheless, I very much liked the hero, heroine and her fabulous sidekicks. I also liked the twist of who the real "Malficient" was, and that of the 3 good fairies. Also, it did have some sweet, YA romance & friendship moments, too. To tell more would give too much away, but for those who enjoy fairy tales, I think you will like this version of Sleeping Beauty.
April 28, 2012
Very cute and fun story. Essentially, it's what would happen if Sleeping Beauty didn't wake up as the original stories said...along with a few other details they got wrong. The characters were solid and I was really rooting for them. My only [minor] complaint was with Nicholas, who was rather underdeveloped and inconsistent. Thankfully, the focus of the story is on the others, and they're great.
It appears that this is the first in a series, and I'm looking forward to reading what comes next for these girls. Grey has introduced a very interesting world that I look forward to spending more time in it.
It appears that this is the first in a series, and I'm looking forward to reading what comes next for these girls. Grey has introduced a very interesting world that I look forward to spending more time in it.
April 14, 2012
Cute retelling of Sleeping Beauty.
It was a Kindle freebie for a while and downloaded but only read it this week that I was off day job. It is a quick and sweet read and what I loved the most was the girl empowering.
In this case, the Sleeping Beauty for most part of the story is Luke.
I liked the romantic part was kept in the background and what counted was the girls empowerment and them working together as a great team.
I am now even more eager to know what will happen to them when they work in the next adventures.
It was a Kindle freebie for a while and downloaded but only read it this week that I was off day job. It is a quick and sweet read and what I loved the most was the girl empowering.
In this case, the Sleeping Beauty for most part of the story is Luke.
I liked the romantic part was kept in the background and what counted was the girls empowerment and them working together as a great team.
I am now even more eager to know what will happen to them when they work in the next adventures.
December 1, 2014
Wow! I've said it before- I don't like the original story of "Sleeping Beauty" but this one knocked my socks off! Loved it! Alex is captain obvious, Becca sarcastic, Lillia mysterious, & Luke is a flat out hunk! I loved how Grey tied this story together, it's colorful, full of mystery, & will keep you laughing until the very end. The only thing I didn't like was that Luke wasn't in it very much. That would be the only thing I would change. What can I say? I'm a full blooded teenage girl. :) Count me in for the sequel!
May 18, 2015
I really enjoyed this book! I thought the author did a great job putting a new twist on Sleeping Beauty, with a good dose of action and magic thrown in. I loved all the main characters and Luke was a refreshing change to the all to common moody "bad" boy love interest. I look forward to the next two in the series.
March 7, 2012
I really enjoyed this book! It's definitely girly but I appreciated that it wasn't just about love...there was magic, fun and adventure rolled in as well. The author did a great job weaving in the tale of Sleeping Beauty while managing to make it fresh. I'm looking forward to reading through this trilogy...whenever the next 2 books come out!
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