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Beau Rivage #2
Tear You Apart
If you want to live happily ever after, first you have to stay alive. Viv knows there's no escaping her fairy-tale curse. One day her beautiful stepmother will feed her a poison apple or convince her on-again-off-again boyfriend, Henley, to hunt her down and cut out her heart before she breaks his. In the city of Beau Rivage, some princesses are destined to be prey.
But then Viv receives an invitation to the exclusive club where the Twelve Dancing Princesses twirl away their nights. There she meets Jasper, an underworld prince who seems to have everything—but what he really wants is her. He vows to save her from her dark fate if she'll join him and be his queen.
All Viv has to do is tear herself away from the huntsman boy who still holds her heart. Then she might live to see if happily ever after is a promise the prince can keep. But is life as an underworld queen worth sacrificing the true love that might kill her?
But then Viv receives an invitation to the exclusive club where the Twelve Dancing Princesses twirl away their nights. There she meets Jasper, an underworld prince who seems to have everything—but what he really wants is her. He vows to save her from her dark fate if she'll join him and be his queen.
All Viv has to do is tear herself away from the huntsman boy who still holds her heart. Then she might live to see if happily ever after is a promise the prince can keep. But is life as an underworld queen worth sacrificing the true love that might kill her?
384 pages, Hardcover
First published January 27, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 278 reviews
January 17, 2015
The second in the Beau Rivage stories is Liv's Snow White curse. The first book was Kill Me Softly and this book is probably easier to follow if you have read it. You get more of the why the curses exist if you've read the first one.
Liv aka Snow White is a spoiled little brat. She is so afraid of her curse that she treats her boyfriend (who has been her friend since a young age) like dog ca-ca. She wants him..she doesn't want him...she flirts with other guys to show him she doesn't want him. GAG!
She keeps thinking about how he is to kill her and her savior prince will come.
She got on my frigging nerves.
Her evil stepmother Regina. (Biggest stupid ass mistake giving her the same name as the OUAT character) has decided that Liv needs to die in order for herself to live.
*The one I fangirl over is much, much cooler*
So little stupid Liv gets an invitation to the Underworld where she meets her happily ever after prince. Um yeah, that's how it never works out.
The story does have several other characters involved and it is very readable..and for some reason I sorta like these books. I'll read the next in the series. I'm hoping it's Beauty and the Beast just because the Beast guy is one of the few with any sense..or Jack the Giant slayer (yeah baby)
If you enjoy fairy tale re-tellings you might like these books. Or you might not. I could just be drunk.
You might just want to read them to figure how this guy plays in...
I received an arc copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Liv aka Snow White is a spoiled little brat. She is so afraid of her curse that she treats her boyfriend (who has been her friend since a young age) like dog ca-ca. She wants him..she doesn't want him...she flirts with other guys to show him she doesn't want him. GAG!
She keeps thinking about how he is to kill her and her savior prince will come.
She got on my frigging nerves.
Her evil stepmother Regina. (Biggest stupid ass mistake giving her the same name as the OUAT character) has decided that Liv needs to die in order for herself to live.
*The one I fangirl over is much, much cooler*
So little stupid Liv gets an invitation to the Underworld where she meets her happily ever after prince. Um yeah, that's how it never works out.
The story does have several other characters involved and it is very readable..and for some reason I sorta like these books. I'll read the next in the series. I'm hoping it's Beauty and the Beast just because the Beast guy is one of the few with any sense..or Jack the Giant slayer (yeah baby)
If you enjoy fairy tale re-tellings you might like these books. Or you might not. I could just be drunk.
You might just want to read them to figure how this guy plays in...
I received an arc copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 3, 2017
I'm not giving this 2 stars because it's unreadable or unbelievably boring.
I'm giving it 2 stars because I couldn't find many redeeming qualities in the characters or the story.
I really enjoyed Cross' first book in this world, Kill Me Softly. It was darker than most of the fairytales I'd read, and I thought the world itself was very cool.
Viv was a minor character from that one, and I wanted to see what happened to her.
Yeah, now I'm wishing I hadn't.
Viv is living under a Snow White curse. She and the people around her are destined to play out some form of the Snow White story. Her stepmother was cursed to be evil, and her best friend from childhood (now her boyfriend), Henley, has been cursed to be her Huntsman.
So.
Either he will eventually give in to her stepmother's wishes (and kill her), or he will let her escape (and lose her to her Prince Charming). He swears he will never hurt her, but Viv lives in fear of what will happen when he's faced with that choice.
Alright.
sigh
If their relationship is one of those "We shouldn't be together, but our love is strong enough to overcome anything", kind of things?
Yeah. I could get behind that.
However, this was, by far, the most toxic relationship I can ever remember coming across in a young adult novel.
Viv is constantly doing and saying horrible things to Henley throughout the book.
She makes out with boys he has no interest in just to hurt him, and then within hours runs back into his arms. She knows she's being selfish and terrible...but, darn it, she just can't seem to let him go.
Mmmmm. See, if one of my boys run into a girl like that, my advice would be this:
Run, don't walk, as far away from this person as you can get.
Yes, I know you want to help them, to fix them...
You can't. Nobody, not even a trained psychologist can unless they commit themselves to getting help. This person will drain you, drag you down, break your heart, leave you bleeding on the side of the road, and then twist it around until you think it's your fault.
And, quite honestly, I don't want to spend the rest of my life in jail for strangling your psycho girlfriend.
Poor Henley, right?
sigh
Yeah, not so much.
Wanna know what he did when he saw her making out with some random idiot?
He takes a shovel to the guy's car in a fit of blind rage. He's so scary, that Viv doesn't dare to approach him.
And this is the guy we're supposed to be rooting for?!
Are we expected to look past this kind of behavior...because she made him do it?
Hi, Girls!
This is your mother. If at any point in your relationship with a man, he displays jealous and/or violent tendencies?
GET THE FUCK OUT OF THERE!!!
Again, Mommy doesn't want to end up in prison...
The rest of the story?
It mostly held my interest, but it wasn't awesome enough to overcome the above-mentioned flaws.
Boys and Girls, you will not get your Happily Ever After with a person who acts like Viv or Henley.
And I'm more than a little angry that this book seemed to promote the idea you could.
If you loved this one, GREAT!
But the only reason I didn't 1 star it, was because it truly wasn't badly written.
Thank you NetGalley!
I'm giving it 2 stars because I couldn't find many redeeming qualities in the characters or the story.
I really enjoyed Cross' first book in this world, Kill Me Softly. It was darker than most of the fairytales I'd read, and I thought the world itself was very cool.
Viv was a minor character from that one, and I wanted to see what happened to her.
Yeah, now I'm wishing I hadn't.
Viv is living under a Snow White curse. She and the people around her are destined to play out some form of the Snow White story. Her stepmother was cursed to be evil, and her best friend from childhood (now her boyfriend), Henley, has been cursed to be her Huntsman.
So.
Either he will eventually give in to her stepmother's wishes (and kill her), or he will let her escape (and lose her to her Prince Charming). He swears he will never hurt her, but Viv lives in fear of what will happen when he's faced with that choice.
Alright.
sigh
If their relationship is one of those "We shouldn't be together, but our love is strong enough to overcome anything", kind of things?
Yeah. I could get behind that.
However, this was, by far, the most toxic relationship I can ever remember coming across in a young adult novel.
Viv is constantly doing and saying horrible things to Henley throughout the book.
She makes out with boys he has no interest in just to hurt him, and then within hours runs back into his arms. She knows she's being selfish and terrible...but, darn it, she just can't seem to let him go.
Mmmmm. See, if one of my boys run into a girl like that, my advice would be this:
Run, don't walk, as far away from this person as you can get.
Yes, I know you want to help them, to fix them...
You can't. Nobody, not even a trained psychologist can unless they commit themselves to getting help. This person will drain you, drag you down, break your heart, leave you bleeding on the side of the road, and then twist it around until you think it's your fault.
And, quite honestly, I don't want to spend the rest of my life in jail for strangling your psycho girlfriend.
Poor Henley, right?
sigh
Yeah, not so much.
Wanna know what he did when he saw her making out with some random idiot?
He takes a shovel to the guy's car in a fit of blind rage. He's so scary, that Viv doesn't dare to approach him.
And this is the guy we're supposed to be rooting for?!
Are we expected to look past this kind of behavior...because she made him do it?
Hi, Girls!
This is your mother. If at any point in your relationship with a man, he displays jealous and/or violent tendencies?
GET THE FUCK OUT OF THERE!!!
Again, Mommy doesn't want to end up in prison...
The rest of the story?
It mostly held my interest, but it wasn't awesome enough to overcome the above-mentioned flaws.
Boys and Girls, you will not get your Happily Ever After with a person who acts like Viv or Henley.
And I'm more than a little angry that this book seemed to promote the idea you could.
If you loved this one, GREAT!
But the only reason I didn't 1 star it, was because it truly wasn't badly written.
Thank you NetGalley!
January 27, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to The Fantastic Flying Book Club, Egmont USA, and NetGalley.)
"There really is a monster after me, you know. The Huntsman. He's supposed to cut my heart out."
This was a really good fairy tale story, and it even had a bit of a darker side!
I really loved Viv and Henley in this, Viv actually loved her step-mother, and was upset by the way she treated her, and had suddenly turned against her, and I felt really sorry for her.
“She said ‘One day I’ll send you into the forest, and send a man after you to make sure you don’t come back’”
Henley was totally head-over-heels for Viv, and you could see how much it hurt him that she had pulled away, and that she didn’t trust him to save her. This pair just seemed meant to be, and it was hard to see them fighting.
“And what am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to do while you’re figuring out if you want to date this guy?”
The sick feeling rose up in her again. Leaving Henley – choosing someone else – meant losing him.
“Whatever you want,” she said. “I don’t own you.”
“Yes, you do, Viv. You know you do.”
I even liked Jasper, Henley’s rival for Viv, especially the way he flirted with her when he first met her, and tried to get her to be his princess!
“I don't get it." She gestured to the crowd of dancing princesses and princes, and the twelfth princess in particular. "Don't you have a princess already?"
"The twelve dancing princesses curse isn't mine."
"Then... what is your curse? Why am I here?"
"Why are you here?" He leaned in, so close she could see the silver flecks in his dark grey eyes. "You're here because I got tired of waiting for you to die.”
The storyline in this was really good, and I liked how many different fairy tales were mentioned! I loved the 12 dancing princesses,
the girl who was forced to be silent and knit nettle jumpers to save her brothers who had been turned into swans,
the girl who coughed up flowers and jewels every time she spoke, and even Rumpelstiltskin!
I liked how we got lots of little twists in the story, lots of obstacles to overcome, and lots of evil people trying to stop Viv from getting her happily ever after!
The romance in this was just great! I loved Viv and Henley together, and even when they weren’t being romantic with one another, their feelings shone through so strongly! You could just tell how much Viv wanted Henley, even though she knew she could never have him, and Henley’s pain over losing Viv was just heart-breaking.
“He stroked her hair back from her face. Let his fingertips linger on her cheek. Waiting for something? But she gave him nothing. She didn’t know what to give.
“Night, Viv,” He said finally.
“Good night,” she said.
His steps were softer as he left. He closed the door, and she touched her face where he’d touched it, knowing she wouldn’t sleep for hours. Because he was gone.”
The ending to this was so good! We got loads of action, loads of twists, several nasty fairy tale deaths, a wedding, and of course, a happily ever after ♡
8 out of 10
"There really is a monster after me, you know. The Huntsman. He's supposed to cut my heart out."
This was a really good fairy tale story, and it even had a bit of a darker side!
I really loved Viv and Henley in this, Viv actually loved her step-mother, and was upset by the way she treated her, and had suddenly turned against her, and I felt really sorry for her.
“She said ‘One day I’ll send you into the forest, and send a man after you to make sure you don’t come back’”
Henley was totally head-over-heels for Viv, and you could see how much it hurt him that she had pulled away, and that she didn’t trust him to save her. This pair just seemed meant to be, and it was hard to see them fighting.
“And what am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to do while you’re figuring out if you want to date this guy?”
The sick feeling rose up in her again. Leaving Henley – choosing someone else – meant losing him.
“Whatever you want,” she said. “I don’t own you.”
“Yes, you do, Viv. You know you do.”
I even liked Jasper, Henley’s rival for Viv, especially the way he flirted with her when he first met her, and tried to get her to be his princess!
“I don't get it." She gestured to the crowd of dancing princesses and princes, and the twelfth princess in particular. "Don't you have a princess already?"
"The twelve dancing princesses curse isn't mine."
"Then... what is your curse? Why am I here?"
"Why are you here?" He leaned in, so close she could see the silver flecks in his dark grey eyes. "You're here because I got tired of waiting for you to die.”
The storyline in this was really good, and I liked how many different fairy tales were mentioned! I loved the 12 dancing princesses,
the girl who was forced to be silent and knit nettle jumpers to save her brothers who had been turned into swans,
the girl who coughed up flowers and jewels every time she spoke, and even Rumpelstiltskin!
I liked how we got lots of little twists in the story, lots of obstacles to overcome, and lots of evil people trying to stop Viv from getting her happily ever after!
The romance in this was just great! I loved Viv and Henley together, and even when they weren’t being romantic with one another, their feelings shone through so strongly! You could just tell how much Viv wanted Henley, even though she knew she could never have him, and Henley’s pain over losing Viv was just heart-breaking.
“He stroked her hair back from her face. Let his fingertips linger on her cheek. Waiting for something? But she gave him nothing. She didn’t know what to give.
“Night, Viv,” He said finally.
“Good night,” she said.
His steps were softer as he left. He closed the door, and she touched her face where he’d touched it, knowing she wouldn’t sleep for hours. Because he was gone.”
The ending to this was so good! We got loads of action, loads of twists, several nasty fairy tale deaths, a wedding, and of course, a happily ever after ♡
8 out of 10
October 23, 2014
This retelling of Snow White has not managed to enamour me to the genre of modern fairytales. The concept was interesting but I did find it hard to wrap my head around at times. There was also a lot of fairy tale characters in this novel and the author assumed that the reader knew every tale, therefore not bothering to explain a lot of their stories.
I found the main character Vivian to be an annoying spoiled brat who treated her on again off again boyfriend like shit. I found it hard to feel any sympathy towards her and she acted so entitled all the time. I loved Henley(the huntsman and her love interest), he was way too good for Vivian and because of this my view of him dimmed a little when he started becoming a doormat.
There was also some weird plot holes involving the curses that I can't explain without spoiling the story.
Overall decent read but I would suggest picking this up from the library rather than buying. If you are a fan of retellings though you will probably enjoy this more.
Note: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
January 31, 2015
I had to suppress the urge multiple times to roll my eyes throughout Tear You Apart. I didn't have a very good reading experience, and there's only so much drama and ridiculousness I can handle in a book before I lose it. Wayyyy too much girl-on-girl hatred, lots of selfishness, bad choices galore, and a retelling that isn't even that unique. Viv is an insufferable brat who constantly bathes in self-pity whilst I forced myself to endure her long-winded complaint sprees. Good lawd, if she is the "fairest in the land," imagine everyone else?
The only thing that's preventing me from one-starring this is that underneath the pointless drama and snobbery, there were some parts of the story that were done right. I can't exactly pinpoint what, but it's keeping me from full-on hating this.
The only thing that's preventing me from one-starring this is that underneath the pointless drama and snobbery, there were some parts of the story that were done right. I can't exactly pinpoint what, but it's keeping me from full-on hating this.
January 18, 2015
To see full review with gifs click here.
Disclaimer: I recieved an digital review copy via Netgalley this did not change or influence my opinion of this book.
I’m a huge fan of Snow White. When done right. Unfortunately, more often than not the fairytale gets sort of short sided (cough, having a movie with you’re starring character being portrayed by K Stew is never a good thing, cough). So anytime there’s a YA retelling of Snow’s slightly demented story I’m game just like a demented dwarf is game to let in an extremely stupid princess into their house.
Even if it’s by an author whose previous work I was less than thrilled with.
Yeah, I’m talking about the first retelling in this so called series. Not that great. But after reading this installment, I think the fact that it involved a different character and wasn’t so much of an origin story helped it immensely.
It didn’t mean it was free of problems though.
Oh, I still got annoyed with this one and it’s five million plot holes and lack of sensitivity, but after much thought I’m still giving it an average rating because it wasn’t that bad.
And man, I hate saying it. It wasn’t that bad.
It’s almost like, well, I really have nothing nice to say so I’m just going to say it wasn’t bloody murder inducing awful.
So, I’m going to try to focus on the good. I liked the mish mash of fairytales it made this one a little bit more exciting. Sure, the two main villains had sort of a lot to live up to if you watched Once Upon a Time (especially since the stepmother has the same exact name as the Evil Queen on that show), but they held up well enough. Though I have to admit I was sort of unhappy with the resolution of Regina’s arc. I know it was realistic, especially considering everything she did…but I just hoped.
And I guess that’s a good thing, that I felt things for these characters. With the prior installment I just thought. Idiot. Idiot. Idiot.
And while I felt that occasionally here, it wasn’t as bad.
While the romance played a role in the book, it took a backseat to all the fairytale drama and that was nice. Honestly, Henley and Viv were just sort of meh to me. Not terrible, but not great. So, I was sort of okay with them. It was the secondary love interest I had a problem with.
Man, does Cross like to make the loser in a love triangle a psychopath. And unmemorable too, since it’s really his daddy who has to take the role of the psycho since this guy is just weak. Weak to the point of being a psycho.
Though, given the fact a lot of these characters had violent mood swings I can’t be that mean to him.
I think with this book if you take with you that it’s going to be deeply flawed, you’ll be able to tolerate it. The characters aren’t that great but if you love fairytales this one is a good quick read. It’s better than the first book. While the main character is a bit of an idiot, she isn’t as big as an idiot as the prior heroine. The male lead is also a lot more tolerable. But it’s no Cinder.
Disclaimer: I recieved an digital review copy via Netgalley this did not change or influence my opinion of this book.
I’m a huge fan of Snow White. When done right. Unfortunately, more often than not the fairytale gets sort of short sided (cough, having a movie with you’re starring character being portrayed by K Stew is never a good thing, cough). So anytime there’s a YA retelling of Snow’s slightly demented story I’m game just like a demented dwarf is game to let in an extremely stupid princess into their house.
Even if it’s by an author whose previous work I was less than thrilled with.
Yeah, I’m talking about the first retelling in this so called series. Not that great. But after reading this installment, I think the fact that it involved a different character and wasn’t so much of an origin story helped it immensely.
It didn’t mean it was free of problems though.
Oh, I still got annoyed with this one and it’s five million plot holes and lack of sensitivity, but after much thought I’m still giving it an average rating because it wasn’t that bad.
And man, I hate saying it. It wasn’t that bad.
It’s almost like, well, I really have nothing nice to say so I’m just going to say it wasn’t bloody murder inducing awful.
So, I’m going to try to focus on the good. I liked the mish mash of fairytales it made this one a little bit more exciting. Sure, the two main villains had sort of a lot to live up to if you watched Once Upon a Time (especially since the stepmother has the same exact name as the Evil Queen on that show), but they held up well enough. Though I have to admit I was sort of unhappy with the resolution of Regina’s arc. I know it was realistic, especially considering everything she did…but I just hoped.
And I guess that’s a good thing, that I felt things for these characters. With the prior installment I just thought. Idiot. Idiot. Idiot.
And while I felt that occasionally here, it wasn’t as bad.
While the romance played a role in the book, it took a backseat to all the fairytale drama and that was nice. Honestly, Henley and Viv were just sort of meh to me. Not terrible, but not great. So, I was sort of okay with them. It was the secondary love interest I had a problem with.
Man, does Cross like to make the loser in a love triangle a psychopath. And unmemorable too, since it’s really his daddy who has to take the role of the psycho since this guy is just weak. Weak to the point of being a psycho.
Though, given the fact a lot of these characters had violent mood swings I can’t be that mean to him.
I think with this book if you take with you that it’s going to be deeply flawed, you’ll be able to tolerate it. The characters aren’t that great but if you love fairytales this one is a good quick read. It’s better than the first book. While the main character is a bit of an idiot, she isn’t as big as an idiot as the prior heroine. The male lead is also a lot more tolerable. But it’s no Cinder.
March 20, 2017
So fun!! literally read it in less than 24 hours! :)
This is my first Sarah Cross book. I had no idea what to expect, but I've seen some great reviews of her work in the past, so I was super excited to read TEAR YOU APART.
From what I've read on other reviews, this is sort of a "companion" novel to KILL ME SOFTLY. I hadn't read KILL ME SOFTLY, so I was a little worried that I wouldn't be able to connect to the characters in this one--but that didn't happen at all! I loved this book, I loved (and hated) the characters, and I am SO excited for this one to hit shelves.
Fairytales are one of my favorite things, but fairytale mashups, or "broken" fairytales, are even cooler! I recently read and loved STITCHING SNOW (by RC Lewis), as well as CINDER and the entire series by Marissa Meyer. I think readers who loved those will love TEAR YOU APART.
It starts out with our main character, Viv, who has a "snow white" curse. This means that, at some point in her life, she's destined to be murdered by the huntsman, or put to an endless sleep by her evil stepmother. In this book, the stepmother is seriously evil, and a little bit MILF-ish *yeah, I just said MILF), and it's hilarious! A perfect way to turn the evil stepmother character on its head. The huntsman is Viv's lifelong best friend and true love...which also creates some pretty interesting moments between the two of them.
When Viv is finally scared for her life that she's going to either die or be "put to sleep", she goes to the Underworld. This setting is awesome, because it's basically the typical Underworld setting that we know about from stories, but inside of the castle, there's a constant ball. The "dancing princess" fairytale is in here, and this is where Viv meets her Prince Charming. In the stories, Prince Charming is supposed to be...well, charming. But in this story--and I won't spoil it---I think readers will have mixed feelings towards him. And it's meant to be that way!
Overall, I won't give much away, because this book is full of lots of fun twists and turns and curses and secrets...but I loved it! If you're a fan of ONCE UPON A TIME, CINDER, or anything fairtytale-esque, pick this one up!
This is my first Sarah Cross book. I had no idea what to expect, but I've seen some great reviews of her work in the past, so I was super excited to read TEAR YOU APART.
From what I've read on other reviews, this is sort of a "companion" novel to KILL ME SOFTLY. I hadn't read KILL ME SOFTLY, so I was a little worried that I wouldn't be able to connect to the characters in this one--but that didn't happen at all! I loved this book, I loved (and hated) the characters, and I am SO excited for this one to hit shelves.
Fairytales are one of my favorite things, but fairytale mashups, or "broken" fairytales, are even cooler! I recently read and loved STITCHING SNOW (by RC Lewis), as well as CINDER and the entire series by Marissa Meyer. I think readers who loved those will love TEAR YOU APART.
It starts out with our main character, Viv, who has a "snow white" curse. This means that, at some point in her life, she's destined to be murdered by the huntsman, or put to an endless sleep by her evil stepmother. In this book, the stepmother is seriously evil, and a little bit MILF-ish *yeah, I just said MILF), and it's hilarious! A perfect way to turn the evil stepmother character on its head. The huntsman is Viv's lifelong best friend and true love...which also creates some pretty interesting moments between the two of them.
When Viv is finally scared for her life that she's going to either die or be "put to sleep", she goes to the Underworld. This setting is awesome, because it's basically the typical Underworld setting that we know about from stories, but inside of the castle, there's a constant ball. The "dancing princess" fairytale is in here, and this is where Viv meets her Prince Charming. In the stories, Prince Charming is supposed to be...well, charming. But in this story--and I won't spoil it---I think readers will have mixed feelings towards him. And it's meant to be that way!
Overall, I won't give much away, because this book is full of lots of fun twists and turns and curses and secrets...but I loved it! If you're a fan of ONCE UPON A TIME, CINDER, or anything fairtytale-esque, pick this one up!
March 1, 2015
There are some things that I"m just a complete sucker for in books. One is fairytales. And Tear You Apart is a medley of many different fairytales, but unlike some books, it manages to work very well.
This wasn't a bad book, but could definitely use some explanations.
So first off, there's Vivian. She's actually really annoying at the beginning. She's like a huge sorry-not-sorry type of person, but with her beauty. I'm supposed to not look pretty so my stepmother won't be jealous, but I can't HELP looking so pretty! She's really stubborn, and the Henley, who's the only guy that really really cares for her-she's always pushing him away and toying with him. Vivian has character development throughout the book, but at the beginning, I really wanted to slap some sense into her.
I loved seeing characters from [book: Kill me Softly} make appearances in this book as well. And although this may be something small, it really pissed me off-Mira, the main character of the last book, just had a few filler lines, and those lines were actually rather annoying.
And on a sidenote, if Sarah Cross decides to write another novel in the Beau Rivage world, she should write one with Rafe and Layla, because I have a thing for bad boys in books.
There were also some things that I really liked-the mystery of the underworld was really interesting and I liked the huge reveal at the end.
The story was also well-paced, and the story overall was very readable.
Even though some things could have been done better, I love the creative world and this book is still recommended.
This wasn't a bad book, but could definitely use some explanations.
So first off, there's Vivian. She's actually really annoying at the beginning. She's like a huge sorry-not-sorry type of person, but with her beauty. I'm supposed to not look pretty so my stepmother won't be jealous, but I can't HELP looking so pretty! She's really stubborn, and the Henley, who's the only guy that really really cares for her-she's always pushing him away and toying with him. Vivian has character development throughout the book, but at the beginning, I really wanted to slap some sense into her.
I loved seeing characters from [book: Kill me Softly} make appearances in this book as well. And although this may be something small, it really pissed me off-Mira, the main character of the last book, just had a few filler lines, and those lines were actually rather annoying.
And on a sidenote, if Sarah Cross decides to write another novel in the Beau Rivage world, she should write one with Rafe and Layla, because I have a thing for bad boys in books.
There were also some things that I really liked-the mystery of the underworld was really interesting and I liked the huge reveal at the end.
The story was also well-paced, and the story overall was very readable.
Even though some things could have been done better, I love the creative world and this book is still recommended.
March 6, 2015
I'M DONE. A miracle.
I didn't like it as much as the first. Not even close. I was so very detached from the characters so I couldn't like any of them. So very disappointed. I don't even want to bother with a review for this one.
-------
I absolutely loved Sarah Cross' Kill Me Softly so I had to remind myself to stay calm when I found out this book.
The only reason I didn't squeal or cry out OH MY GOOOOOOD when I found out NetGalley approved this for early review was because its practically 5 and everyone's asleep but me.
But OH MY GOD I GOT THE BOOK I AM SO HAPPY YOU HAVE NO IDEA.
I didn't like it as much as the first. Not even close. I was so very detached from the characters so I couldn't like any of them. So very disappointed. I don't even want to bother with a review for this one.
-------
I absolutely loved Sarah Cross' Kill Me Softly so I had to remind myself to stay calm when I found out this book.
The only reason I didn't squeal or cry out OH MY GOOOOOOD when I found out NetGalley approved this for early review was because its practically 5 and everyone's asleep but me.
But OH MY GOD I GOT THE BOOK I AM SO HAPPY YOU HAVE NO IDEA.
March 14, 2017
*NetGalley book review*
You know the saying ... LESS IS MORE! Well, people need to remember that. This story was okay, it would have been better if it didn't have so much packed into it. Maybe cut a 4th of the action and it would have been an excellent book. Now this is my opinion and mine alone, but if you like twisted Snow White stories this is for you.
You know the saying ... LESS IS MORE! Well, people need to remember that. This story was okay, it would have been better if it didn't have so much packed into it. Maybe cut a 4th of the action and it would have been an excellent book. Now this is my opinion and mine alone, but if you like twisted Snow White stories this is for you.
April 29, 2024
brutally delicious.
Those were the first two words that came to my mind when writing this review.
What I liked about this book
Unlike most fairytale retellings, which authors tend to write with rose-tinted lenses, giving us all the romantic details which isn’t even the main point, Sarah’s book will always and have a different spin into it. Protagonists are strong female leads (we support!) and the book will always give us something to laugh, cry and follow through.
The characters are complex, and not 2D characters. They are fleshed out well.
plot:5/5
will read again
heya, drop me a friend request @chevreads on IG or Goodreads
Those were the first two words that came to my mind when writing this review.
What I liked about this book
Unlike most fairytale retellings, which authors tend to write with rose-tinted lenses, giving us all the romantic details which isn’t even the main point, Sarah’s book will always and have a different spin into it. Protagonists are strong female leads (we support!) and the book will always give us something to laugh, cry and follow through.
The characters are complex, and not 2D characters. They are fleshed out well.
plot:5/5
will read again
heya, drop me a friend request @chevreads on IG or Goodreads
April 14, 2018
This was a really great read but it wasn't as good as the first installment. I really loved what the author did with the story and how she combined the fairy tales into one fable and it was just great.
February 13, 2015
Not sure what I just read...
March 18, 2022
Pretty sure this was 4-5 stars when I read it in my teens. Got the book from the library. It's a good Snow White retelling.
never
July 2, 2015I wanna slap this bitch of an heroine real hard.
January 25, 2015
My review can also be found @ Bittersweet Enchantment
At one time or another most of us have dreamt of being a fairy tale character in a book or movie. Whether you wished to be a princess in a tower awaiting your price to come and rescue you, or a evil queen bent on ruling the world. We all love the idea of having our happily ever after.
In the city of Beau Rivage fairy tales are real. The people of the Beau Rivage all are blessed or rather cused with one fairy tale or another. Vivian has the "Snow White" curse. We all know her story well. But what if the hired huntsman who is suppose to cut out her heart happens to be the love of her life. Hently and Viv have been friends all of their lives and now are in love. Hently knows what his curse says for him to do but is determined to find a way not to, for there is no way he could ever hurt the girl he loves.
Regina, Vivian's stepmother aka "The Evil Queen" is bent on killing Viv so she may be the fairest of the all. She will do whatever it takes to convince or force Hently to do what he is meant for, to cut out Viv's heart. Soon she becomes tired of waiting and decided to hire another huntsman to do the job for Hently. In the course of stopping the other huntsman from killing Viv, Hently disappears and is presumed dead. Viv is beside herself with grief and worry. Soon after an unexpected invitation arrives addressed to Viv to a underworld party which soon after lands her in a whole other world of problems. With turn of events, Viv now finds herself trapped in the underworld, like many others have come to be. Now Viv must find away to escape....but "someone" won't let her leave...
To find out who and if she finally has her happily ever after, read the book!
First let me say I adored Kill Me Softly when I read it the beginning of 2012. When I found out that there was going to be another book in the series I was ecstatic! I knew I NEEDED to read it and ASAP. There was without a shadow of a doubt that once again I would adore the next book in the series. It was everything and more that I was expecting it to be. There was romance, mystery, adventure, and good vs evil. Tear you Apart was beautifully breath-taking and oh-so magical! I feel in love with the characters, the storyline and the enchanting world Sarah Cross crafted so perfectly around them. There were twists and turns I never saw coming. I laughed, cried, and cheered on Viv for she most definitely deserved her happy ending.
One other thing I really enjoyed about the book was how the characters from Kill Me Softy all made cameos in this book, and for the most part played much larger roles in Tear Me Apart than I expected them to. I felt they all blended well into the Snow White storyline and how the ending pans out.
Tear You Apart was so far my favorite book of this year.
If you're going to read one fairy-tale retelling in 2015, TEAR YOU APART by Sarah Cross is absolutely the way to go.
At one time or another most of us have dreamt of being a fairy tale character in a book or movie. Whether you wished to be a princess in a tower awaiting your price to come and rescue you, or a evil queen bent on ruling the world. We all love the idea of having our happily ever after.
In the city of Beau Rivage fairy tales are real. The people of the Beau Rivage all are blessed or rather cused with one fairy tale or another. Vivian has the "Snow White" curse. We all know her story well. But what if the hired huntsman who is suppose to cut out her heart happens to be the love of her life. Hently and Viv have been friends all of their lives and now are in love. Hently knows what his curse says for him to do but is determined to find a way not to, for there is no way he could ever hurt the girl he loves.
Regina, Vivian's stepmother aka "The Evil Queen" is bent on killing Viv so she may be the fairest of the all. She will do whatever it takes to convince or force Hently to do what he is meant for, to cut out Viv's heart. Soon she becomes tired of waiting and decided to hire another huntsman to do the job for Hently. In the course of stopping the other huntsman from killing Viv, Hently disappears and is presumed dead. Viv is beside herself with grief and worry. Soon after an unexpected invitation arrives addressed to Viv to a underworld party which soon after lands her in a whole other world of problems. With turn of events, Viv now finds herself trapped in the underworld, like many others have come to be. Now Viv must find away to escape....but "someone" won't let her leave...
To find out who and if she finally has her happily ever after, read the book!
First let me say I adored Kill Me Softly when I read it the beginning of 2012. When I found out that there was going to be another book in the series I was ecstatic! I knew I NEEDED to read it and ASAP. There was without a shadow of a doubt that once again I would adore the next book in the series. It was everything and more that I was expecting it to be. There was romance, mystery, adventure, and good vs evil. Tear you Apart was beautifully breath-taking and oh-so magical! I feel in love with the characters, the storyline and the enchanting world Sarah Cross crafted so perfectly around them. There were twists and turns I never saw coming. I laughed, cried, and cheered on Viv for she most definitely deserved her happy ending.
One other thing I really enjoyed about the book was how the characters from Kill Me Softy all made cameos in this book, and for the most part played much larger roles in Tear Me Apart than I expected them to. I felt they all blended well into the Snow White storyline and how the ending pans out.
Tear You Apart was so far my favorite book of this year.
If you're going to read one fairy-tale retelling in 2015, TEAR YOU APART by Sarah Cross is absolutely the way to go.
January 27, 2015
EgmontUSA may be shutting down, but at least they're releasing their 2015 slate. The first one I just had to read is TEAR YOU APART, the companion to KILL ME SOFTLY. The first book introduced Beau Rivage, the town where descendants of faerie-human unions are forced to live out curses, curses worse than living in Mississippi for the rest of your life.
One of the big differences between TEAR YOU APART and KILL ME SOFTLY is that Viv grew up in Beau Rivage. She knows exactly what story she's living, and she fears it. She is Snow White, which means the Huntsman Henley will either kill or save her. If he saves her, her stepmother Regina will keep trying. Once Viv loved both Regina and Henley. But when Regina betrayed her true colors and Henley was cursed, Viv decided she couldn't trust anyone. She can't keep herself from Henley, but she can't bring herself to trust him again either.
TEAR YOU APART weaves together "Snow White," "The Twelve Dancing Princesses," and "Rumpelstiltskin" in a darkly romantic tale. Viv can be an utter spoiled brat, but getting out of her comfort zone and talking to people really forces her to take measure of her life. And even when she's in spoiled brat mode, I admire her dedication to her own survival. I liked the romance between her and Henley, but liked that she takes a chance when her prince Jasper shows up. Even more, I like that she grows into being her own rescuer (as much as she can).
TEAR YOU APART will satisfy fans of fairytales who aren't afraid of some rather large liberties and some of the darker endings remaining in place. Fans of KILL ME SOFTLY will enjoy that the cast of that novel makes cameo appearances. Also nice: a reoccurring character is confirmed as a lesbian and there is a princess and princess couple that no one remarks upon. Little details like that help the updated fairytale concept really work.
One of the big differences between TEAR YOU APART and KILL ME SOFTLY is that Viv grew up in Beau Rivage. She knows exactly what story she's living, and she fears it. She is Snow White, which means the Huntsman Henley will either kill or save her. If he saves her, her stepmother Regina will keep trying. Once Viv loved both Regina and Henley. But when Regina betrayed her true colors and Henley was cursed, Viv decided she couldn't trust anyone. She can't keep herself from Henley, but she can't bring herself to trust him again either.
TEAR YOU APART weaves together "Snow White," "The Twelve Dancing Princesses," and "Rumpelstiltskin" in a darkly romantic tale. Viv can be an utter spoiled brat, but getting out of her comfort zone and talking to people really forces her to take measure of her life. And even when she's in spoiled brat mode, I admire her dedication to her own survival. I liked the romance between her and Henley, but liked that she takes a chance when her prince Jasper shows up. Even more, I like that she grows into being her own rescuer (as much as she can).
TEAR YOU APART will satisfy fans of fairytales who aren't afraid of some rather large liberties and some of the darker endings remaining in place. Fans of KILL ME SOFTLY will enjoy that the cast of that novel makes cameo appearances. Also nice: a reoccurring character is confirmed as a lesbian and there is a princess and princess couple that no one remarks upon. Little details like that help the updated fairytale concept really work.
July 30, 2014
3.5 stars
This was the first fairy tale re-telling I've ever read. This book exceeded my expectations. I really enjoyed the modern twist on Snow White and how other fairy tales were woven into the story. At times I found the writing a bit comical. This story has really peaked my interest in the Grimm fairy tales.
I found myself a bit annoyed with Viv at times. Her actions pissed me off a lot. I found her rather self-centered and spoiled. I feel as if she took Henley for granted and then expected him to be there for her. I don't think she treated him right, she doesn't deserve someone like him. Although he does have some anger issues of his own.
I also think that too many characters were introduced too fast. I had a hard time remembering who was who. I think that some of them were unnecessary and it would have made the story less confusing if there were less characters.
Overall I'm really glad that I read this, I enjoyed reading a modern re-telling of a fairy tale that was a little dark.
This was the first fairy tale re-telling I've ever read. This book exceeded my expectations. I really enjoyed the modern twist on Snow White and how other fairy tales were woven into the story. At times I found the writing a bit comical. This story has really peaked my interest in the Grimm fairy tales.
I found myself a bit annoyed with Viv at times. Her actions pissed me off a lot. I found her rather self-centered and spoiled. I feel as if she took Henley for granted and then expected him to be there for her. I don't think she treated him right, she doesn't deserve someone like him. Although he does have some anger issues of his own.
I also think that too many characters were introduced too fast. I had a hard time remembering who was who. I think that some of them were unnecessary and it would have made the story less confusing if there were less characters.
Overall I'm really glad that I read this, I enjoyed reading a modern re-telling of a fairy tale that was a little dark.
September 16, 2015
It was amazing , totally in love with Henley.
April 16, 2015
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: This main character grated on my nerves, but other than her, the story bored me half to death.
Opening Sentence: Viv stood in front of the mirror, painstakingly sabotaging her appearance.
The Review:
Vivian is trapped in a Snow White curse. It’s not a pleasant one. She’s doomed to one of two lives — one in which her love, who was deemed the Huntsman, kills her, or one in which he lets her live on only to watch her marry another. When she gets an invitation to the underworld, she meets the boy cursed to be her prince, who offers her a safe haven in his palace where they can delay the inevitable. But try as she might, Viv is not in love with Jasper. She’s in love with the one who will cut out her heart or leave her forever. Which choice is better? Is there any way to break her curse, or is fate something that cannot be escaped?
I’ve been stuck with Tear You Apart for months. At one point, it took weeks to get from 30 percent to 35. Here I am, at 60 percent, after trudging my way through each never-ending page. I accept defeat. I simply am not enjoying the book. I no longer care for how Viv’s life ends up. Honestly? I’d be fine if she died in the end in an unexpected twist. At least it would be interesting. I have no interest in the characters, the plotline, or the world. I bear them no ill will, either — it wasn’t a problem with me hating the book, it was a problem with me being unable to find a reason to read on. I can say with complete honesty that Tear You Apart bored my socks off. I can also say that is the first and last time I will ever use that figure of speech. My review today will be short and sweet, because I have no interest on dwelling on this failed read any longer than necessary.
Vivian was a boring character to me. She was dull. She whined. She invoked the only emotion I felt with anyone in this story: irritation. She constantly withered in her self-pity bubble. No one or nothing else really mattered but her plight. She was pointless and I didn’t find a sliver of connection between me and Viv. Isn’t she supposed to be caring about the birdies and the dwarves, being Snow White? Nah, she’ll just be sad about herself. Her relationship with Huntley was where I really started to dislike her. She was so unkind to him! They have a history, and she’s not helping her whole “don’t kill me” case by pushing him away and being generally bitchy, forgive my language. Maybe if I had stuck it out for the rest of the book, I might have seen Vivian’s redemption, but I just can’t imagine a world in which Vivian and Huntley (whom she “loves”) are a good couple.
The wicked stepmother was the only character in the story whom I liked. She had motivations, and a backstory to match. Her intentions were evil, but there were underlying themes to her character, perhaps the one thing in the book done right. Viv is so hypocritical concerning Regina, (they mooched the Once Upon a Time stepmother name!) going off and off about how she didn’t choose her curse, when Regina didn’t either. She grew up believing she was Snow White. Do you think she felt happy knowing that she’d been labeled evil? It was a self-fulfilling prophecy. She didn’t have the most pleasant life either. She gave into darkness to protect the part of her that hurt so badly when she heard of her husband cheating on her, or heard the mirror tell her that Vivian was prettier than she was.
Okay, altogether, not my favorite novel. There were barely any merits that I can name. I was so bored! The pacing seemed slow. And there’s this beautiful, horrible, unique world, one that (had it been done better) I would have appreciated. It was like the Once Upon a Time world with more modern technology and multiple versions of the same characters. I wasn’t able to enjoy the world. Maybe the fact that I didn’t read Kill Me Softly before I read this changed my opinion, because I know many people loved that one. Oh, and this book almost became the only book that’s ever put me to sleep! Congratulations! I was reading Tear You Apart and then realized the book was slipping from my hands and my eyes were closing. I snapped out of it and turned off the Kindle to protect its battery life before giving into the snooze fest. I wouldn’t recommend this unless you liked Kill Me Softly. Perhaps you’ll like this one as well.
Notable Scene:
True love’s kiss was supposed to be natural between a cursed prince and princess. You were supposed to feel like you’d known each other a lifetime. But Viv knew what it felt like to know someone your whole life and to love him, and it didn’t feel like this.
Fate and magic were supposed to bind them together, but she felt like her heart had been cut from her chest.
FTC Advisory: EgmontUSA provided me with a copy of Tear You Apart. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: This main character grated on my nerves, but other than her, the story bored me half to death.
Opening Sentence: Viv stood in front of the mirror, painstakingly sabotaging her appearance.
The Review:
Vivian is trapped in a Snow White curse. It’s not a pleasant one. She’s doomed to one of two lives — one in which her love, who was deemed the Huntsman, kills her, or one in which he lets her live on only to watch her marry another. When she gets an invitation to the underworld, she meets the boy cursed to be her prince, who offers her a safe haven in his palace where they can delay the inevitable. But try as she might, Viv is not in love with Jasper. She’s in love with the one who will cut out her heart or leave her forever. Which choice is better? Is there any way to break her curse, or is fate something that cannot be escaped?
I’ve been stuck with Tear You Apart for months. At one point, it took weeks to get from 30 percent to 35. Here I am, at 60 percent, after trudging my way through each never-ending page. I accept defeat. I simply am not enjoying the book. I no longer care for how Viv’s life ends up. Honestly? I’d be fine if she died in the end in an unexpected twist. At least it would be interesting. I have no interest in the characters, the plotline, or the world. I bear them no ill will, either — it wasn’t a problem with me hating the book, it was a problem with me being unable to find a reason to read on. I can say with complete honesty that Tear You Apart bored my socks off. I can also say that is the first and last time I will ever use that figure of speech. My review today will be short and sweet, because I have no interest on dwelling on this failed read any longer than necessary.
Vivian was a boring character to me. She was dull. She whined. She invoked the only emotion I felt with anyone in this story: irritation. She constantly withered in her self-pity bubble. No one or nothing else really mattered but her plight. She was pointless and I didn’t find a sliver of connection between me and Viv. Isn’t she supposed to be caring about the birdies and the dwarves, being Snow White? Nah, she’ll just be sad about herself. Her relationship with Huntley was where I really started to dislike her. She was so unkind to him! They have a history, and she’s not helping her whole “don’t kill me” case by pushing him away and being generally bitchy, forgive my language. Maybe if I had stuck it out for the rest of the book, I might have seen Vivian’s redemption, but I just can’t imagine a world in which Vivian and Huntley (whom she “loves”) are a good couple.
The wicked stepmother was the only character in the story whom I liked. She had motivations, and a backstory to match. Her intentions were evil, but there were underlying themes to her character, perhaps the one thing in the book done right. Viv is so hypocritical concerning Regina, (they mooched the Once Upon a Time stepmother name!) going off and off about how she didn’t choose her curse, when Regina didn’t either. She grew up believing she was Snow White. Do you think she felt happy knowing that she’d been labeled evil? It was a self-fulfilling prophecy. She didn’t have the most pleasant life either. She gave into darkness to protect the part of her that hurt so badly when she heard of her husband cheating on her, or heard the mirror tell her that Vivian was prettier than she was.
Okay, altogether, not my favorite novel. There were barely any merits that I can name. I was so bored! The pacing seemed slow. And there’s this beautiful, horrible, unique world, one that (had it been done better) I would have appreciated. It was like the Once Upon a Time world with more modern technology and multiple versions of the same characters. I wasn’t able to enjoy the world. Maybe the fact that I didn’t read Kill Me Softly before I read this changed my opinion, because I know many people loved that one. Oh, and this book almost became the only book that’s ever put me to sleep! Congratulations! I was reading Tear You Apart and then realized the book was slipping from my hands and my eyes were closing. I snapped out of it and turned off the Kindle to protect its battery life before giving into the snooze fest. I wouldn’t recommend this unless you liked Kill Me Softly. Perhaps you’ll like this one as well.
Notable Scene:
True love’s kiss was supposed to be natural between a cursed prince and princess. You were supposed to feel like you’d known each other a lifetime. But Viv knew what it felt like to know someone your whole life and to love him, and it didn’t feel like this.
Fate and magic were supposed to bind them together, but she felt like her heart had been cut from her chest.
FTC Advisory: EgmontUSA provided me with a copy of Tear You Apart. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
February 23, 2018
This is a richer, deeper, better book than the first in the Beau Rivage series by a long shot. The tangled fairytale world is super intriguing, and the main character, self-destructive as she is, acts in a consistent, understandable (if frustrating) way.
At the core of this book is a deeply fucked-up relationship between a girl with a Snow White curse and the boy doomed to be her Huntsman (as in, the guy who cuts her heart out). So there's a lot of push and pull between this physically defenseless girl and her hyper-strong on again, off again boyfriend, with loads of alternately teasing and threatening talk about how he may or may not end up killing her.
But it's not an unexamined fucked up dynamic. I think Cross is, in a way she didn't in book one, using her updates to poke at the creepy historical realities and archetypes fairy tales rely on. But the book is also really FUN, wildly inventive and total catnip for fairy-tale fans. The Twelve Dancing Princesses are in there, and I'm pretty sure Cross and I read the same version at some point, because their underworld looks just like I remember it did in, I think, Andrew Lang's fairy books. Tear You Apart is smart and self-aware and fascinating, and I'm kinda heartbroken Cross never published the planned third book in the series.
At the core of this book is a deeply fucked-up relationship between a girl with a Snow White curse and the boy doomed to be her Huntsman (as in, the guy who cuts her heart out). So there's a lot of push and pull between this physically defenseless girl and her hyper-strong on again, off again boyfriend, with loads of alternately teasing and threatening talk about how he may or may not end up killing her.
But it's not an unexamined fucked up dynamic. I think Cross is, in a way she didn't in book one, using her updates to poke at the creepy historical realities and archetypes fairy tales rely on. But the book is also really FUN, wildly inventive and total catnip for fairy-tale fans. The Twelve Dancing Princesses are in there, and I'm pretty sure Cross and I read the same version at some point, because their underworld looks just like I remember it did in, I think, Andrew Lang's fairy books. Tear You Apart is smart and self-aware and fascinating, and I'm kinda heartbroken Cross never published the planned third book in the series.
February 19, 2015
This wasn't at all what I was expecting.
Don't crack these pages looking to read about another princess to love! Vivian is prickly and rude and crude and spoiled. She's just the princess you might think one would be. Told her whole life, she would be saved, she would have her prince - now she's mad she didn't get to pick which one would be hers.
But, knowing that her evil stepmother will want a huntsman to kill her soon, she's startled to find her fairytale has jumped a little out of order and she's meeting a prince she shouldn't know yet.
All in all, it was great to be in Beau Rivage again and back with all our fun, crazy, twisted princes, princess and all their curses.
I hope there are more to come!
Don't crack these pages looking to read about another princess to love! Vivian is prickly and rude and crude and spoiled. She's just the princess you might think one would be. Told her whole life, she would be saved, she would have her prince - now she's mad she didn't get to pick which one would be hers.
But, knowing that her evil stepmother will want a huntsman to kill her soon, she's startled to find her fairytale has jumped a little out of order and she's meeting a prince she shouldn't know yet.
All in all, it was great to be in Beau Rivage again and back with all our fun, crazy, twisted princes, princess and all their curses.
I hope there are more to come!
December 8, 2014
I got drawn in by the pretty cover. Too bad the story couldn't keep my interest. *sigh*
Like a mash up of Grime, Once Upon a Time, and True Blood, as promised by the book summary. Too bad the story fails in the execution. I didn't realize it was the second book in a series, though it didn't feel like I was missing out since there was a bunch of info dumping and constant over explaining of EVERYTHING! I should have guessed I wouldn't like this because most version of Snow White dilute it down to slut shaming and worshiping whiteness. This one is not an exception.
I have yet to find any of these new reimagined fairytale that don't disappointment.
Like a mash up of Grime, Once Upon a Time, and True Blood, as promised by the book summary. Too bad the story fails in the execution. I didn't realize it was the second book in a series, though it didn't feel like I was missing out since there was a bunch of info dumping and constant over explaining of EVERYTHING! I should have guessed I wouldn't like this because most version of Snow White dilute it down to slut shaming and worshiping whiteness. This one is not an exception.
I have yet to find any of these new reimagined fairytale that don't disappointment.
February 5, 2017
Main character knows her 'beloved' is supposed to kill her due to the curse (not a spoiler if you've read the first book (no need though) or if you've read the first few pages of this story.
She acts like an idiot and finds her prince only to tell her to-be killer about that and he gets jealous. (Motive anyone?)
She's annoying that she complains about her life and the curse but does things that make it worse.
*slow claps*
I like that sometimes she seemed human, but making a situation worse is not going to earn you respect from me.
(There's no reason for it either. So....)
1.5 stars rounded up.
She acts like an idiot and finds her prince only to tell her to-be killer about that and he gets jealous. (Motive anyone?)
She's annoying that she complains about her life and the curse but does things that make it worse.
*slow claps*
I like that sometimes she seemed human, but making a situation worse is not going to earn you respect from me.
(There's no reason for it either. So....)
1.5 stars rounded up.
December 22, 2014
Diversity + creativity FTW.
This series is up there with Lunar Chronicles for my favorite fairy tale retellings.
Review to come!
This series is up there with Lunar Chronicles for my favorite fairy tale retellings.
Review to come!
February 8, 2021
3.5 stars
I have incredibly mixed feelings about Tear You Apart. I think that you have to really KNOW your fairy tales to fully appreciate this book - and I do not. However, the last 30% was so incredibly gripping and grim (pun intended) that I almost would give the book 4 stars. It is book 2 in the series, but (at least as far as I can tell) reads completely as a stand alone.
So the struggle in the first 70% of the book was two-fold. One, as I already mentioned, the references to really obscure fairy tales confused me. There's the familiar Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Jack and the Beanstalk... but then there's also the 12 dancing princesses and the diamonds and toads (I think?). It took me out of the story because I don't know what they're based off of. And even the familiar fairy tales - Snow White particularly, since that's Vivian's curse - is getting into the less commonly known details. So if you're a fairy tale buff, you will probably love the hell out of this, but for me it was just confusing.
The second struggle was just that I didn't like this predestined feeling of being defined by your curse. This struggle though, is sort of the point of the book I think (at least in part). The way it really screws with Vivian's decisions about who she loves - her huntsman or her prince? - made the first part a struggle and made me frustrated with her, but as she grows to realize she has to take her life into her own hands (the last 30%) makes that first part kind of worth it.
I read past midnight, knowing I had to get up at 6 am because I couldn't put it down in the last bit. Things are brutal and very much use the Grimm fairy tales for inspiration. The weaving of multiple fairy tales together is fascinating and Sarah Cross definitely has done her research. That being said, I probably won't be in a hurry to pick up the other books in the series... because I haven't done mine and I think I'm missing out on some of the potential greatness of the book by not knowing my fairy tales better. I am glad I finally got around to reading this though and recommend it for fairy tale buffs for sure!
I have incredibly mixed feelings about Tear You Apart. I think that you have to really KNOW your fairy tales to fully appreciate this book - and I do not. However, the last 30% was so incredibly gripping and grim (pun intended) that I almost would give the book 4 stars. It is book 2 in the series, but (at least as far as I can tell) reads completely as a stand alone.
So the struggle in the first 70% of the book was two-fold. One, as I already mentioned, the references to really obscure fairy tales confused me. There's the familiar Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Jack and the Beanstalk... but then there's also the 12 dancing princesses and the diamonds and toads (I think?). It took me out of the story because I don't know what they're based off of. And even the familiar fairy tales - Snow White particularly, since that's Vivian's curse - is getting into the less commonly known details. So if you're a fairy tale buff, you will probably love the hell out of this, but for me it was just confusing.
The second struggle was just that I didn't like this predestined feeling of being defined by your curse. This struggle though, is sort of the point of the book I think (at least in part). The way it really screws with Vivian's decisions about who she loves - her huntsman or her prince? - made the first part a struggle and made me frustrated with her, but as she grows to realize she has to take her life into her own hands (the last 30%) makes that first part kind of worth it.
I read past midnight, knowing I had to get up at 6 am because I couldn't put it down in the last bit. Things are brutal and very much use the Grimm fairy tales for inspiration. The weaving of multiple fairy tales together is fascinating and Sarah Cross definitely has done her research. That being said, I probably won't be in a hurry to pick up the other books in the series... because I haven't done mine and I think I'm missing out on some of the potential greatness of the book by not knowing my fairy tales better. I am glad I finally got around to reading this though and recommend it for fairy tale buffs for sure!
October 15, 2017
4.5 stars.
Honestly, there are things in this book that annoy me -- some veiled materialism, the lack of the seven dwarfs as in dwarf form (but we can see seven helpers here in the form of the protagonist's friend Blue, Mira, Kayla, Freddie, Jewel, Jack and Elliot), an abiding sense of anguish... but this is one of the most beautiful fairytales retellings I have ever read. Despite some flaws, it's really good: engaging, fascinating, enthralling, so very well written (I usually don't like most writing styles, or at least I'm really exigent), but most of all it is filled with fairytales references and plot points! As far books about more than one fairytale go, this is second for complexity only to the Ever After High series! And definitely more complex than its predecessor, Kill me softly, and more sophisticated. A seriously big improvement for the authoress and I hope she will have the chance to publish another companion novel set in Beau Rivage!
March 2, 2015
Viv knows she can't escape her Snow White curse. She knows that Regina, her stepmother, will feed her a poison apple or will order Viv's ex-boyfriend, Henley, who plays the role of the Huntsman, to relieve her of her heart. No matter what she does she knows the curse/ destiny will take control of her life. Then, she actually meets her prince. You know, the one she'll have her happily ever after with (if Henley, aka the Huntsman, doesn't cut out her heart for Regina, that is) after he awakens her from her enchanted sleep in the glass coffin. Her Prince, Jasper, shows up a lot earlier than he's supposed to, and offers to protect her from the curse if she will join him and be his queen. Can Viv pull herself away from her destiny, Henley, and Regina, even if they could mean her death?
To begin, I have not read Kill Me Softly, the first book in the Beau Rivage fairy tale retelling series, but based on this you don't really need to read it to get the story. The premise of Tear You Apart intrigued me because it could potentially be a fantastic read alike for Once Upon A Time featuring Snow White, The Evil Queen, and The Huntsman. Unfortunately, Tear You Apart doesn't really deliver.
The main detractor, for me, are the characters. Primarily, my main issue throughout is Viv. Viv is not a likable character. For the majority of the story, she is an annoying, self-centered brat who makes stupid decisions when it comes to guys. I mean, it just doesn't seem smart to constantly treat the guy who could potentially kill you at any moment like crap, does it? Hensley swears he would never hurt her, but his anger management skills leave a lot to be desired. The same goes for her prince, especially when his true nature is revealed. The "romantic" relationships in this story are seriously screwed up and aren't healthy at all (read: it's creepy and abusive love-triangle). I don't want to root for Viv/Henley (What kind of name is that, anyway?) or Viv/Jasper.
In regards to Regina, sure, she is pretty horrible, but honestly I wouldn't blame her for wanting to bump Viv off. It would be a public service. Overall, though, as the Wicked Stepmother/Evil Queen, she's pretty disappointing. I could have done without her flirting with Henley. Again, talk about creepy and uncalled for. Another thing that got to me about her is the name: Regina. She had to get the same name as her Once Upon A Time counterpart? How is that allowed? However, book Regina pales in comparison to tv Regina. On that note, Viv is no Snow - not by a long shot.
It didn't take me long to start rooting for Viv's demise.
Overall, I liked the Once Upon A Time-esque concept and the idea of the town itself. Otherwise, the story fell flat in so many ways.
These two will always be my Snow White and Regina:
And, he will always be my Rumpelstiltskin (yes, this character does play a major role in the latter part of the book):
To begin, I have not read Kill Me Softly, the first book in the Beau Rivage fairy tale retelling series, but based on this you don't really need to read it to get the story. The premise of Tear You Apart intrigued me because it could potentially be a fantastic read alike for Once Upon A Time featuring Snow White, The Evil Queen, and The Huntsman. Unfortunately, Tear You Apart doesn't really deliver.
The main detractor, for me, are the characters. Primarily, my main issue throughout is Viv. Viv is not a likable character. For the majority of the story, she is an annoying, self-centered brat who makes stupid decisions when it comes to guys. I mean, it just doesn't seem smart to constantly treat the guy who could potentially kill you at any moment like crap, does it? Hensley swears he would never hurt her, but his anger management skills leave a lot to be desired. The same goes for her prince, especially when his true nature is revealed. The "romantic" relationships in this story are seriously screwed up and aren't healthy at all (read: it's creepy and abusive love-triangle). I don't want to root for Viv/Henley (What kind of name is that, anyway?) or Viv/Jasper.
In regards to Regina, sure, she is pretty horrible, but honestly I wouldn't blame her for wanting to bump Viv off. It would be a public service. Overall, though, as the Wicked Stepmother/Evil Queen, she's pretty disappointing. I could have done without her flirting with Henley. Again, talk about creepy and uncalled for. Another thing that got to me about her is the name: Regina. She had to get the same name as her Once Upon A Time counterpart? How is that allowed? However, book Regina pales in comparison to tv Regina. On that note, Viv is no Snow - not by a long shot.
It didn't take me long to start rooting for Viv's demise.
Overall, I liked the Once Upon A Time-esque concept and the idea of the town itself. Otherwise, the story fell flat in so many ways.
These two will always be my Snow White and Regina:
And, he will always be my Rumpelstiltskin (yes, this character does play a major role in the latter part of the book):
March 21, 2017
FAVORITE QUOTES
"My chipmunks would bite the shit out of you. You might now want to risk it."
~ page 140 (ARC)
"Is there something wrong with my face?" the queen demanded. "Oh! I'd forgotten! This one's the fairest of them all. No wonder she doesn't like what she sees!"
~ page 233 (ARC)
"Yes, Vivian, my lovely queen wasn't fated for the underworld, so the magic has spoiled her mind. But you needn't be concerned that will happen to you. If you go mad, it will be for other reasons."
~ page 234 (ARC)
MY REVIEW
One of the most believable and amazing retellings! Incarnating popular fairytales into twisted modern classics, TEAR YOU APART is thought-provoking, eerie and fun...
Our modern-day Snow White, Viv, is constantly reminded of what soon awaits for her - her stepmothers wish for her heart to be carved out by the Huntsman. It has been a threat weighing over her for many years now, one that she has learned to accept. Until recently. When her best friend, Henley, turned true love, is cursed with having to live out what is to be Viv's tragic ending. Even with Henley's promise to never hurt her, a curse cannot be removed nor broken. But Henley is determined to to fulfill his promise and protect her as best as he can... Due to these circumstances, there relationship has taken an interesting love/hate turn, but, in the end, Viv puts a lot of trust into Henley and feels that he will follow his heart and not what the curse will force him to do.
In the meantime, it seems that Viv does not know how to be around Henley. She is short tempered and rude. And having been abandoned by her father, because he can't handle the curse that has been laid upon her, and being left with a crazed stepmother - who can blame her for being a spoiled brat with a bitchy attitude. She has every right to be anyway she needs to be in order to keep her sanity.
And by now we know that for every doomed princess there is a charming prince who is said to be her savior.
Our prince, Jasper, lives in the Underworld. Yes, that place, down below. His family is cursed to be those who somewhat save the Twelve Dancing Princesses. They're the ones that dance and dance with the princesses, endlessly... Jasper is, to say the least, different and crude. And definitely not my favorite. But he was so well put together. I truly didn't expect him to be what he turned out to be.
I do have to admit, the love-triangle thing hardly felt like one. And I do love how things end.
Ooooh, and let's not forget the Rumplestiltskin twisty thing that happened...
There are many hidden fairytale innuendos as well as hilarious moments. I did laugh out loud a few times. Even with that, the story is dark. The characters are very complex and at times hard to swallow. The male characters are all very cruel and possessive at times. I had to keep reminding myself that they are under unbreakable curses, and that took a huge toll on their temperaments and qualities. But does can sinister curses excuse all of their horrible behaviors?
A definite new favorite! I highly recommend this to all who love fairytales, retellings and even those that love contemporary with a magical/paranormal twist! There is diversity and a ton of complex characters... However, it will help you better understand the main plot of the story if you are familiar with the main fairytales mentioned above.
*An ARC was sent to me from the publisher for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
"My chipmunks would bite the shit out of you. You might now want to risk it."
~ page 140 (ARC)
"Is there something wrong with my face?" the queen demanded. "Oh! I'd forgotten! This one's the fairest of them all. No wonder she doesn't like what she sees!"
~ page 233 (ARC)
"Yes, Vivian, my lovely queen wasn't fated for the underworld, so the magic has spoiled her mind. But you needn't be concerned that will happen to you. If you go mad, it will be for other reasons."
~ page 234 (ARC)
MY REVIEW
One of the most believable and amazing retellings! Incarnating popular fairytales into twisted modern classics, TEAR YOU APART is thought-provoking, eerie and fun...
Our modern-day Snow White, Viv, is constantly reminded of what soon awaits for her - her stepmothers wish for her heart to be carved out by the Huntsman. It has been a threat weighing over her for many years now, one that she has learned to accept. Until recently. When her best friend, Henley, turned true love, is cursed with having to live out what is to be Viv's tragic ending. Even with Henley's promise to never hurt her, a curse cannot be removed nor broken. But Henley is determined to to fulfill his promise and protect her as best as he can... Due to these circumstances, there relationship has taken an interesting love/hate turn, but, in the end, Viv puts a lot of trust into Henley and feels that he will follow his heart and not what the curse will force him to do.
In the meantime, it seems that Viv does not know how to be around Henley. She is short tempered and rude. And having been abandoned by her father, because he can't handle the curse that has been laid upon her, and being left with a crazed stepmother - who can blame her for being a spoiled brat with a bitchy attitude. She has every right to be anyway she needs to be in order to keep her sanity.
And by now we know that for every doomed princess there is a charming prince who is said to be her savior.
Our prince, Jasper, lives in the Underworld. Yes, that place, down below. His family is cursed to be those who somewhat save the Twelve Dancing Princesses. They're the ones that dance and dance with the princesses, endlessly... Jasper is, to say the least, different and crude. And definitely not my favorite. But he was so well put together. I truly didn't expect him to be what he turned out to be.
I do have to admit, the love-triangle thing hardly felt like one. And I do love how things end.
Ooooh, and let's not forget the Rumplestiltskin twisty thing that happened...
There are many hidden fairytale innuendos as well as hilarious moments. I did laugh out loud a few times. Even with that, the story is dark. The characters are very complex and at times hard to swallow. The male characters are all very cruel and possessive at times. I had to keep reminding myself that they are under unbreakable curses, and that took a huge toll on their temperaments and qualities. But does can sinister curses excuse all of their horrible behaviors?
A definite new favorite! I highly recommend this to all who love fairytales, retellings and even those that love contemporary with a magical/paranormal twist! There is diversity and a ton of complex characters... However, it will help you better understand the main plot of the story if you are familiar with the main fairytales mentioned above.
*An ARC was sent to me from the publisher for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
May 25, 2015
I did not particularly enjoy this book. It's a fairy tale retelling which I love so that's why I got it. But I was disappointed. Like, Viv was awful I thought. She was a whiny brat. I couldn't stand her. Nor either of the boys, Jasper and what's-his-name (I'm writing this a couple days after finishing the story and I cannot remember the Huntsman's name. Oops). To me, it felt like the lacked development. The evil queen, Regina (someone watches Once Upon a Time it appears), was great. I liked her and her back story of being good and everything. But, she did become evil a little suddenly. So that was a bit confusing to me. But Viv and her friends and everyone were just not very good and I didn't care for them. I didn't want to really finish reading it but I felt like I had to because it's a fairy tale retelling.
Also, on the plot, it just wasn't very satisfying. I liked the whole Rumpelstiltskin part. That was very well done. But the Twelve Dancing Princess section seemed so out of place. It felt thrown in to make the plot work.
I should probably talk a bit about the beginning as well. This is early enough in the book that it doesn't need spoilers I believe. But really, what even was the beginning? I feel like the book should be set up a bit in the beginning. But in this book, I feel like it was set up so differently than how it turned out. Honestly, what happened at that party? Viv was kissing some other dude and then the Huntsman was taking a golf club to that dude's car. I thought they were broken up so it felt stupid to me. And what's more, why the heck is Viv so hung up on love? She totally does not understand it nor should she be so obsessed with it. Yes, she has a curse that will cause her to need to be kissed by someone who supposedly will love her forever. But still, that doesn't mean she needs to be so hung up on love. Maybe I've been in my English class all about feminism too long but Viv felt so weak to me. Like she needed to have a guy or else she was worthless. Fairy tales do often have that feel but fairy tale retellings don't usually. So I didn't like that.
I feel like this review has been a bit scattered and I'm sorry about that. But I couldn't stand this book overall. It just did not flow. I was glad to be done with it so I could move on to something else that I would like more.
Also, on the plot, it just wasn't very satisfying. I liked the whole Rumpelstiltskin part. That was very well done. But the Twelve Dancing Princess section seemed so out of place. It felt thrown in to make the plot work.
I should probably talk a bit about the beginning as well. This is early enough in the book that it doesn't need spoilers I believe. But really, what even was the beginning? I feel like the book should be set up a bit in the beginning. But in this book, I feel like it was set up so differently than how it turned out. Honestly, what happened at that party? Viv was kissing some other dude and then the Huntsman was taking a golf club to that dude's car. I thought they were broken up so it felt stupid to me. And what's more, why the heck is Viv so hung up on love? She totally does not understand it nor should she be so obsessed with it. Yes, she has a curse that will cause her to need to be kissed by someone who supposedly will love her forever. But still, that doesn't mean she needs to be so hung up on love. Maybe I've been in my English class all about feminism too long but Viv felt so weak to me. Like she needed to have a guy or else she was worthless. Fairy tales do often have that feel but fairy tale retellings don't usually. So I didn't like that.
I feel like this review has been a bit scattered and I'm sorry about that. But I couldn't stand this book overall. It just did not flow. I was glad to be done with it so I could move on to something else that I would like more.
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