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Tangled Web #1
Protect Me Not
At Fairview-Teller High, light mixes with dark. Good with evil. And heroes with villains. But there’s a reason students call it Fairy Tale High. They’ll get their happily ever after-- even if they have to fight for it.
Popular girl Jessa is caught off guard when the school bad boy—the guy she hates—moves into her house temporarily.
Not knowing how her friends, or the rest of the school, will react, she keeps her new housemate a secret.
Though Jessa loathes Adam for humiliating her at school last year, the more they’re around each other, the more her hatred starts to wane.
And when Adam kisses her?
She doesn’t hate it—or him.
But it does ruin everything.
Tropes:
** enemies to lovers
** forced proximity
** modern day fairy tale retelling
Protect Me Not is a fairy tale mashup of Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast, perfect for fans of Jenny Han, Maggie Dallen, Judy Corry, and Jillian Dodd.
Popular girl Jessa is caught off guard when the school bad boy—the guy she hates—moves into her house temporarily.
Not knowing how her friends, or the rest of the school, will react, she keeps her new housemate a secret.
Though Jessa loathes Adam for humiliating her at school last year, the more they’re around each other, the more her hatred starts to wane.
And when Adam kisses her?
She doesn’t hate it—or him.
But it does ruin everything.
Tropes:
** enemies to lovers
** forced proximity
** modern day fairy tale retelling
Protect Me Not is a fairy tale mashup of Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast, perfect for fans of Jenny Han, Maggie Dallen, Judy Corry, and Jillian Dodd.
315 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2023
323 people are currently reading
1497 people want to read
About the author
Danielle Keil
58 books358 followersDanielle Keil grew up and spent the majority of her life in the Chicagoland area. A recent transplant, she is enjoying the Mississippi life, especially the pool in her backyard.
Danielle is happily married for over 10 years, and has two young children, a daughter and a son, who are exact replicas of her and her husband.
Danielle's love language is gifts, her Ennegram is a 9w1, and she loves everything purple.
The way to her heart is through coffee, chocolate and tacos (extra guac).
Danielle is happily married for over 10 years, and has two young children, a daughter and a son, who are exact replicas of her and her husband.
Danielle's love language is gifts, her Ennegram is a 9w1, and she loves everything purple.
The way to her heart is through coffee, chocolate and tacos (extra guac).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
April 25, 2023
I LOVED this story so much and everything this author writes😊 thank you for this arc!
This story is a sweet YA enemies to lovers fairytale retelling. It follows Jessa and Adam. Jessa is a popular girl who runs her high school and has an amazingly kind spirit. Adam is more of a person who is misunderstood and is called the beast. Due to unforeseen circumstances they are forced in the same space when Adam and his mom come and live with Jessa and her dad.
The angst and the connection they eventually have is just so amazing to read I found myself rooting for them! With time Jessa finds out who Adam really is and she figures out that she just might be wrong about him.
I loved this story! And I can’t wait to read more 😊
This story is a sweet YA enemies to lovers fairytale retelling. It follows Jessa and Adam. Jessa is a popular girl who runs her high school and has an amazingly kind spirit. Adam is more of a person who is misunderstood and is called the beast. Due to unforeseen circumstances they are forced in the same space when Adam and his mom come and live with Jessa and her dad.
The angst and the connection they eventually have is just so amazing to read I found myself rooting for them! With time Jessa finds out who Adam really is and she figures out that she just might be wrong about him.
I loved this story! And I can’t wait to read more 😊
April 28, 2023
Tropes:
Young adult
Modern Day Retelling
Enemies to lovers
Boy next door
Forced proximity
I’ve never been super into retellings, but I absolutely LOVED this book. There are subtle Easter eggs, that I honestly loved finding. The whole time I was like wait is this person suppose to be this Disney character, and it kept me wanting more to figure out all I could.
Jessa is really the queen bee at her school known by many as Fairy Tale high. Adam (the beast) I’d describe as kind of a loner, has more than his share of things going on in his life. They really couldn’t be more opposite. When a twist of fate causes the two to see much more of one another than they’d like, they soon realize there’s a spark. There are such cute, swoony, make you want to squeal and be all giddy moments.
I especially love the fairy godmother gossip, it’s giving serious Gossip Girls/Lady Whistledown vibes. I can not wait for more drama and angst going down at Fairy Tale High. I’m secretly hoping future books cover characters we’ve already seen in this one!
Young adult
Modern Day Retelling
Enemies to lovers
Boy next door
Forced proximity
I’ve never been super into retellings, but I absolutely LOVED this book. There are subtle Easter eggs, that I honestly loved finding. The whole time I was like wait is this person suppose to be this Disney character, and it kept me wanting more to figure out all I could.
Jessa is really the queen bee at her school known by many as Fairy Tale high. Adam (the beast) I’d describe as kind of a loner, has more than his share of things going on in his life. They really couldn’t be more opposite. When a twist of fate causes the two to see much more of one another than they’d like, they soon realize there’s a spark. There are such cute, swoony, make you want to squeal and be all giddy moments.
I especially love the fairy godmother gossip, it’s giving serious Gossip Girls/Lady Whistledown vibes. I can not wait for more drama and angst going down at Fairy Tale High. I’m secretly hoping future books cover characters we’ve already seen in this one!
April 27, 2023
Y'all, it's been a hot minute since I've read something that made me squeal and giggle as much as I did with this book. To whoever reads this review, GO READ THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW. I'm going to try and keep this spoiler free, but omg the frosting scene?!!?! The woods scene?!!? The sick scene?!?! Our girl Danielle outdid herself here. All of the Easter eggs and crossovers were soooo fun to read. This is the perfect fairytale retelling for anyone who is looking to swoon and giggle while they read. Protect Me Not is available in paperback right now, and will be on KU on May 1st, so I recommend going and grabbing the paperback so you can read this before everyone else. This was definitely five stars from me, once you read the book, you'll see why. Once again, GO READ THIS BOOK!!!!🤩🤩
I received an ARC and chose to leave an honest review💕
I received an ARC and chose to leave an honest review💕
April 30, 2023
It got the privilege to get an ARC of this book and This was such a sweet story!
This is the first book in a series. This book takes a spin on fairy tell story. But instead of beauty and the beast it’s jasmine and the beast. Danielle did a great job of twisting the two stories together to make a new one. And with like Easter eggs of both stories and other fairy tells thrown into. Maybe hint for other books to come? I can’t wait to find and read them ❤️
This is the first book in a series. This book takes a spin on fairy tell story. But instead of beauty and the beast it’s jasmine and the beast. Danielle did a great job of twisting the two stories together to make a new one. And with like Easter eggs of both stories and other fairy tells thrown into. Maybe hint for other books to come? I can’t wait to find and read them ❤️
July 23, 2023
I really love cute YA romances, and this book was fine, but the whole “I’m a Queen” “they’re the wolves” was so cringy, I really wish she didn’t do the whole “fairy tale high” thing.
(Spoiler?)
Also, her friends pissed me off from the very beginning and I just kept wondering “how does she not see that these are terrible people?”
(Spoiler?)
Also, her friends pissed me off from the very beginning and I just kept wondering “how does she not see that these are terrible people?”
May 20, 2023
And this is why, each fairytale character is appropriate for their own story, mixing it up is cool in the authors head, but the story wouldn't go as smoothly
The story is a fairytale retelling mashup that takes place in a high school called Fairview High (Aka, Fairy Tale High ) where anybody can get a happy ending, in this book it's a mashup of Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast, Jessamine is a popular girl and has a group of friends called Queens, she tries to be a good person but the divide from rich and poor students is huge, then there is Adam, he is a bad boy nicknamed Beast because he fights like a monster, but when Jessamine is surprised that this Beast is moving in with his mother to her house and there is a scandal about it, her life will never be the same
I applaud the effort that went in writing this book, however I wasn't really feeling the book's vibe, the story was moving like it was cut and paste where an event from each story has to be present, I liked Adam's mother and Jessa's father I feel they had more chemistry than Adam and Jessa themselves
their kisses were super awkward and their relationship wasn't smooth at all
I will read the second book just to see if it will get better, but to this was not a good start to the series
The story is a fairytale retelling mashup that takes place in a high school called Fairview High (Aka, Fairy Tale High ) where anybody can get a happy ending, in this book it's a mashup of Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast, Jessamine is a popular girl and has a group of friends called Queens, she tries to be a good person but the divide from rich and poor students is huge, then there is Adam, he is a bad boy nicknamed Beast because he fights like a monster, but when Jessamine is surprised that this Beast is moving in with his mother to her house and there is a scandal about it, her life will never be the same
I applaud the effort that went in writing this book, however I wasn't really feeling the book's vibe, the story was moving like it was cut and paste where an event from each story has to be present, I liked Adam's mother and Jessa's father I feel they had more chemistry than Adam and Jessa themselves
their kisses were super awkward and their relationship wasn't smooth at all
I will read the second book just to see if it will get better, but to this was not a good start to the series
April 29, 2023
Protect Me Not is a YA enemies to lovers fairytale retelling. Danielle Keil did a fantastic job showing the enemies to lovers aspect of Jessa and Adam. Jessa, the popular girl with a heart and so unlike most queens in high school. While she has good reason to hate Adam, she has to deal with him living in her house as well. Jessa soon realizes that Adam is not the Beast that everyone believes him to be. I could feel the emotions of these two characters throughout the story. I found myself laughing and crying as these two came together. Jessa has such a caring heart and has to deal with a betrayal from her best friend, a fall in social status, and working out her feelings for Adam.
Then there is Adam, the Beast. However, is he really a beast or a protector? Adam and his mom have gone through so much, and he will do anything for his mom. I felt Adam's pain and just wanted to help him. He was so busy worrying about his mom and others that he had a bad reputation when what he really needed was for someone to be on his side. Mr. Hatem and later, Jessa were those people for Adam. Such a heartfelt, wonderful story. Do Jessa and Adam get their happily ever after? Read Protect Me Not to find out. Also, enjoy all the wonderful Easter eggs throughout the book.
Then there is Adam, the Beast. However, is he really a beast or a protector? Adam and his mom have gone through so much, and he will do anything for his mom. I felt Adam's pain and just wanted to help him. He was so busy worrying about his mom and others that he had a bad reputation when what he really needed was for someone to be on his side. Mr. Hatem and later, Jessa were those people for Adam. Such a heartfelt, wonderful story. Do Jessa and Adam get their happily ever after? Read Protect Me Not to find out. Also, enjoy all the wonderful Easter eggs throughout the book.
July 22, 2023
Til the last petal
It’s been a while since I have so throughly enjoyed a YA read. Instead of highlighting all of the things that are so egregiously romanticized on TV, readers see a more realistic picture of high school and the struggles teens take on (sorry, teacher here).
Jessa is popular and knows it. She also knows that the divide in her school shouldn’t exist and works to overcome it. While her friends aren’t behind her 100%, they do have her back on her loathing of the Beast, Adam Martin. Adam wrecked a project for Jessa and there is no forgiving that.
For Adam, he’s leaned into the Beast moniker the school has bestowed on him. It’s for the best since it keeps everyone at bay.
When their worlds do more than intersect, but collide, Jessa and Adam learn that there is always more beneath the surface, and while heavy is the head that wears the crown, the shadows sometimes hold the light, not hide it.
It’s been a while since I have so throughly enjoyed a YA read. Instead of highlighting all of the things that are so egregiously romanticized on TV, readers see a more realistic picture of high school and the struggles teens take on (sorry, teacher here).
Jessa is popular and knows it. She also knows that the divide in her school shouldn’t exist and works to overcome it. While her friends aren’t behind her 100%, they do have her back on her loathing of the Beast, Adam Martin. Adam wrecked a project for Jessa and there is no forgiving that.
For Adam, he’s leaned into the Beast moniker the school has bestowed on him. It’s for the best since it keeps everyone at bay.
When their worlds do more than intersect, but collide, Jessa and Adam learn that there is always more beneath the surface, and while heavy is the head that wears the crown, the shadows sometimes hold the light, not hide it.
May 26, 2023
If you are a fan of Disney movies this is 100% the book for you. This is the perfect mashup between Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast. You get a touch of all the lines/scenes that you love, but more than that you get a book you simply cannot stop reading.
Jessa and Adam definitely bring the pull of an enemies to lovers romance. They both learn new things not only about the other but of themselves. It’s a lesson that the expectations of other don’t define who you are, and being true to yourself can shine through the darkest corner.
This is a wonderful first book to this series, and I’m so excited to see what new mashups and stories are to come!
Jessa and Adam definitely bring the pull of an enemies to lovers romance. They both learn new things not only about the other but of themselves. It’s a lesson that the expectations of other don’t define who you are, and being true to yourself can shine through the darkest corner.
This is a wonderful first book to this series, and I’m so excited to see what new mashups and stories are to come!
April 29, 2023
OMG… I absolutely loved this book and had a hard time putting it down. Danielle gives the characters so much originality from the expected personality types, and so many quotes from story’s in this mash up in 2 of my favorite fairytales, Beauty and the Beast & Aladdin.
I eeked so many times from all the quotes, it was a nice surprise and flowed so help.
If you love fairytale mashups, enemies to lover, forced proximity you will want to read this book.
I read an ARC. Thank you Danielle.
I absolutely can’t wait a month for the next book release.
I eeked so many times from all the quotes, it was a nice surprise and flowed so help.
If you love fairytale mashups, enemies to lover, forced proximity you will want to read this book.
I read an ARC. Thank you Danielle.
I absolutely can’t wait a month for the next book release.
April 22, 2023
Protect Me Not is such a great enemies to lovers, YA, fairytale retelling that will have you wanting more! Danielle really captured the angst between Jessa and Adam in this one. You could feel the emotion between the two, no matter what type emotion it was. Jessa isn’t like the popular girl everyone always assumes is like in high school. Adam is such a broken boy that you just want to hug him! There are definitely more characters to love than just the main too. They are fun and great for the story.
I really loved reading this book and getting to see all the Easter eggs from the fairytales play out in this book. Danielle really brought the words for Protect Me Not! I can’t wait to see what more is to come in this series! I definitely recommend this book for all to read!
I really loved reading this book and getting to see all the Easter eggs from the fairytales play out in this book. Danielle really brought the words for Protect Me Not! I can’t wait to see what more is to come in this series! I definitely recommend this book for all to read!
May 1, 2023
a swoon worthy YA that had me so happy!
I loved this fairytale retelling set in a high school with real life problems of teens but also a cute love story mash up of a modern day Aladdin’s Jasmine falling for the Beast (who is actually super sweet and cute). I loved the nuggets dropped linking back to the movies but also loved how original it was! Bravo, Keil. You did it again!
I loved this fairytale retelling set in a high school with real life problems of teens but also a cute love story mash up of a modern day Aladdin’s Jasmine falling for the Beast (who is actually super sweet and cute). I loved the nuggets dropped linking back to the movies but also loved how original it was! Bravo, Keil. You did it again!
July 5, 2023
I have enjoyed every book from this author I have read. Adam was the villain everyone assumed he was . He just had a layer of glass around him that need to be cracked . Jessa was deemed in the popular group at school. Funny how when you step out of your so called clique at school your friends seem to scatter. Adam mom Marie was just so sweet . A bad situation that turned out good . Sweet young adult romance will have you reliving your high school days .
May 8, 2023
Danielle always delivers!
I know for a fact this series is going to be INCREDIBLE! Because Adam and Jessa kicked it off perfectly.
Cute, quick read. Lovable characters, great mash ups.
Grab this book asap and get ready for the best series of the year!
I know for a fact this series is going to be INCREDIBLE! Because Adam and Jessa kicked it off perfectly.
Cute, quick read. Lovable characters, great mash ups.
Grab this book asap and get ready for the best series of the year!
April 24, 2023
This was such a nice heartwarming story I really enjoyed it! The mix of fairytales was amazing and I loved the mash up of the different fairytales we all know and love! It is definitely worth a read Danielle is an amazing author and knows how to draw you into a story!
Read
April 30, 2023Full review coming soon!
May 24, 2023
cute new series
I really liked the play on fairy tales. I’ve never read anything quite like this. Adam and Jessa were really good people. I really liked Adam’s mom and Jessa’s dad. It was nice to see parents depicted as supporting and not a part of the obstacle. I’m excited to read the next book when it comes out.
I really liked the play on fairy tales. I’ve never read anything quite like this. Adam and Jessa were really good people. I really liked Adam’s mom and Jessa’s dad. It was nice to see parents depicted as supporting and not a part of the obstacle. I’m excited to read the next book when it comes out.
August 14, 2023
great read
The flow is good. A quick easy read. The characters are believable and you’re left not wanting to say goodbye to them.
The flow is good. A quick easy read. The characters are believable and you’re left not wanting to say goodbye to them.
June 25, 2024
2.5 stars
Wasn't a fan of the constant fairy tale themes but once I tuned that all out it was pretty good. A tad on the young end tho
Wasn't a fan of the constant fairy tale themes but once I tuned that all out it was pretty good. A tad on the young end tho
May 1, 2023
I loved Protect Me Not. It was just the right amount of nostalgic fairy tale memories mixed with a new twist on Beauty and the Beast with Aladdin thrown in. In Protect Me Not we meet Jessamine Hatem who is the Queen of Fairview-Teller High School. Most students call it Fairy Tale High though. Jessamine's world is soon rocked when her nemesis The Beast Adam Martin moves in, and not next door, try down the hall in her own house. Jessamine or Jessa as she likes to be known by soon finds out there is more to know about the Beast, he may be more of a gentle giant than the hot head bad boy the school makes him out to be.
We get forced proximity that leads to a happy ever after ending. All in all a very nice YA high school sweet non-spice romance.
We get forced proximity that leads to a happy ever after ending. All in all a very nice YA high school sweet non-spice romance.
November 3, 2023
I actually love this book so much. Amazing beyond all expectations!!! 🩷
December 14, 2023
this book is a 3.99999. basically a 4 but just shy of. this book was what i wanted. a cheesy romance with some drama. then mix of fairytales was a bit random but i liked the overall fairytale aspect. the author made many scenes feel like big moments but they didn’t translate that one paper. especially the ending. that was super rushed and didn’t feel as big as they wanted to make it seem. the writing style was easy but again we went to event and event. our couple was super cute though. like him being a calm guy but willing to kill for her is everything. our main girl is nice too. from the being she wasn’t a mean girl although she was popular. overall a good story! definitely keep this series in my back pocket.
August 2, 2023
cuuute read💘— this book was engaging and fun to read! i think the drama was creative and the plot was entertaining aha
July 4, 2023
2.5 stars
The writing could use some work (and a very thorough professional edit) and some of the fairy tale references were cringeworthy (it felt very Descendents at times), but the story itself was heartwarming.
Content notes: mild profanity
The writing could use some work (and a very thorough professional edit) and some of the fairy tale references were cringeworthy (it felt very Descendents at times), but the story itself was heartwarming.
Content notes: mild profanity
September 20, 2023
5/5 the cutest enemies to lovers!!! 🌅
September 5, 2023
Really good story
I have become a big fan of this author. I liked this book so much I just bought the next one in the seried.
I have become a big fan of this author. I liked this book so much I just bought the next one in the seried.
July 3, 2023
I'm a little torn on how I feel about this book, so I'm dividing the review into two parts with two ratings and an overall average rating.
PART ONE: The Book as a Retelling
I don't think the retelling bit worked very well. For one, it leaned way too hard into Disney territory, even going as far as to quote the movies and lyrics directly. Even if the context was a little different than the in the Disney version, the quotes really drew me out of the story and made me cringe. (I'm not sure if this would actually violate any copyright laws because of the indirect way it was done, but it might be close.) Some of the characters names were clever plays on the Disney names, but most (like "The Beast") were a little too on the nose. It didn't help that some of the side characters were (I assume) based on more original Disney Channel characters from Descendants. It felt like it was trying too hard to be a Disney knockoff and less like a unique retelling. Disney felt more like a crutch propping the story up, when it should've just been inspiration.
For another, the Aladdin bits seemed entirely unnecessary. I liked the character of Ali a lot, but incorporating the lines from Aladdin and trying to stick bits of that story in there felt more random than anything. I don't know if it was setting up for a future Aladdin-based book, and I would love to see more of Ali, but the way it was set up in this book was clunky and weighed down the main story. It was like sticking in a puzzle piece from a another puzzle with the same cut--it worked okay, but it didn't help to complete the overall picture.
Also, having Adam tell Jessa the Beauty and the Beast story was a bit... meta? It kind of felt like one of those moments where someone tells a joke and then proceeds to explain the joke even though everyone understood the joke perfectly.
One thing I did like about the retelling aspect was that Belle wasn't the love interest but the best friend. That actually felt original.
If I were to rate this book on the retelling part alone, it would get 3 stars. It just wasn't a unique enough take and borrowed way too much from Disney.
PART TWO: The book as a YA Romance
Now this worked fairly well. It had a lot of your basic high school drama with clicks and popularity contests and homecoming and parties and all that good stuff. You had the popular girl and the misunderstood bad boy with a good heart. You also had some great tropes like forced proximately and a bit of found family. I enjoyed watching the characters getting to know each other better and moving past their prejudices. Even the side charters were well done, though it seemed like Belle kind of fell to the side and became forgotten. It was a cute story with several adorable moments.
It did have a couple issues that didn't quite work for me. For one, the whole reason Jessa and her group hated Adam was because she failed her project because ehe didn't show. Now, I know some teachers can be total asshats, but the fact that the teacher was totally unforgiving on this aspect and failed Jessa even though she had clearly done the work didn't seem realistic to me. Especially if Adam was really as much a trouble-maker as he was made out to be. Any decent teacher would've known And there was no reason for Jessa not to tell her dad about this. Her dad was a great guy and I can't see him getting mad at her for things beyond her control. And even then, surely her dad would have seen her final grade? Maybe not, but the whole thing was too much of a stretch for me when there were so many other things that could have bene the catalyst for her hate. Simply having him getting into fights with her perspective boyfriend's friends would probably have been enough.
The other thing that bothered me about the story was the first kiss. Adam had literally just been telling Jessa about defending a girl against unwanted physical contact and how he wasn't for that at all and then he kisses Jessa without her consent, literally cutting her off mid-sentence, giving her no time to react or move a chance to move away, and he then basically runs off? It felt a bit of nowhere and didn't fit his character at all.
So, as a general YA story without the retelling brought into the equation, it was was a decent story. I enjoyed it enough I'll probably check out the next book in the series. If I rate it on this alone, I'd give the book a solid 3.5 stars, even rounding up to four.
Overall combined rating: 3.25 stars
PART ONE: The Book as a Retelling
I don't think the retelling bit worked very well. For one, it leaned way too hard into Disney territory, even going as far as to quote the movies and lyrics directly. Even if the context was a little different than the in the Disney version, the quotes really drew me out of the story and made me cringe. (I'm not sure if this would actually violate any copyright laws because of the indirect way it was done, but it might be close.) Some of the characters names were clever plays on the Disney names, but most (like "The Beast") were a little too on the nose. It didn't help that some of the side characters were (I assume) based on more original Disney Channel characters from Descendants. It felt like it was trying too hard to be a Disney knockoff and less like a unique retelling. Disney felt more like a crutch propping the story up, when it should've just been inspiration.
For another, the Aladdin bits seemed entirely unnecessary. I liked the character of Ali a lot, but incorporating the lines from Aladdin and trying to stick bits of that story in there felt more random than anything. I don't know if it was setting up for a future Aladdin-based book, and I would love to see more of Ali, but the way it was set up in this book was clunky and weighed down the main story. It was like sticking in a puzzle piece from a another puzzle with the same cut--it worked okay, but it didn't help to complete the overall picture.
Also, having Adam tell Jessa the Beauty and the Beast story was a bit... meta? It kind of felt like one of those moments where someone tells a joke and then proceeds to explain the joke even though everyone understood the joke perfectly.
One thing I did like about the retelling aspect was that Belle wasn't the love interest but the best friend. That actually felt original.
If I were to rate this book on the retelling part alone, it would get 3 stars. It just wasn't a unique enough take and borrowed way too much from Disney.
PART TWO: The book as a YA Romance
Now this worked fairly well. It had a lot of your basic high school drama with clicks and popularity contests and homecoming and parties and all that good stuff. You had the popular girl and the misunderstood bad boy with a good heart. You also had some great tropes like forced proximately and a bit of found family. I enjoyed watching the characters getting to know each other better and moving past their prejudices. Even the side charters were well done, though it seemed like Belle kind of fell to the side and became forgotten. It was a cute story with several adorable moments.
It did have a couple issues that didn't quite work for me. For one, the whole reason Jessa and her group hated Adam was because she failed her project because ehe didn't show. Now, I know some teachers can be total asshats, but the fact that the teacher was totally unforgiving on this aspect and failed Jessa even though she had clearly done the work didn't seem realistic to me. Especially if Adam was really as much a trouble-maker as he was made out to be. Any decent teacher would've known And there was no reason for Jessa not to tell her dad about this. Her dad was a great guy and I can't see him getting mad at her for things beyond her control. And even then, surely her dad would have seen her final grade? Maybe not, but the whole thing was too much of a stretch for me when there were so many other things that could have bene the catalyst for her hate. Simply having him getting into fights with her perspective boyfriend's friends would probably have been enough.
The other thing that bothered me about the story was the first kiss. Adam had literally just been telling Jessa about defending a girl against unwanted physical contact and how he wasn't for that at all and then he kisses Jessa without her consent, literally cutting her off mid-sentence, giving her no time to react or move a chance to move away, and he then basically runs off? It felt a bit of nowhere and didn't fit his character at all.
So, as a general YA story without the retelling brought into the equation, it was was a decent story. I enjoyed it enough I'll probably check out the next book in the series. If I rate it on this alone, I'd give the book a solid 3.5 stars, even rounding up to four.
Overall combined rating: 3.25 stars
June 1, 2024
"Я б зруйнував увесь світ, якби це означало її порятунок. Та, зрештою, хто врятує її від мене?"
Тропи:
🌹від ворогів до коханців
🌹вимушена близкість
🌹таємні стосунки
🌹ретелінґ на сучасний лад
🌹старша школа
🌹no smut
Сюжет простий: Джессі доручають підготувати проєкт із людиною, якою вона найменше в житті хотіла б бачити своїм партнером — Адамом. Всі називають його Чудовиськом, всі зневажають його, всі оминають його десятою дорогою і навіть бояться. Та Джесса й сама починає ненавидіти його після того, як він не приходить на захист проєкту, змусивши її зганьбитися на увесь клас.
А вже чотири місяці по тому Джесса вимушена зустрітися зі своїм ворогом знову... на порозі власного будинку. І їм доведеться жити під одним дахом, таємно ненавидячи одне одного.
Отже, ми маємо Джессу — королеву школи, багачку і міс популярність; та Адама — відлюдника з таємничим шрамом на обличчі.
А ще ми маємо школу, поділену на 2 частини: еліту і невдах; і популярний блог, який публікує всі шкільні плітки (на подобі Пліткарки з відомого серіалу).
Я б не сказала, що сюжет був супер заплутаний і неочікуваний. Все було доволі передбачувано, але читалося так легко і приємно, що я отримала неймовірне задоволення.
Книжка має якийсь вайб романтичних фільмів про старшу школу часів нульових.
А ще це ретелінґ "Красуні та чудовиська" на сучасний лад, тож не дивно, що тут відчувається певна казковість. І хоч ми маємо своїх красуню й чудовиська тут, однак історія дещо відрізняється: не красуня потрапляє в полон до чудовиська (ура, відсутність підозр на стокгольмський синдром), а чудовисько потрапляє в халепу і вимушений жити під одним дахом із красунею.
Не буду розкривати всі сюжетні повороти, але скажу, що ставлення Адама до Джесси — це просто 🛐
Те, як він піклується про неї, як захищає, як ладний пожертвувати всім заради неї
Звісно, тут було трохи драми, але це не та драма, в якій тебе бісять головні герої. Це радше історія, коли тебе бісять усі навколо, бо вони заважають цим двом прекрасним людям бути разом.
Проблеми тут доволі банальні й підліткові: популярність, думка оточуючих, шкільні свята й оцінки...
Загалом дуже мила шкільна історія з приємними персонажами (Алі просто підкорив моє серце, такий теплий і надійний друг, який потрібен нам усім)
Тропи:
🌹від ворогів до коханців
🌹вимушена близкість
🌹таємні стосунки
🌹ретелінґ на сучасний лад
🌹старша школа
🌹no smut
Сюжет простий: Джессі доручають підготувати проєкт із людиною, якою вона найменше в житті хотіла б бачити своїм партнером — Адамом. Всі називають його Чудовиськом, всі зневажають його, всі оминають його десятою дорогою і навіть бояться. Та Джесса й сама починає ненавидіти його після того, як він не приходить на захист проєкту, змусивши її зганьбитися на увесь клас.
А вже чотири місяці по тому Джесса вимушена зустрітися зі своїм ворогом знову... на порозі власного будинку. І їм доведеться жити під одним дахом, таємно ненавидячи одне одного.
Отже, ми маємо Джессу — королеву школи, багачку і міс популярність; та Адама — відлюдника з таємничим шрамом на обличчі.
А ще ми маємо школу, поділену на 2 частини: еліту і невдах; і популярний блог, який публікує всі шкільні плітки (на подобі Пліткарки з відомого серіалу).
Я б не сказала, що сюжет був супер заплутаний і неочікуваний. Все було доволі передбачувано, але читалося так легко і приємно, що я отримала неймовірне задоволення.
Книжка має якийсь вайб романтичних фільмів про старшу школу часів нульових.
А ще це ретелінґ "Красуні та чудовиська" на сучасний лад, тож не дивно, що тут відчувається певна казковість. І хоч ми маємо своїх красуню й чудовиська тут, однак історія дещо відрізняється: не красуня потрапляє в полон до чудовиська (ура, відсутність підозр на стокгольмський синдром), а чудовисько потрапляє в халепу і вимушений жити під одним дахом із красунею.
Не буду розкривати всі сюжетні повороти, але скажу, що ставлення Адама до Джесси — це просто 🛐
Те, як він піклується про неї, як захищає, як ладний пожертвувати всім заради неї
Звісно, тут було трохи драми, але це не та драма, в якій тебе бісять головні герої. Це радше історія, коли тебе бісять усі навколо, бо вони заважають цим двом прекрасним людям бути разом.
Проблеми тут доволі банальні й підліткові: популярність, думка оточуючих, шкільні свята й оцінки...
Загалом дуже мила шкільна історія з приємними персонажами (Алі просто підкорив моє серце, такий теплий і надійний друг, який потрібен нам усім)
December 17, 2024
This book was fun, and I know I say that a lot, but this time I actually mean it. This book is like if Descendants was slice of life instead of fantasy. I have to admit, I was skeptical at first of the Aladdin meets Beauty and the Beast, but it actually worked pretty well. I'd say this book is more "inspired by" than "retelling" the fairy tales. Certain characters obviously fill in for someone from the original story, but they may find themselves in situations that allude to the other fairy tale.
Jessa and Adam are great as both individuals and a couple. I think the character development they each undergo is healthy and mature, Jessa especially. Jessa is Jasmine (both literally and figuratively), acting as the sheltered princess, but also kinda fills the role of the Beast as well by being the one with a big house and well-off lifestyle. Conversely, Adam is the Bella and Aladdin. I liked the slow and believable progression of their relationship. And (as mentioned before) I loved Jessa's character development. I thought the integration of fairy tales was natural and unique. All the little Easter eggs in the book to the original stories or the Disney movies was also fun.
Also side note, but I love Ali and I hope he gets his own book.
This is a lighthearted book that you can't really expect too much from depth-wise. It's not asking existential questions, just telling the story of two characters who learn how to love themselves and stand up for what is right. The least believable thing about this book is how seriously all the high schoolers clung to their nicknames. High schoolers hate anything that's cringy, so the way that all the characters embraced their nicknames as the Queens, the Wolves, or the Beast was a little unbelievable (even if it did reinforce the fairy tale ideas).
This is a cute story I think would be great for middle schoolers due to its messages and appropriateness.
Jessa and Adam are great as both individuals and a couple. I think the character development they each undergo is healthy and mature, Jessa especially. Jessa is Jasmine (both literally and figuratively), acting as the sheltered princess, but also kinda fills the role of the Beast as well by being the one with a big house and well-off lifestyle. Conversely, Adam is the Bella and Aladdin. I liked the slow and believable progression of their relationship. And (as mentioned before) I loved Jessa's character development. I thought the integration of fairy tales was natural and unique. All the little Easter eggs in the book to the original stories or the Disney movies was also fun.
Also side note, but I love Ali and I hope he gets his own book.
This is a lighthearted book that you can't really expect too much from depth-wise. It's not asking existential questions, just telling the story of two characters who learn how to love themselves and stand up for what is right. The least believable thing about this book is how seriously all the high schoolers clung to their nicknames. High schoolers hate anything that's cringy, so the way that all the characters embraced their nicknames as the Queens, the Wolves, or the Beast was a little unbelievable (even if it did reinforce the fairy tale ideas).
This is a cute story I think would be great for middle schoolers due to its messages and appropriateness.
February 2, 2024
Initially, when I started reading "Protect Me Not", I feared it might lean too heavily into the adolescent romance, which I felt I had outgrown. However, Danielle Keil's storytelling quickly won me over, and I found myself delightfully surprised by the charming main characters.
The story revolves around Jessamine Hatem, better known as Jessa, who reigns as the "Queen" of Fairytale High alongside her three best friends. Enter Adam, the notorious "beast" of the school, infamous for his constant fighting in school. Their partnership on a projects starts the story off. Adam falling short, and ultimately, making himself and Jessa fail the class.
One aspect that initially irked me was the seemingly clichéd nature of the high school—the girls dubbing themselves "queens," the football team calling themselves the "wolf pack" complete with actual howling? uhm.
However, upon reflection, I realized these details actually mirrored my real-life high school life, although these kinds of behaviors didn't come from the "popular" kids.
Despite my initial reservations, I found myself drawn into the story, unable to resist the first love feeling that Jessa and Adam gave me. Keil expertly weaves moments of lighthearted fluff with genuine emotion, resulting in me grinning and occasionally covering my mouth in excitement for the two main characters.
As a fan of "bad boys/girls turned softies," I thoroughly enjoyed watching Adam's softening when i came to his feelings for Jessa and his Mama. Their chemistry leaps off the page. I do wish there were more scenes (or longer scenes) of just the two of them getting to know each other.
Overall, "Protect Me Not" exceeded my expectations, offering a delightful blend of romance and teenage drama. Its endearing characters and engaging storyline make it a worthy recommendation for fans of YA romance.
The story revolves around Jessamine Hatem, better known as Jessa, who reigns as the "Queen" of Fairytale High alongside her three best friends. Enter Adam, the notorious "beast" of the school, infamous for his constant fighting in school. Their partnership on a projects starts the story off. Adam falling short, and ultimately, making himself and Jessa fail the class.
One aspect that initially irked me was the seemingly clichéd nature of the high school—the girls dubbing themselves "queens," the football team calling themselves the "wolf pack" complete with actual howling? uhm.
However, upon reflection, I realized these details actually mirrored my real-life high school life, although these kinds of behaviors didn't come from the "popular" kids.
Despite my initial reservations, I found myself drawn into the story, unable to resist the first love feeling that Jessa and Adam gave me. Keil expertly weaves moments of lighthearted fluff with genuine emotion, resulting in me grinning and occasionally covering my mouth in excitement for the two main characters.
As a fan of "bad boys/girls turned softies," I thoroughly enjoyed watching Adam's softening when i came to his feelings for Jessa and his Mama. Their chemistry leaps off the page. I do wish there were more scenes (or longer scenes) of just the two of them getting to know each other.
Overall, "Protect Me Not" exceeded my expectations, offering a delightful blend of romance and teenage drama. Its endearing characters and engaging storyline make it a worthy recommendation for fans of YA romance.
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