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Title: Wondrous Strange
Author: Lesley Livingston
Page Count: 327 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: fantasy, young adult
Copy for review compliments of the public library

50 words or less: Kelley Winslow gets the opportunity of a lifetime when she gets promoted from understudy to Titania in a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. For Kelley, though, faeries are about to become a very real part of her life.

Cue a dreamy sigh here, because this book is a cream puff wrapped in a doughnut with a big pile of whipped cream on top. I know the world of books is kind of saturated with faerie books right now, and personally I do find them hit or miss myself, but Wondrous Strange is a sure bet if you love creative plots, clever storytelling, enjoyable characters, and a sweet, blossoming love story.

The main character, Kelley, is an extremely likeable one- she doesn't have any kooky exceptional understanding of the extraordinary events in the story, she just rolls with the punches and tries to make the best of every day, which is admirable in the extreme. Sonny makes an excellent hero/knight in shining armor/love interest- Darklight cannot arrive soon enough at my house for me to find out what happens between them.

The politics of the faerie world are, as always, complex, and treachery lurks around every corner- Kelley finds out that she has a far more central role in all the faerie hoohah than anyone could have ever imagined. Sonny, too, finds out more about himself through the course of the book, and it'll be interesting to see what impact all these revelations have on future books. Darklight, I'm coming for you!

If you've never read a young adult book featuring faeries before or if you've read one and been disappointed, I really recommend giving Wondrous Strange a try. It's very different from other books out there and reminds me of all the reasons I fell in love with books and reading in the first place. Give it a shot!

Overall Grade: A
Blog with Bite Score: 4/4

Discussion Questions:
1.Faeries seem to be very big in YA lit lately, how does Wondrous Strange compare to others in its genre such as Lament, Wicked Lovely, etc.? Wondrous Strange is one of my favorite fey-related stories out right now, and I think it's as much because of the writing style as anything. I loved the Shakespearean parallels, and I thought the world building was very well done, and as everyone knows, I'm all about the world building.

2.How did you view the relationship with Kelley and Sonny, was it a believable romance? I thought their relationship was very sweet. I like that they didn't just jump all over each other and that they had a lot to learn about each other. It was very romantic.

3.Wondrous Strange was written in the typical fashion of paranormal literature, with the protagonist unaware of her supernatural abilities, meets boy who introduces her to the world... do you find these plot lines tiresome in their likeness, or do you believe there are always similarities within fiction and it is all about the deeper story? I admit, I'm a pretty big bossyboots when it comes to this element of stories. I don't mind if a character is just finding out about the supernatural world as long as they are not a complete doof about it. I can't stand books that go one and on and on about the character's inability to process what's going on. I find those stories repetitive. I'd much prefer a character who rolls with the situation and allows the story to keep moving to one that keeps asking "wait, what?" I think that this is one element of paranormal stories that does have to be addressed, but I think it can be skillfully done.

H B I C R E V I E W  - by Parajunkee

Wondrous Strange  by Lesley Livingston 
Paid for by me, and downloaded to my Kindle


Author's Website

PJV's Quickie POV:   Parajunkee seems to be stuck in faerie land a lot lately. Faerie themed YA, all the rage, speak to our inner child that still secretly believes in faeries. Luckily the faeries that I believed in as a wee babe weren't the scheming, sociopath faeries that Ms. Livingston brought to life in Wondrous Strange. Ms. Livingston's tale of the faerie Otherworld and the group of changelings that guard the human population from being over run by faerie monsters is fast paced and a little sweet.  Her tale brings alive a world that you can almost believe is true.  She meshes "real" faerie tales within her fiction, bringing forth characters such as Puck and Herne the Hunter, giving them personalities and back-stories that justify their legendary stories. Wondrous Strange was a fantastical, modern story of love, deception and triumph, I was thoroughly entertained and engrossed.  Can't wait to read Darklight.

Review:   Kelley Winslow, aspiring actress, has landed her dream job.  Luckily for her the actress that was playing the lead of Titania the Fairy Queen in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream twisted her ankle, and now Kelley has the lead.  Unfortunately, she can't seem to remember her lines. Which is how she ends up in Central Park after dark, meets a handsome, yet kind of deranged stranger, and rescues a drowning horse that later follows her home and takes up residence in her bathtub.

Talk about our weirdness.  But things don't get better, they just seem to get weirder and weirder.  Handsome Stranger, turns into crazy stalker.  Her fellow actor Bob, who is playing Puck starts making cryptic statements, her usually militant roommate is actually infatuated with the horse in the tub, even after it eats her very expensive soap. Oh yeah, and she might have glowed a bit at some point.

The stories underlying plot might not be an original one, there is a girl, who might be a bit supernatural.  Girl meets boy, who may or may not also be a bit supernatural. Boy instructs girl on her supernatural roots and they just may move to happily ever after, just if they can over-come an evil plot that is directed at the girl.  Yes, we've read this story in numerous ways, with numerous kinds of supernaturals, but as normal as the storyline is, Livingston takes the story to new heights with excellent characters, a wonderful back-drop and new spins on the tried and true paranormal YA plots.

Entertaining, well written and engaging, Wondrous Strange had me cringing in some scenes, sniffling in others and basically wanting more when it was over.  Can't wait to read Darklight. 


Recommendations:   Lovers of faeries, the supernatural and young adult novels you'll really enjoy this novel.  There is nothing vulgar or sexual in the pages, so parents have no fear.  The story can be a bit trite in some instants, but it still has a maturity that adults will enjoy.  BWB rating 3/4.

BWB Discussion Questions

1.Faeries seem to be very big in YA lit lately, how does Wondrous Strange compare to others in its genre such as Lament, Wicked Lovely, etc.? The thing I enjoy about stories of the fae is that there is such a large world out there to pull from that authors can go in so many directions.  Wonderous Strange might not have had the ethereal beauty of Lament or the gritty contemporary feel of Wicked Lovely, but that was a good thing, because it was it's own creature.  In comparison though, WS falls short of Lament, only because Steifvater is a force to be reckoned with, but surpasses Wicked Lovely. All three books were wonderful though.

2. How did you view the relationship with Kelley and Sonny, was it a believable romance? I really liked the romance, and thought it was hilarious that Kelley thought Sonny was stalking her. I think it evolved perfectly.  I can't wait to read Darklight.

3.Wondrous Strange was written in the typical fashion of paranormal literature, with the protagonist unaware of her supernatural abilities, meets boy who introduces her to the world... do you find these plot lines tiresome in their likeness, or do you believe there are always similarities within fiction and it is all about the deeper story? There is no tune that hasn't already been heard, or a story that hasn't already been told right? I think she replayed same old same old in just the right way.  There is only so many ways you can fashion a paranormal romance, just like there are only so many ways you can tell a romance.  Boy meets girl...etc.  If I start to fine these plot lines tiresome I guess I will have to find a new genre or something, on to westerns??? OMG no.

Wondrous Strange- HBIC REVIEW

Wondrous Strange - HBIC Seeker Review
Posted by Tina at Tinasbookreviews
Wondrous Strange was a love letter to all those who dream of dancing with pixies and meeting shimmering knights on horses. I loved, loved, loved it!!!!

We open our tale with flavor of A Midsummer’s Night Dream and Kelley Winslow, an aspiring actress living in New York City, practicing her lines in central park when she draws the attention of Sonny, a changeling and guard of the faerie realm. He is mysterious and intrigued by Kelley’s spark that drew him to her. That same fateful night she rescues a horse from a pond; the horse follows her home and proceeds to live in her bathtub. (The horse scenes were hilarious!) What she doesn't know is that the horse is a kelpie and Sonny is a part of the Unseelie King's elite guard, the Janus. Things get stranger as Kelley tries to figure out who Sonny is, and how she and the bathtub horse are involved.

Wondrous is told through the voices of Sonny and Kelley. Sonny fits the stereotype of a conflicted magical assassin perfectly; down to his unexplainable love of Kelley. Where things are predictable with them I loved that it wasn’t a pop out of nowhere romance. Kelley is a bit freaked out by Sonny and has normal stay away from me freak feelings. Reading through Kelley’s perspective was humorous as it was fun. I loved reading her come to terms with being a fairy, and at points the plot was a little to clean, to resolved for believability, the charms of the characters made up for that immensely. The action scenes and magical world Livingston created were doused with detail and rich visuals that portrayed a fantastic view of the Fae world.

I found the writing to flow at a fast past and thought the humor, drama and magic worked together beautifully resulting in a big cloud of cotton candy.

Swearing is minimal and the biggest sex scene is kissing, this is a lovely tale for teens and adults alike. Id recommend this for 14 and up. Blog with Bite Rating 4/4

Discussion Questions

1.Faeries seem to be very big in YA lit lately, how does Wondrous Strange compare to others in its genre such as Lament, Wicked Lovely, etc.? I think the world of the Fae was more believable and more fairyish (is that a word?) than the trendy stuff out right now, it was edgy without being extreme, ie like Tithe which took the darkness, trend and drugs to far IMO for YA.


2.How did you view the relationship with Kelley and Sonny, was it a believable romance? I loved the romance....I think it started the right way....kelley was freaked out at first but then slowly fell for him, as slow as you can in a 200 something book.

3.Wondrous Strange was written in the typical fashion of paranormal literature, with the protagonist unaware of her supernatural abilities, meets boy who introduces her to the world... do you find these plot lines tiresome in their likeness, or do you believe there are always similarities within fiction and it is all about the deeper story? Im finding them a bit overdone.....but I did enjoy this story, I thought it was sweet.........

Wondrous Strange - Deadline Today & Discussion Questions

Don't forget today is the deadline for the Wondrous Strange reviews. Our Top Reviewer will receive a signed copy of Darklight provided by the author, Lesley Livingston! {DETAILS}

You can have reviewed Wondrous Strange at any time, as long as you submit it here (link above - Submit Review - ) and include a Blog with Bite banner.

Review deadline is at midnight tonight CST.  Judging of the reviews will begin tomorrow. Thanks!

Here are some discussion questions for everyone, purely optional, to spark conversation about the book.

1. Faeries seem to be very big in YA lit lately, how does Wondrous Strange compare to others in its genre such as Lament, Wicked Lovely, etc.?
2. How did you view the relationship with Kelley and Sonny, was it a believable romance?
3. Wondrous Strange was written in the typical fashion of paranormal literature, with the protagonist unaware of her supernatural abilities, meets boy who introduces her to the world... do you find these plot lines tiresome in their likeness, or do you believe there are always similarities within fiction and it is all about the deeper story?

Blog with Bite February Features!

February Blog with Bite Features - Polls Are Closed and the Winners are in!

Our February Adult Selection will by The Host, by Stephanie Meyer. 

Description (Barnes & Noble):
Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of their human hosts while leaving their bodies intact, and most of humanity has succumbed.

Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, knew about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the too vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of the man Melanie loves-Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer yearns for a man she's never met. As outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off to search for the man they both love.

Featuring what may be the first love triangle involving only two bodies, THE HOST is a riveting and unforgettable novel that will bring a vast new readership to one of the most compelling writers of our time.

February YA Selection will be Firespell (Dark Elite, Book 1) by Chloe Neill

Description from Amazon.com

New Girl.
New School.
Old Evil.

From the author of the Chicagoland Vampires novels.

A new series about a boarding school filled with something worse than homework.

Lily's parents have sent her to a fancy boarding school in Chicago filled with the ultra-rich. If that wasn't bad enough, she's hearing and seeing bizarre things on St. Sophie's creepy campus. Her roommate, Scout, keeps her sane, but keeps disappearing at night. When one day Lily finds Scout running from real-life monsters, she learns the hard way that Scout is involved in a splinter group of rebel teens.

They protect Chicago from demons, vamps, and dark magic users. It's too bad Lily doesn't have powers of her own to help. At least, none that she's discovered yet...

Wondrous Strange Tid Bits

Fun Book Trailer Time...

Major Announcement!!!! Signed Copy of Darklight!

For those of you planning on reviewing Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston.  Major News! Ms. Livingston was gracious enough to offer a SIGNED copy of Darklight for our Top Reviewer. 

That's right! Your talented review can get you the next book in the series. Personalized just for you.

Note: Some reviewers have already turned in their reviews.  Reviews have not been read yet...if you would like to revise in the spirit of competition, we will not be judging until probably Feb 1st.  Winner will be announced shortly after.

This is not a giveaway, this is a competition, reviews will be judged on writing ability and content.  Here are the rules & judging guidelines:

1. Winner of our the Top Reviewer award will receive a signed copy of Darklight by Lesley Livingston
2. To enter this competition, please submit a review of Wondrous Strange through our Submit Review link above
3. Deadline to enter your review is January 30th
4. Blog with Bite banner must be placed on the review
5. You can have written this review at any time in the past, just have your link ready and the banner on the post

Judging Guidelines:

1. Judging will begin the day after all reviews are entered
2. Judges are the Blog with Bite HBIC's, Parajunkee, Tina & Emily
3. Judges promise to comment on your review once they have read it.
   
4. Like all past Top Reviewer judging, reviews are read through and the following criteria is taken into account:
1. Is the review coherent and makes sense?
2. Are there spelling errors & grammar issues?
3. If the reviewer stated likes and dislikes did they give examples?
4. Were you entertained by the review?
5. Was there a Blog with Bite banner on the review?

If you have an questions, please comment and we will try our best to answer as soon as possible.

Thanks everyone, and I'm hoping this will be come a common occurrence with our group reviews.

Winners! Beautiful Creature Winners!

Thank you for every one who entered the Beautiful Creatures Giveaway here at the Blog with Bite.  I think this was our biggest giveaway turn out yet, with just under 100 entrants with a total of 349 entries in all.  Thanks guys, and stay tuned for the next contest, coming sooner than you think!  Also if anyone has read Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston, the review deadline is the 30th...and word on the street is that there might be something special for this books Top Reviewer!


Ok enough with all the yammering, here are our winners. Courtesy of random.org #s 1-349


#36 Elizabeth Lefebvre
#123 Stacy Stew

Thanks again to Alice Morley @
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for offering up the copies of Beautiful Creatures for Giveaway!

READ WONDROUS STRANGE ONLINE FOR FREE!

What timing! Woot Woot. Whoa is us that already bought this book, but if you haven't here is the link from Goodreads.com that brings you to the HarperTeen Website:

http://browseinside.harperteen.com/index.aspx?isbn13=9780061575372&WT.mc_id=PBAN_GOODREADS_DARKLIGHT_012010