Kill Me Softly

February 15, 2012
A girl struggles to escape her fairy-tale fate in this suspenseful fantasy. Mira will turn 16 in a few days. Though she loves her godmothers, she wants to return to the city of her birth and find her parents' graves, one of the many things that her godmothers forbid. She runs away and travels to Beau Rivage, not knowing that the town is magical and that she risks death by returning. She quickly meets a boy she instantly dislikes, Blue, who has blue, spiked hair and seems to enjoy insulting her. But Blue's older brother Felix charms her and gives her a free luxury room in the family's casino hotel. Mira can't understand why everyone warns her not to spend time with Felix, and she quickly falls in love with him. Finally, Mira learns that she, with the other teens in the story, is cursed to live out fairy tales. She finds herself caught in not just one foretold fate that threatens her, but two--and the second could kill her. Cross, who knows her fairy tales, weaves a number of them into her story, giving them interesting twists as she applies them to her vulnerable and rebellious teen characters. Earnest Freddie, cynical Viv and captivating Felix all stand out as the archetypes they're supposed to embody, and as individuals as well. Clever fun. (Fantasy. 14 & up)

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May 1, 2012

Gr 8 Up-When Mirabelle runs away from her godmothers to Beau Rivage, the city where she was born, she hopes to discover answers about her parents' tragic death. Instead, she finds a group of unusual teenagers, each with a fairy-tale curse. In this strange seaside city, scenarios from fairy tales are played out over and over, and Mira has her own part in the drama: she's a "Somnolent," doomed to prick her finger and fall into an enchanted sleep like Sleeping Beauty. The problem is she's not interested in the charming (but slightly boring) "prince" who is fated to be her romantic counterpart. Mira is much more attracted to suave, handsome Felix, who bears a curse he can't, or won't, explain to her. Felix's brother Blue repeatedly warns Mira that Felix is a danger to her, but Mira is sure that the magical patterns can be broken. When she finally uncovers Felix's gruesome secret, she must find a way to turn her own curse into a means of escape. Mira is a likable heroine who is strong enough to buck the dangerous and strange situation she finds herself caught in. This novel has elements of tales from Grimm, Perrault, and Andersen, including familiar stories as well as some that aren't well-known. This modern fairy-tale mash-up will appeal to fans of urban fantasy and is a solid choice for any collection.-Misti Tidman, Licking County Library, Newark, OH

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