Review - Kill Me Softly

Kill Me Softly

Author: Sarah Cross
Series: Stand-Alone (possible series?)
Publisher: EdgemontUSA
Release Date: April 10, 2012
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Library
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 336
Order here: Amazon or B&N

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)

Mirabelle's past is shrouded in secrecy, from her parents' tragic deaths to her guardians' half-truths about why she can't return to her birthplace, Beau Rivage. Desperate to see the town, Mira runs away a week before her sixteenth birthday—and discovers a world she never could have imagined.

In Beau Rivage, nothing is what it seems—the strangely pale girl with a morbid interest in apples, the obnoxious playboy who's a beast to everyone he meets, and the chivalrous guy who has a thing for damsels in distress. Here, fairy tales come to life, curses are awakened, and ancient stories are played out again and again.

But fairy tales aren't pretty things, and they don't always end in happily ever after. Mira has a role to play, a fairy tale destiny to embrace or resist. As she struggles to take control of her fate, Mira is drawn into the lives of two brothers with fairy tale curses of their own . . . brothers who share a dark secret. And she'll find that love, just like fairy tales, can have sharp edges and hidden thorns.

 
Review:

This book isn't what I was expecting when I picked it up from the library. Not that i didn't like it, because I did! Kill Me Softly is a bit of a dark twist on classic fairy tales. These definitely aren't the Disney versions of fairy tales. They are full on Grimm type fairy tales. They were many times I found myself feeling creeped-out!

There were so many fairy tale references thrown into this book. Sarah Cross did a wonderful job of mixing them together so well! Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, and so many more! She even came up with her own random curses as well, like poor Jewel!

I loved the supporting characters! It was so much fun to read about a character and realize what fairy tale they belonged to! Viv (Snow White) was clear from her black hair, ruby lips, and obvious hatred for apples. Layla and Rafe (Beauty & The Beast) were hilarious! Freddie (Prince Phillip from Sleeping Beauty, if going by Disney) was absolutely adorable! Caspian (Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid) was cute too!

Now, the main characters. Honestly, I didn't too much care about the main characters much. Mira kind of got on my nerves. The whole, "I just met you and I love you 5 minutes later" reminds me of Doug from Up.
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I'm also really unnerved by the fact that she just accepted what's going on around her without question, like a bunch of fairy tale characters in one place isn't weird.

I know it's a curse of Blue and Felix, but it just got annoying. I never really liked Felix from the beginning. Blue was a bit funny. He had some quotable moments. But I didn't find myself falling in love with him or anything.

The ending left me wanting more. The resolution with the antagonist just didn't happen, and it disappointed me. There are other things as well that requires, for me, that there is at least a sequel (more minor characters!!!!!)

Overall, it was a good book, and I have heard that there will maybe be sequels, so I'm kinda excited for that. I hope that the future books will focus more on the stories of the other characters than Mira and Blue.  Sarah is also working on a companion novel about Viv (Snow White) which is exciting because I really loved her!

Sarah Cross also is posting FREE short fairy tale based stories set in Beau Rivage here.  So check those out!