The story starts out with Omorose traveling with her father when a earthquake hits and merges her magic world with our magicless world. Our world hunts the people from their world that have magic. Omorose having magic must hide it for years before running away to the Beast's kingdom to freely use her magic even through her magic drains her life. While learning how to use her magic, she falls in love with Cole the "beast" of the book. During Omoroses time in the castle she discovers a sleeping luminous lady, why she's cursed, and Cole's secrets. Going into the Withering Rose, I wasn't sure if I'd actually would like the book because the reviews were only lukewarm and I can be fussy about my books ;). But I figured it's a fairytale retelling and I have a hard time finding retellings I don't like or love. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I started reading Withering Rose and I really liked it. I mean I really liked it - like a lot. It was creative and well thought out how the magic and fairytale characters came to our world. The book is similar to a traditional Beauty & Beast story but with some differences. Such as the "Beast" is a shapeshifter not actually cursed (though his subjects are kind of cursed) and it is Omorose (Beauty) who is cursed. Another difference (and for me one of the negatives of the book) is that Cole (Beast) doesn't have any character growth. He's not brutish, cruel, or lacking manners like the traditional Beast. Although if anyone in the book were to have character it'd be Omorose but even she really doesn't have any character growth. For me, Withering Rose is a now in my top 5 fairytale retellings books. I'd recommend for anyone who likes Beauty & the Beast, fairytales retellings, or Once Upon a Time. I'm now going to buy the first book in the series because I loved and enjoyed Withering Rose so much. I read Withering Rose without reading Gathering Frost the first book in the series. It can be read as a stand-alone but will spoil some stuff from the first book. *I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The story starts out with Omorose traveling with her father when a earthquake hits and merges her magic world with our magicless world. Our world hunts the people from their world that have magic. Omorose having magic must hide it for years before running away to the Beast's kingdom to freely use her magic even through her magic drains her life. While learning how to use her magic, she falls in love with Cole the "beast" of the book. During Omoroses time in the castle she discovers a sleeping luminous lady, why she's cursed, and Cole's secrets. Going into the Withering Rose, I wasn't sure if I'd actually would like the book because the reviews were only lukewarm and I can be fussy about my books ;). But I figured it's a fairytale retelling and I have a hard time finding retellings I don't like or love. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I started reading Withering Rose and I really liked it. I mean I really liked it - like a lot. It was creative and well thought out how the magic and fairytale characters came to our world. The book is similar to a traditional Beauty & Beast story but with some differences. Such as the "Beast" is a shapeshifter not actually cursed (though his subjects are kind of cursed) and it is Omorose (Beauty) who is cursed. Another difference (and for me one of the negatives of the book) is that Cole (Beast) doesn't have any character growth. He's not brutish, cruel, or lacking manners like the traditional Beast. Although if anyone in the book were to have character it'd be Omorose but even she really doesn't have any character growth. For me, Withering Rose is a now in my top 5 fairytale retellings books. I'd recommend for anyone who likes Beauty & the Beast, fairytales retellings, or Once Upon a Time. I'm now going to buy the first book in the series because I loved and enjoyed Withering Rose so much. I read Withering Rose without reading Gathering Frost the first book in the series. It can be read as a stand-alone but will spoil some stuff from the first book. *I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When I read the title Nemesis, I'm expecting the book to have hatred, anger, or maybe vengeance theme to it. Some wrong that turned people against each other or created an archenemy. Something that actually requires the word nemesis. Yet, the book's only reason for the title nemesis is that a group of people split from Serubel kingdom some hundreds of years ago to create the kingdom Theoria and Serubel kingdom lost the war to bring the Theorian people back. So, basically the Serubelians are sore losers. Of course now the main character (Sepora) must be enemies with the rival kingdom. That could be a good reason for the rivalry but the main character seems to have no real emotion of hate (or really any emotion at all) against the other kingdom Theoria. Story plot: Sepora's father wants to use her ability to make a energy containing metal to make weapons against other kingdoms and take them over. Because she feels this is wrong Sepora flees Serubel. After fleeing she is captured by stereotypical thieves (two bothers - one is the brains of the operation and one is the muscle and stupid) and sold to the king. By the way, Serpora traveling the desert, getting captured, and sold (and the plague going through the kingdom) takes up 44% of the book. After being sold to the king, Sepora is appointed to be the chief adviser's servant where she sells out her kingdoms secrets without a second thought (reason why the title Nemesis doesn't make sense). The king and Sepora (of course because it was advertised on the cover) fall in love. The book's plot is pretty obvious from the blurb of Nemesis. You know how the book will go even before you start reading it. My recommendation is to read the blurb if it sounds like a book you'd like - read it. Just because it is such a transparent blurb. Fans of Anna Banks previous books will enjoy Nemesis. It's writing style and flavor is exactly like her other books. I know the author has no part in designing the book cover but the cover does not go with the book at all. It looks like it should be with an alien story - just saying. I guess it's to show that Sepora makes a silver metallic metal... *Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for the opportunity to read this book.

When I read the title Nemesis, I'm expecting the book to have hatred, anger, or maybe vengeance theme to it. Some wrong that turned people against each other or created an archenemy. Something that actually requires the word nemesis. Yet, the book's only reason for the title nemesis is that a group of people split from Serubel kingdom some hundreds of years ago to create the kingdom Theoria and Serubel kingdom lost the war to bring the Theorian people back. So, basically the Serubelians are sore losers. Of course now the main character (Sepora) must be enemies with the rival kingdom. That could be a good reason for the rivalry but the main character seems to have no real emotion of hate (or really any emotion at all) against the other kingdom Theoria. Story plot: Sepora's father wants to use her ability to make a energy containing metal to make weapons against other kingdoms and take them over. Because she feels this is wrong Sepora flees Serubel. After fleeing she is captured by stereotypical thieves (two bothers - one is the brains of the operation and one is the muscle and stupid) and sold to the king. By the way, Serpora traveling the desert, getting captured, and sold (and the plague going through the kingdom) takes up 44% of the book. After being sold to the king, Sepora is appointed to be the chief adviser's servant where she sells out her kingdoms secrets without a second thought (reason why the title Nemesis doesn't make sense). The king and Sepora (of course because it was advertised on the cover) fall in love. The book's plot is pretty obvious from the blurb of Nemesis. You know how the book will go even before you start reading it. My recommendation is to read the blurb if it sounds like a book you'd like - read it. Just because it is such a transparent blurb. Fans of Anna Banks previous books will enjoy Nemesis. It's writing style and flavor is exactly like her other books. I know the author has no part in designing the book cover but the cover does not go with the book at all. It looks like it should be with an alien story - just saying. I guess it's to show that Sepora makes a silver metallic metal... *Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for the opportunity to read this book.

My biggest issue with the book was that I had a hard time engaging in the story and I struggled to finish it. I probably would have stopped if it wasn't an ARC. I did like the idea of the of the backstory of the Queen of Hearts. How she become the evil Queen of Hearts, but to be the book dragged on never really picking up. I was hoping this book would be like Splintered (by A.G. Howard) but nope it wasn't anything like it. Pros: Does have some interesting takes on traditional Wonderland characters. Such as her brother is the Mad Hatter and is actually crazy. Not romanced focus (per say) it's more on becoming queen of Wonderland, her daddy issues, and jealously of new found sister. Cons: Could have done more, been more creative, been more wacky (it's Wonderland for Pete's sake). Especially since it is written from the villains side there is potential there for a good story. Note: that cover is so cute using the queen of hearts card. *Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperTeen for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Not that the book was written bad it's just that I felt that it was written more for middle grade or young YA. I probably would have loved the book when I was in middle school or 9th grade but now not so much. Honestly, the book felt I like I'd read a hundred books with a similar plot. Special girl (aka special snow flake), forgettable secondary characters, and a Thor-like love interest. I would recommend this book to an older middle schooler or a young high schooler. *Thank you to Edelweiss and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read and review this book.