Author: Alethea Kontis
Series: Enchanted #1
Release Date: May 8, 2012
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Pages: 305
Source: publisher (Thanks so much, HMH!!)
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Author
Stars: 4.5/5
It isn't easy being the rather overlooked and unhappy youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week. Sunday’s only comfort is writing stories, although what she writes has a terrible tendency to come true.MY THOUGHTS:
When Sunday meets an enchanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical. One night Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland—and a man Sunday’s family despises.
The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction for this prince she barely knows? And what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past - and hers?
(summary taken from Goodreads)
Absolutely ADORABLE. Magical. Smile-inducing. And so incredibly sweet! This book is one of the many reasons why I love fairytales and their re-tellings so much!
Enchanted may mention some of my favourite fairytales — from The Princess and the Frog to Cinderella to Jack and the Beanstalk and more! — but it's much more than just a re-telling of them all. Alethea Kontis weaves them perfectly into an original and surprisingly complex story that's her own, adding in a cast of fantastic characters that will steal your heart away.
Sweet and caring and determined and clever, I adored Sunday from start to finish! Both she and Rumbold (my new favourite frog prince) warmed my heart repeatedly. I love how the very first time she kisses him as a frog, he doesn't change back right away. It was sweetly realistic.
Some people may be turned off by the promise of insta-love (since this is a fairytale, after all), but the author managed to pull it off perfectly without making it feel like overwhelming devotion! And even if that instant spark does bother you at first, I promise that by the end of the book, you'll love them both too much to care.
Beautiful, enchanting, and everything I could ever ask for, Enchanted is one of my favourite re-tellings of anything to date! Alethea Kontis, like Sunday, is a masterful storyteller, and you should definitely be prepared to smile when you pick up this book. :)
BUY or BORROW?: An absolute MUST-have for anyone who likes (or just appreciates) fairytales at all, but even if you don't, I'd recommend this book anyways!
-Mimi
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Great review Mimi! I've been wondering if I should check this one out and I now I know I have to! Thank you for sharing! <3
ReplyDeleteif the instaluv was well-executed then I wont have a problem with this book, it really sounds so good! I need to add this on my list. thanks for the lovely review Mimi x
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Oh dear! I cant wait to get this adorable and sweet tale in my hand! excellent review my dear Mimi!! you spread the sweetness of this book with you words!!
ReplyDeleteI cant waiiiiiiit! I love fairy tales!! and re-telling have lately demonstrate to be something I can get very attached to!
have a lovely week my dear! muah!
★Dazzling Reads★
I LOVE fairy tales and re-tellings of fairy tales so Enchanted sounds perfect :D It's also great how overall it's very original, not several fairy tale plots rehashed! You've made me want to read this. I can't wait :D Awesome review, Mimi!
ReplyDeleteThis is the first review I've read for Enchanted and I am SOLD! Oh, it sounds like such a beautiful story and I am currently love love loving fairytale retellings (Cinder and also Once Upon A Time - AMAZING SHOW!). It's always so fascinating to see what new twist the author will bring to the original. And I'm happy the 'insta love' actually forms into something emotionally moving!
ReplyDeleteYou have made me so eager to read this. Amazing review, Mimi! I'm excited for release!
Ahhh yayy!! I'm so excited to read this one :) This is the first review I've seen for it, and I'm so happy to see that it's a good one!!! Great review love!
ReplyDeleteAnna @ Literary Exploration
The last time I read a re-telling that incorporated a lot of my beloved fairy tales was a while back, and it was by Alex Flinn! Stories like that instantly take me back to my childhood, and so they are much beloved. I think I'd get the same experience from Enchanted, which is definitely something to look forward to! Thanks for letting me know about this book, Mimi. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely more likely to buy insta-love in a fairy-tale story since most of the originals kind of had that. I'm really interested in this one; now I just need to get myself a copy!
ReplyDeleteWow, great review! I hadn't heard too much about this one before, but it's on my wishlist now :)
ReplyDeleteoh my gosh, Mimi, this review is so sugary sweet that it makes me even more excited for it! I'm with you on fairytale retellings and I love that you said it's more than a retelling! I don't mind instalove in fairytales but it's great to hear the author pulled it off anyway. Love your review, Mimi! ♥
ReplyDeleteI'm totally in love with the cover lol. And what can I say? I also love fairy tales. So now it's definitive I really need to read this book! Thank you for introducing it to me! Great review
ReplyDeleteI so adore fairytale retellings, I definitely need to get my hands on this one! Sometimes you just want that sweet, adorable read that brings a huge smile to your face without ripping your heart out first and then piecing it back together *cough* Pandemonium *cough*. Lovely review as always Mimi, I know if your this enthusiastic about this book, it's one I must make time for:)
ReplyDeletethis soundsa so sweet/hope i get it soon
ReplyDeleteI love the idea for this one a lot. It sounds really charming and sweet. I'm so want to know how everything plays out once the frog is turned back into a prince and why he was a frog in the first place. This one sounds like a winner! Thanks for the awesome review!
ReplyDeleteI've been waiting for your review for this! I'm SO glad to see you enjoyed it too, Mimi. I definitely agree that it was a wonderfully sweet book and it also reminded me of some great fairy-tales. Awesome review! :)
ReplyDeleteThat's the kind of instalove I can handle. I love when the chemistry feels real and you can't help but love the two characters so much that it doesn't really matter. I love fairy tales! So I'm definitely giving this one a whirl, and be excited while doing so ;)
ReplyDelete— Asher
I don't think I've heard much, if anything, about this one. It certainly sounds amazing and your review has me thinking it's a must read! And I love the cover!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh what an amazing review, Mimi! Now I know I absolutely can't let this pass. It sounds so sweet. And yeah I usually don't like insta love but hey, there has to be good insta love somewhere (if that makes sense).
ReplyDeleteAnd I love well-written retellings and even if the princess and the frog is not my favorite tale, I'm actually excited to read it as a retelling in a YA novel, and for you to have liked it that much, then it's really something :)
I'm loving your reviews more and more, Mimi, I'm glad I found your blog ♥
MIMI!!!!!! YOUR REVIEW was absolutely adorable, magical, smile-inducing, and so incredibly sweet! I can't think of a better way to describe the magic you just wrote. You know I love you like crazy, even when you tempt me with amazing books more and more every day, right? (; I want to meet Rumbold and fall in love with him & Sunday too! Or in other words: I really want to read this book!!!
ReplyDeleteFantabulous review, Mimi-Doll!! <3333333 You'll be happy to know that I just pre-ordered this from Chapters. (:
OMG I want this book so bad now! First of all I love the cover and hello who doesn't love fairytales?!?!?! I can't wait to grab a copy of this one myself becuase if it's anywhere near as good as you make it sound I need a copy for myself! Amazing review Mimi! Why can't May come sooner!?!?! Off to pre-order ;-)
ReplyDeleteOhhhhh! I love the sound of this. Why haven't I taken the time to really check this one out before? o.o Gosh! I love re-tellings and your favorite out there? *adds to wishlist* Now I want this BAD! Great review :D
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to hear that the insta-love is well done! Insta-love drives me bananas unless it's believable. Plus, I love fairytales! This one looks great. I haven't heard much about it, but your review alone makes me want to read it. Nice review, Mimi!
ReplyDeleteI'm dying to read this one! Besides the gorgeous cover, I love fairytales and haven't read a retelling yet of The Frog Prince. Even though this has insta-love, I'm going to excuse it because it's based on a fairytale. I want, I want!
ReplyDeleteOh man, this book looks amazing. Gorgeous cover AND gorgeous story? A freaking fairytale?! *mad flailing* WHY IS THIS NOT ON MY SHELF ALREADY (who cares that it hasn't been released yet. HUMPH!). Your review has made me even more excited to read this! EEEK.
ReplyDeleteI was sold at the mention of a fairytale retelling. Even if they're now completely new, something about the re-creation of fairy tales takes me back to my childhood and I get the feeling this one is going to be amazing. Insta-love? Oh well, I guess I can forgive it this time :)
ReplyDeleteAww, I LOVE fairytale! Definitely a book to look up for! And look at the cover. Me want the gown! Pretty please? <3
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful review, Mimi! I love love your review, you make me so eager to read this story! Oh, and the idea of frog prince? AWESOME! I love insta-love in fairytale, so I won't mind it! <3 I really can't wait to read this book, thanks for the awesome review, Mimi! :)
This sounds like a fun and whimsical read, and even though I normally cringe at the idea of insta-love, for some reason, I can always tolerate it much better in a fairy tale retelling. I guess maybe because it's kind of how I expect those kind of stories to be? Does that make sense? Anyways...might have to look into this one!
ReplyDeleteMimi, dearest, you are MADE OF MAGIC. Thank you so much for this...and for all the enthusiastic replies! My heart is smiling so hard right now. This is the best community EVER. *bearhugs*
ReplyDelete(Oh -- and is it okay if I adopt the term "insta-love"? SO brilliant.)
No problem! I'm glad it's made you want to read it too! I'm planning on giving away an ARC of it (porbbaly internationally) soonish, in an upcoming giveaway hop.
ReplyDeleteEeee, OK... this is the first I've ever read the blurb for this book, and it sounds AMAZING!
ReplyDeleteMIMI! Like ALWAYS, you make this sound AMAZING with your boundless enthusiasm! I love it! And it sounds so SO much fun and magic and perfection. I'd never even considered reading it before, and now I'm DYING to! FABULOUS review! ♥
Really? reallyreallyreally???? I've been looking forward to this one but was expecting 3-4 stars...but now I'm really excited! I'll work really hard to keep my expectations down so I don't ruin it for myself...but now I'm sooo excited! :D Thanks for yet another great review! :)
ReplyDeleteOH MY GOD. I WANTTTTTT <333 I have yet to read a negative review for this, and judging by every single review I've read, I'M DEFINITELY GOING TO LIKE IT! :DD Eeeee! I LOVEEEEE fairy-tales! Even though there's insta-love (which I might add, is my single most hated aspect in YA novels), I have a feeling I'll love this one! I don't mind insta-love in fairy-tales- I mean, look at Cinderella and Snow White and The Princess and the Frog, THEY'RE ALL THE BEST FAIRY-TALES EVER <3 There's no way I'm giving up reading this; I shall hunt down a copy SOON (pleaseeeee let it be MAY already!) and devour it <3 Sounds soooo amazing <3 Fantastic review, Mimi!! I'm sooo glad you loved this!
ReplyDeleteI just finished this one today and have yet to write a review for it! I'm really glad you enjoyed it. I really loved how the author used a lot of different fairy-tales. As usual awesome review!
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