Book Review: Juliet Immortal

Title: Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay

Release Date: August 9, 2011
Publisher: Delacort Books for Young Readers
Pages: 304 pages
Genre: Paranormal
Rating: 3.5 stars
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary: The most tragic love story in history . . . Juliet Capulet didn't take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, a sacrifice made to ensure his own immortality. But what Romeo didn't anticipate was that Juliet would be granted eternity, as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light. For 700 years, she's fought Romeo for the souls of true lovers, struggling to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent. Until the day she meets someone she's forbidden to love, and Romeo, oh Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy that love.

Juliet Immortal has an interesting premise. It’s both a retelling and a continuation of a story that most of us know very well.

After Romeo betrays Juliet to gain immortality from the Mercenaries, or the agents of dark, she is recruited to work for the Ambassadors, the agents of light. As an immortal, Romeo is sent to couples who are destined to be soul mates and convince them to choose immortality over love by killing each other. Juliet is sent to the same couple but her job is to convince them to love, not kill, each other.

Juliet has a really tough job. Not only does she have to physically and emotionally fight Romeo (who is always trying to kill her, again), her mission is further complicated by the body of the girl she temporarily inhabits. Prior to Juliet’s soul moving in, Ariel is an emotionally damaged girl with low self esteem. I love that Juliet works to make Ariel’s life better, to improve the relationships with Ariel’s loved ones. I also love how this story is told from Juliet’s perspective and she is the hero, not the victim in the story. Not everything or everyone is as they seem initially, and there are some nice twists in the book that I was not expecting.

While I like many things about the story, I’m not crazy about the insta-love in the book and the speed at which the entire story takes place. I do understand that the story mirrors Romeo and Juliet which happens fairly quickly as well, but I just wasn’t feeling it. I love Ben’s character and I see why he and Juliet like each other, but again the all consuming love after a few days is wearing thin on me. Why do the events of so many YA novels take place in a week or less? I also thought the ending of Juliet Immortal was a bit contrived.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and Jay’s writing. I like the original take on a classic and think anyone who enjoys YA will like this more Juliet empowered version of Shakespeare’s tragedy.

Content: Kissing, sexual situations, mild profanity and violence

Giveaway: A Vampire Christmas Carol

Title: A Vampire Christmas Carol by Sarah Gray
Release Date: Sept. 27, 2011
Publisher: Kensington

Goodreads Summary: Ebenezer Scrooge has never been known for the greatness of his heart. A miser, a leech, a penny-pinching old coot... Say what you will about him, though—he’s never actually sucked someone’s blood. That dubious honor belongs to the vampires who surround him, preying on the weak and laying traps for the strong. They’ve dogged his footsteps since he was born, driving him from the love of his friends, family, and faithful fiancée.

Now, on Christmas Eve, Scrooge’s old friend Jacob Marley rises from the grave to warn him about the evil gathering around him. With three mysterious spirits to guide him, he rediscovers his lost love Belle, toiling fearlessly as a seamstress by day and vampire hunter by night. He sees the secrets of his nephew Fred and his clerk Bob Cratchit, who risk their lives as Belle’s loyal soldiers. And he learns of the plot mounting to attack all of them, starting with the innocent sacrifice of Bob’s son Tiny Tim…

Scrooge has only one night to save himself and all that he once treasured—but if he can vanquish the vampires, he might finally earn back the love he cast away...

Since I have two ARCs of A Vampire Christmas Carol, I thought I would give someone an opportunity to read it by doing a giveaway, plus I will inclucle some swag. Please fill out the form and while you don’t have to be a follower to enter, you will get an extra entry if you are and another for tweeting the about the giveaway. Good luck and thanks for participating!

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Review of Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg

Release Date: Jan. 1, 2011
Publisher: Point
Pages: 231 pages
Genre: Romance, Classical retelling
Rating: 3.5 stars
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary: After winter break, the girls at the very prestigious Longbourn Academy become obsessed with the prom. Lizzie Bennet, who attends Longbourn on a scholarship, isn’t interested in designer dresses and expensive shoes, but her best friend, Jane, might be — especially now that Charles Bingley is back from a semester in London.

Lizzie is happy about her friend’s burgeoning romance but less than impressed by Charles’s friend, Will Darcy, who’s snobby and pretentious. Darcy doesn’t seem to like Lizzie either, but she assumes it’s because her family doesn’t have money. Clearly, Will Darcy is a pompous jerk — so why does Lizzie find herself drawn to him anyway?

Will Lizzie’s pride and Will’s prejudice keep them apart? Or are they a prom couple in the making?

Review:  I really love Pride & Prejudice and so when I saw that Elizabeth Eulberg was writing a modern YA version of P&P I was very excited and have been looking forward to it for months.

I started reading the book with a huge smile on my face because it really did feel like I was catching up with old friends. I knew everyone’s personality, the love interest, the villains, there was definitely a feeling of comfort and home for me in the book.

Elizabeth Eulberg has written almost all the characters that we love (or love to hate) in this book, most of them even have their original names. Darcy is not quite as swoon worthy as he is in the original, but hot nonetheless. Lizzie is sweet and smart, a little too mean to Darcy for too long of a time, but she’s Lizzie so we love her.

I did notice a few things that I thought were off. The language the characters used would be formal at some points and modern the next. Additionally, because I knew P&P, the book was a bit predictable for the first two-thirds, but did throw some surprises at the end.

Overall, this was a fun and very quick read. I would recommend it to both readers who don’t know the original at all and would like a very casual introduction, and to fans of the original who would love to read something a bit different with their beloved P&P characters.

Content: Some underage drinking.