You'll never look at The Wizard of Oz the same way ever again

Most people are aware of the reimagining of the classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in the form of the book entitled Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire and/or the musical by Winnie Holzman. However, Dorothy Must Die takes a completely different spin on the classic tale. In Paige's version, Dorothy has returned to Oz and she is the epitome of all things evil. The Tin Woodman, Scarecrow, Lion, and Glinda are her willing participants in turning Oz into a fearful, corrupt place devoid of any happiness (other than Dorothy's own). Amy Gumm (also from Kansas) has stumbled into this world and she is tasked with the ultimate mission: Kill Dorothy. This book is the first in a series (which I will HAVE to read just as soon as I can get my mitts on the prequel novellas) and the sequel has just come out entitled The Wicked Will Rise. I highly recommend this to anyone who is 1. A fan of the original Oz series by L. Frank Baum. 2. A fan of Wicked. 3. A fan of fairytales being turned on their head (think Once Upon a Time). Trust me, guys, this one is worth your while.


Whenever I'm feeling conflicted about which book to pick up next, I hit the stacks in the library and wait for inspiration to strike. That's how I came across The Inheritance by Louisa May Alcott. Some of you may remember Little Women, Little Men, and Jo's Boys which were also authored by Alcott. That series was one of my absolute favorites (and still is come to think of it). I remember bringing it home from the school library and telling my mom in excited tones about these sisters (I'm an only child) who lived in a different time. So when I saw that there was a book by her that I hadn't read much less heard of I had to take it home with me. The Inheritance was written when Alcott was just 17 and in fact was her first work. It was unpublished until 1997 when it was discovered by biographers. It's a flowery romantic story that centers on a character named Edith who has all the charms and graces of an aristocrat without any of the legitimacy of the class...or does she? Guess you'll have to check back in later this week for my review to find out (or should I keep it a secret?).


PS It was made into a tv movie and I think you know what means. There's my Friday night sorted!

Talk about your twist ending!!

Whoever wrote the blurb on the back of The Secret Keeper, was not exaggerating. You will most definitely be surprised by all the twists and turns of this mystery. It is so multilayered that I often wondered how all of the different narrative threads converged...then about 30 pages from the end I started to suspect I had figured out the BIG reveal. In a book that was almost 500 pages long, this is quite the feat. Morton's characters are so vibrant that they fairly leap off of the page. It's separated into 4 different sections that focus on different characters and help to gradually fill in the details of the secret (hence the name) that has loomed large over Laurel's life since she was sixteen years old. Most of the story is focused on London during the Blitz of WWII and it's clear that the author did her research on the time period which further enriches the story. In fact, Kate Morton has earned herself a spot on my Favorite Authors List. (Also, I bought another one of her books that I'll be reviewing a little later this year.)

Since I'm traveling this weekend, I chose a book that I'd been eyeing for a while to read next. I'm going to be reading and reviewing Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige. Of course, after I picked this one up I discovered there were two prequel novellas also available...only time will tell if I'll have to pick those up as well (and there's a sequel too!). These books tell the story of Amy Gumm who hails from Kansas and made her way to Oz like another girl we've all heard of: Dorothy Gale. However, Amy's experience is decidedly disparate from the story we all know and love. Amy's been recruited by an organization known as the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked and she has been tasked with a mission...killing Dorothy. As a fan of the original L. Frank Baum Oz series which began with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, I am intrigued to see the direction in which Paige has taken these beloved characters. I'll be updating you soon with my thoughts!!

What books are you guys reading? Have any recommendations for me? Leave a comment below! :-)