Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collections
Publication
HarperTeen (2012), Epub, 352 pages
Description
Tells the story of Kendra, a witch, and the first three-hundred years of her life, including takes on a classic fairy tale, the 1666 plague in Britain, the Titanic disaster, and the story of a modern-day, plain stepsister.
User reviews
LibraryThing member DarkFaerieTales
Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: This first installment of the Kendra Chronicles has some interesting, if unsatisfying, retellings of classic fairy tales.
Opening Sentence: If you read fairy tales, and who doesn’t, you might believe there are witches all over the place–witches
The Review:
Mis-marketing might be the biggest problem with this book. After reading the synopsis you might think this story is going to be about Kendra, the badass witch we’ve met in Alex Flinn’s other books. After the first 45 pages, it’s not. It becomes a montage of Kendra’s other curses and spells gone wrong. Some of them are pretty funny, if not clever, but with the exception of Lisette and Emma’s story nothing was very engaging. We weren’t given enough time to like the characters, much less care about them. I think the series is supposed to be more about Kendra’s life, with little snippets provided in each book. Personally, I don’t like it. I don’t really like Kendra in this, and though it’s supposedly her story, she’s not the main character. After the short story about her beginnings as a witch at the start of the story, we really only get paragraphs from her perspective.
Hansel and Gretel transforms into Kendra’s own story, but other’s featured are Little Mermaid, Princess and the Pea, and most prominently Cinderella. Lisette and Emma’s Cinderella story is broken up between Kendra’s retelling of her other fairy tale mishaps. Except here, Kendra epically fails at playing fairy godmother–to Emma, the step-sister. Both girls are in high school, and Emma’s lived with her step-father since she was three. Lisette’s mother just died, and her father takes her in. He’s really sweet, loves Emma like she was his own, but is very excited to have Lisette living with them. Emma’s excited to–at first. She’s always wanted a sister, she’s never really had a best friend. Emma is a great narrator for this upside-down fairy tale. She’s quirky, loving, wants to see the best in people, and she’s really smart.
Kendra, on the other hand, is not a character you end up feeling sympathetic towards, though Flinn certainly tried. She’s just a snarky centuries old witch who chooses to relive high school and meddle in other people’s lives–no matter how horrendously her previous exploits have gone. She’s funny and insightful, but she’s also vengeful and a little stupid–not a good combination. But as I said, she’s not the main character; she’s just retelling all her exploits to the reader.
The conversation of this book really kept it moving for me, because honestly everything else was a little blah or rage inducing. The blah factor comes in because we don’t get a chance to like the characters. I really liked Beastly, Flinn’s Beauty and the Beast book, and would probably have liked her retellings of these stories if they had been less two-dimensional, if she had more pages to develop the characters. The Little Mermaid retelling happens post-Titanic sinking chaos, which was so cool, until she reached the end of Doria’s story and I wanted to strangle something or someone. There was nothing technically wrong with it, which my grammar-oriented self appreciated greatly. It’s the narrative format that makes it easy to read, and I did like Emma a lot because she sounded like the kind of girl I’d have been friends with in high school.
This brings me to how this book made me feel, which was horrendous. The theme throughout the novel was “If you don’t have a boy, your life isn’t worth anything.” I wish I could say I was exaggerating. The only character who isn’t portrayed as pathetic without a boyfriend is Kendra–who is described as pathetically lonely. So while this book fulfills the characteristics of a romance, it is horrendously degrading to teenage girls. It was a really easy read, and it was a relatively short book, but even the fairy tale aspect–which I usually adore–isn’t enough to make me recommend this book.
Notable Scene:
“…here on Friday,” Dad was saying.
“Wait? What, again?”
“She’s coming here on Friday.”
“Coming? To visit?” No wonder Mother had been freaking out. She wasn’t big on things that weren’t all about her.
“No. To live. Aren’t you listening, Emma? Her mother passed away, and Lisette is coming here. You should get along great. She’s exactly your age.”
The chocolate ice cream fell from my open mouth and onto the front of my BDGB dress. I glanced down at the huge splotch, then at Dad, then at Warner.
Of course, everyone was looking right at me.
This Kendra Chronicles Series:
1. Bewitching
FTC Advisory: Harper Teen provided me with a copy of Bewitching. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: This first installment of the Kendra Chronicles has some interesting, if unsatisfying, retellings of classic fairy tales.
Opening Sentence: If you read fairy tales, and who doesn’t, you might believe there are witches all over the place–witches
Show More
baking children into gingerbread, making princesses sleep for hundreds of years, even turning normal boys into hideous beasts to teach them a lesson.The Review:
Mis-marketing might be the biggest problem with this book. After reading the synopsis you might think this story is going to be about Kendra, the badass witch we’ve met in Alex Flinn’s other books. After the first 45 pages, it’s not. It becomes a montage of Kendra’s other curses and spells gone wrong. Some of them are pretty funny, if not clever, but with the exception of Lisette and Emma’s story nothing was very engaging. We weren’t given enough time to like the characters, much less care about them. I think the series is supposed to be more about Kendra’s life, with little snippets provided in each book. Personally, I don’t like it. I don’t really like Kendra in this, and though it’s supposedly her story, she’s not the main character. After the short story about her beginnings as a witch at the start of the story, we really only get paragraphs from her perspective.
Hansel and Gretel transforms into Kendra’s own story, but other’s featured are Little Mermaid, Princess and the Pea, and most prominently Cinderella. Lisette and Emma’s Cinderella story is broken up between Kendra’s retelling of her other fairy tale mishaps. Except here, Kendra epically fails at playing fairy godmother–to Emma, the step-sister. Both girls are in high school, and Emma’s lived with her step-father since she was three. Lisette’s mother just died, and her father takes her in. He’s really sweet, loves Emma like she was his own, but is very excited to have Lisette living with them. Emma’s excited to–at first. She’s always wanted a sister, she’s never really had a best friend. Emma is a great narrator for this upside-down fairy tale. She’s quirky, loving, wants to see the best in people, and she’s really smart.
Kendra, on the other hand, is not a character you end up feeling sympathetic towards, though Flinn certainly tried. She’s just a snarky centuries old witch who chooses to relive high school and meddle in other people’s lives–no matter how horrendously her previous exploits have gone. She’s funny and insightful, but she’s also vengeful and a little stupid–not a good combination. But as I said, she’s not the main character; she’s just retelling all her exploits to the reader.
The conversation of this book really kept it moving for me, because honestly everything else was a little blah or rage inducing. The blah factor comes in because we don’t get a chance to like the characters. I really liked Beastly, Flinn’s Beauty and the Beast book, and would probably have liked her retellings of these stories if they had been less two-dimensional, if she had more pages to develop the characters. The Little Mermaid retelling happens post-Titanic sinking chaos, which was so cool, until she reached the end of Doria’s story and I wanted to strangle something or someone. There was nothing technically wrong with it, which my grammar-oriented self appreciated greatly. It’s the narrative format that makes it easy to read, and I did like Emma a lot because she sounded like the kind of girl I’d have been friends with in high school.
This brings me to how this book made me feel, which was horrendous. The theme throughout the novel was “If you don’t have a boy, your life isn’t worth anything.” I wish I could say I was exaggerating. The only character who isn’t portrayed as pathetic without a boyfriend is Kendra–who is described as pathetically lonely. So while this book fulfills the characteristics of a romance, it is horrendously degrading to teenage girls. It was a really easy read, and it was a relatively short book, but even the fairy tale aspect–which I usually adore–isn’t enough to make me recommend this book.
Notable Scene:
“…here on Friday,” Dad was saying.
“Wait? What, again?”
“She’s coming here on Friday.”
“Coming? To visit?” No wonder Mother had been freaking out. She wasn’t big on things that weren’t all about her.
“No. To live. Aren’t you listening, Emma? Her mother passed away, and Lisette is coming here. You should get along great. She’s exactly your age.”
The chocolate ice cream fell from my open mouth and onto the front of my BDGB dress. I glanced down at the huge splotch, then at Dad, then at Warner.
Of course, everyone was looking right at me.
This Kendra Chronicles Series:
1. Bewitching
FTC Advisory: Harper Teen provided me with a copy of Bewitching. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
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LibraryThing member hailelib
Bewitching was an impulse download from the 'Newest Ebooks' section of my library's catalog which I tried because it was a fairy tale retelling. It was relatively short and featured several tales (the most important one being a variant of Cinderella) along with the witch Kendra and her story.
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Kendra is the overall narrator and tries to explain why her helping others solve their problems is often a bad idea as something generally goes wrong. The Cinderella story is about Emma and her stepsister, Lisette, and how Lisette coming to live with her Dad and his wife and stepdaughter affects Emma's life. While Emma and even Lisette do grow up some in the story, there is an awful lot of 'Am I pretty enough?', 'Why isn't life fair?', 'Why doesn't anyone like me?' and all the other questions that worry teens. This was definitely a story aimed at teens about concerns that loom large in their lives and will be enjoyed most by the ones who are looking for a fluff read about girls their own age. However it didn't inspire me to go looking for more books by this author. Show Less
LibraryThing member mountie9
The Good Stuff
A delightfully sweet and funny read
Kendra is an intriguing and likeable character
Like the twists on the fairy tales as nothing is stereotypical which makes it an interesting and never boring read.
Nice realistic character development
Things are never cut and dried, so no one is
Makes me want to read Beastly which I picked up at Word on the Street but haven't had a chance to read yet
Love the introduction, it hooks you in and makes you laugh
Geeked out about the Titanic subplot
Loved the relationship between Kendra and Emma
Simply a lovely way to spend a couple of hours escaping from reality and I will be looking for more of Flinn's works to enjoy (Beastly just moved up on the TBR shelf)
The Not So Good Stuff
I actually prefer the ARC cover, but this one is nice too (the actual cover actually looks closer to the description of Kendra)
Storyline jumps around a little with the sub-stories which can be a little disjointing to read
Would have liked more of Kendra's actual story
Favorite Quotes/Passages
"If you read fairy tales, and who doesn't, you might believe there are witches all over the place - witches baking children into gingerbread, making princesses sleep hundreds of years, even turning normal teenage boys into hideous beasts to teach them a lesson. But, actually, there are only a few of us. The reason it doesn't seem like that is because we're pretty long-lived. We live hundreds of years, as long as we don't find ourselves fueling a bonfire."
"Did you know that in West African folklore, manatees are considered sacred?" When I shook my head, Warner said, "It's true. And in days of old, sailors used to mistake them for mermaids."
"Sailors must have been pretty hard up for female companionship, huh?"
"So we were all quite happy.
(Kendra's note: except for the helpful witch, who was still banished)"
Who Should/Shouldn't Read
Those who need a light fun read
I imagine if you liked her other books, you will like this one -- but this is my first book by Flinn so I'm just guessing here
Fans of Fairy Tale based books will obviously enjoy
If you like dark, twisted, non stop action, this will probably not be your thing
4 Dewey's
I received this from the Ontario Blog Squad Tweet Up
A delightfully sweet and funny read
Kendra is an intriguing and likeable character
Like the twists on the fairy tales as nothing is stereotypical which makes it an interesting and never boring read.
Nice realistic character development
Things are never cut and dried, so no one is
Show More
truly evil or truly good which I likedMakes me want to read Beastly which I picked up at Word on the Street but haven't had a chance to read yet
Love the introduction, it hooks you in and makes you laugh
Geeked out about the Titanic subplot
Loved the relationship between Kendra and Emma
Simply a lovely way to spend a couple of hours escaping from reality and I will be looking for more of Flinn's works to enjoy (Beastly just moved up on the TBR shelf)
The Not So Good Stuff
I actually prefer the ARC cover, but this one is nice too (the actual cover actually looks closer to the description of Kendra)
Storyline jumps around a little with the sub-stories which can be a little disjointing to read
Would have liked more of Kendra's actual story
Favorite Quotes/Passages
"If you read fairy tales, and who doesn't, you might believe there are witches all over the place - witches baking children into gingerbread, making princesses sleep hundreds of years, even turning normal teenage boys into hideous beasts to teach them a lesson. But, actually, there are only a few of us. The reason it doesn't seem like that is because we're pretty long-lived. We live hundreds of years, as long as we don't find ourselves fueling a bonfire."
"Did you know that in West African folklore, manatees are considered sacred?" When I shook my head, Warner said, "It's true. And in days of old, sailors used to mistake them for mermaids."
"Sailors must have been pretty hard up for female companionship, huh?"
"So we were all quite happy.
(Kendra's note: except for the helpful witch, who was still banished)"
Who Should/Shouldn't Read
Those who need a light fun read
I imagine if you liked her other books, you will like this one -- but this is my first book by Flinn so I'm just guessing here
Fans of Fairy Tale based books will obviously enjoy
If you like dark, twisted, non stop action, this will probably not be your thing
4 Dewey's
I received this from the Ontario Blog Squad Tweet Up
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LibraryThing member Andreat78
What if the fairy tales we all grew up on got it wrong? What if the evil step-sisters weren't so bad, but cruelly manipulated by Cinderella? What if the mermaid didn't get her "happily ever after" with her prince,but a tragic end? What if the witch wasn't an evil shrew, but just a lonely girl who
I have to start by saying that Bewitching caught me completely off-guard. I expected the story to be a little fun and cute, but I didn't expect the lessons learned and to have as much fun as I did! The story is primarily from Kendra's point-of-view, but does switch to the view of the character she is helping at the moment, mainly Emma. Emma is a sweet, but plain girl, bookish and quiet, living a happy life with her mother and step-father. But her life takes a dramatic turn when her beautiful, perfect, and seemingly fragile step-sister Lisette comes to live with them after her mother's death. Emma is desperate for a sister, and wants to be close to Lisette, but it quickly becomes apparent that Lisette is out to destroy Emma, out of jealousy. Because she is so sweet and seems innocent and broken, Lisette (Cinderella?) is automatically given the benefit of a doubt. Emma, who is plain and quiet, rarely has the courage to speak up for herself, is quickly forced into the role of the "evil stepsister". Kendra, for the most part is a quiet observer to Emma's pain, only offering bits of advice. But when Lisette goes too far in her effort to destroy Emma, she decides to step in and help. Will her efforts turn out as tragically as it did with a certain mermaid? Or will she be able to change a life for the better, as she did with the Beast?
Bewitching is the first of Alex Flinn's books I've had the pleasure to read. I had heard about Beastly, but not until it became a movie and that's most likely because I have a super-strong Alex Pettyfer radar. But now I'm sure to hunt more of her books down and read them. The tale is told in a fun, conversational manner that made me feel as if Kendra and I were having a nice, long chat. The stories she wove into Emma's (the night the Titanic sank, a young French prince searching for a wife) were nice asides that expanded upon the lesson Kendra was conveying.
Bewitching, with a clear message about remaining true to oneself, is a great book for young readers. I could absolutely see a reluctant teen (or tween), snatching this book up and devouring it. But, it's also a story that adults, at least those young at heart, can enjoy!
Favorite Quote:
"She stared at me, at my open mouth. 'Now, what are you going to do about it, Emma? Burn me at the stake? Organize a boycott of all the Harry Potter books because they gave me ideas?' "
* I received an ARC of Bewitching from Harper Collins, in exchange for an honest review. *
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tries to help others, sometimes with disastrous results? Bewitching, re-telling classic tales through the eyes of the witch, breathes new life into these stories and shows us (to quote my favorite witch, Alex Russo) "everything is not what it seems".I have to start by saying that Bewitching caught me completely off-guard. I expected the story to be a little fun and cute, but I didn't expect the lessons learned and to have as much fun as I did! The story is primarily from Kendra's point-of-view, but does switch to the view of the character she is helping at the moment, mainly Emma. Emma is a sweet, but plain girl, bookish and quiet, living a happy life with her mother and step-father. But her life takes a dramatic turn when her beautiful, perfect, and seemingly fragile step-sister Lisette comes to live with them after her mother's death. Emma is desperate for a sister, and wants to be close to Lisette, but it quickly becomes apparent that Lisette is out to destroy Emma, out of jealousy. Because she is so sweet and seems innocent and broken, Lisette (Cinderella?) is automatically given the benefit of a doubt. Emma, who is plain and quiet, rarely has the courage to speak up for herself, is quickly forced into the role of the "evil stepsister". Kendra, for the most part is a quiet observer to Emma's pain, only offering bits of advice. But when Lisette goes too far in her effort to destroy Emma, she decides to step in and help. Will her efforts turn out as tragically as it did with a certain mermaid? Or will she be able to change a life for the better, as she did with the Beast?
Bewitching is the first of Alex Flinn's books I've had the pleasure to read. I had heard about Beastly, but not until it became a movie and that's most likely because I have a super-strong Alex Pettyfer radar. But now I'm sure to hunt more of her books down and read them. The tale is told in a fun, conversational manner that made me feel as if Kendra and I were having a nice, long chat. The stories she wove into Emma's (the night the Titanic sank, a young French prince searching for a wife) were nice asides that expanded upon the lesson Kendra was conveying.
Bewitching, with a clear message about remaining true to oneself, is a great book for young readers. I could absolutely see a reluctant teen (or tween), snatching this book up and devouring it. But, it's also a story that adults, at least those young at heart, can enjoy!
Favorite Quote:
"She stared at me, at my open mouth. 'Now, what are you going to do about it, Emma? Burn me at the stake? Organize a boycott of all the Harry Potter books because they gave me ideas?' "
* I received an ARC of Bewitching from Harper Collins, in exchange for an honest review. *
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LibraryThing member MaryinHB
MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT
If you read Beastly, you will remember Kendra was the witch that had a very important supporting role. Kendra is an immortal witch and her story starts out with a retelling of Hansel and Gretel (my first two dachshunds!) where Kendra and her brother are the only survivors in her
The story also make a side trip to visit the Titanic and place The Little Mermaid on board. This one does not have a happy ending. Then it is back to current times where Emma has figured out exactly who Kendra is and that is a witch. Emma tries not to take advantage of Kendra's powers as her own personal fairy godmother which is a really nice touch. I really loved how everything in the story meshed together to create a cohesive story.
The character of Emma is nicely done and I adored the fact that she was a bookworm which works in her favor for a change! I was really cheering for Emma through all her trials and would love to read more about her. Overall, this should appeal to younger teens since there are things happening in the book that occur in their everyday life like having to deal with the mean girls at school, first love and not feeling good about yourself. There are mentions of drinking, allusions to sex but mostly stuff that kids see on television today.
LOVED IT
If you read Beastly, you will remember Kendra was the witch that had a very important supporting role. Kendra is an immortal witch and her story starts out with a retelling of Hansel and Gretel (my first two dachshunds!) where Kendra and her brother are the only survivors in her
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family after the plague wipes out most of her town. The story weaves back and forth between a Cinderella in current times with bits and pieces of her earlier existence during the early 1700 and the French Court and a sweet story about the Princess and the Pea. She is always trying to help people and do good with her powers but through the ages, she finds that sometimes things don't turn out how she would like them to. Her latest project is Emma and her step sister who is truly evil and out to ruin Emma's life. Kendra sees this and tries to help Emma cope with the ugly center of her beautiful step sister. The story also make a side trip to visit the Titanic and place The Little Mermaid on board. This one does not have a happy ending. Then it is back to current times where Emma has figured out exactly who Kendra is and that is a witch. Emma tries not to take advantage of Kendra's powers as her own personal fairy godmother which is a really nice touch. I really loved how everything in the story meshed together to create a cohesive story.
The character of Emma is nicely done and I adored the fact that she was a bookworm which works in her favor for a change! I was really cheering for Emma through all her trials and would love to read more about her. Overall, this should appeal to younger teens since there are things happening in the book that occur in their everyday life like having to deal with the mean girls at school, first love and not feeling good about yourself. There are mentions of drinking, allusions to sex but mostly stuff that kids see on television today.
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LibraryThing member TValeros
OMG! Bewitching by Alex Flinn is ALL CONSUMING - it will draw you in and won't spit you back out until your reading the final notes! It is that awesome! And even after you've finished, you're left reminiscing and yearning to get back to sweet Emma and Kendra. Kendra with all her witchy kookiness
Don't expect to zoom through this novel because Bewitching maintains a lyrical as well as whimsical rhythm that suits the story very nicely. I enjoyed and savored every page. I usually don't re-read my books because reading it once quells my needs, but I see myself reading Bewitching over and over and never tiring.
Alex Flinn has such a mesmerizing writing style that is hard to put in words, but easily understood once you delve into her work. I love how Kendra is not perfect, far from it in fact. Her voice is very strong and you just can't help but feel for her and want to know/read more. Emma, is a wonderful character that I would be ecstatic to befriend. She has such a strong persona even in her times of despair.
The different take on how the stepsister and stepmother being the good ones, and the beauty being evil is endearing. It's such a great story for kids to look up to, and for them to understand that it doesn't take to be the stereotype to end up on top. I whole heartedly wanted to ring Lisette's neck, and I still do if it were possible =) Alex Flinn has a way with her characters that has me looking forward to reading more of her work. Her way of twisting well-known fairy-tales is an art form! I felt my heart drop, crushed, angered, ripped out, and loved. I'm captivated!! Bewitched!!
As for the ending, I will just say "Thank You!" Thank you for giving my heart peace =D
A DEFINITE MUST READ NOW NOVEL!! A 2012 FAVORITE!
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and her touch-and-go not always effective methods of help.Don't expect to zoom through this novel because Bewitching maintains a lyrical as well as whimsical rhythm that suits the story very nicely. I enjoyed and savored every page. I usually don't re-read my books because reading it once quells my needs, but I see myself reading Bewitching over and over and never tiring.
Alex Flinn has such a mesmerizing writing style that is hard to put in words, but easily understood once you delve into her work. I love how Kendra is not perfect, far from it in fact. Her voice is very strong and you just can't help but feel for her and want to know/read more. Emma, is a wonderful character that I would be ecstatic to befriend. She has such a strong persona even in her times of despair.
The different take on how the stepsister and stepmother being the good ones, and the beauty being evil is endearing. It's such a great story for kids to look up to, and for them to understand that it doesn't take to be the stereotype to end up on top. I whole heartedly wanted to ring Lisette's neck, and I still do if it were possible =) Alex Flinn has a way with her characters that has me looking forward to reading more of her work. Her way of twisting well-known fairy-tales is an art form! I felt my heart drop, crushed, angered, ripped out, and loved. I'm captivated!! Bewitched!!
As for the ending, I will just say "Thank You!" Thank you for giving my heart peace =D
A DEFINITE MUST READ NOW NOVEL!! A 2012 FAVORITE!
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LibraryThing member Bookswithbite
Ms. Flinn, I love you! This book is amazing! I couldn't believe how amazing and simple it was to fall in love with this book. Ms. Flinn took another fairy tale making it so enjoyable that I just want to re-read the book over and over again.
So why did I love this book so much? Well first off, it is
One thing I loved about this book is that this is a book within a book. The reader is reading Kendra's point of view as well as reading the story of two sisters going through some tough times. I thought this type of writing is amazing. I wasn't confused but more enthralled! Ms. Flinn made me feel apart of the story. And of course with her great writing we got to see things from all point of views.
The love interest is very interesting. I did feel as though it could of worked with the other guy but seeing the way is worked so fast with the new guy kind of seem too fast for me. Still I did enjoy the appreciation for the sister that she at least gets to have once in her life.
If you loved a great fairy tale with a really good twist read this book. This is nothing like the original Cinderella story but so much more! The emotions of the characters and the things they go through will have you at the edge of your seat. This is really amazing book of characters going through real life.
So why did I love this book so much? Well first off, it is
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not your average Cinderella story. That's right. It's a Cinderella re-tale that is so awesome! The story starts off with Kendra's back round. I adored learning the history of Kendra. She is not the mean witch everyone makes her out to be. Kendra herself has been through so much it's who she is molded to be. After reading about Kendra I can understand where she is coming from.One thing I loved about this book is that this is a book within a book. The reader is reading Kendra's point of view as well as reading the story of two sisters going through some tough times. I thought this type of writing is amazing. I wasn't confused but more enthralled! Ms. Flinn made me feel apart of the story. And of course with her great writing we got to see things from all point of views.
The love interest is very interesting. I did feel as though it could of worked with the other guy but seeing the way is worked so fast with the new guy kind of seem too fast for me. Still I did enjoy the appreciation for the sister that she at least gets to have once in her life.
If you loved a great fairy tale with a really good twist read this book. This is nothing like the original Cinderella story but so much more! The emotions of the characters and the things they go through will have you at the edge of your seat. This is really amazing book of characters going through real life.
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LibraryThing member edspicer
I would say that it is an amazing book. In the begining and middle, it will leave you trying to decide who to side with. Q4P4 AHS/Jessica W.
LibraryThing member herdingcats
I got the book Bewitching free to review through Goodreads. It is a fantastic book! I totally loved it! It is well written and filled with humor, fantasy and a bit of romance. Kendra Hilferty, a witch, tells how she found out she was a witch and how, kind of like Forrest Gump, she has been around
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for most of the major events in history. Remember the witch who made the gingerbread house? Kendra knew her. While telling how she helped Ella, a modern day non-wicked stepsister to deal with her rather wicked poor stepsister, Kendra also tells a few other twisted versions of tales we all know. The plot is filled with unexpected twists and funny events and is just a joy to read. I always feel kind of sad and empty when I finish reading a really good book, because it is over, and I have to leave the world that it created in my mind. Luckily for me, this author has written other books and I have not read them yet! I look forward to reading more of Alex Flinn's books Show Less
LibraryThing member kayla_merritt
Words can not describe how much I fell in love with this book. The writing was phenomenal. I loved the mashups of fairy tales with real life events, such as Doria, the mermaid, being there when Titanic sunk, and helping the passengers. I loved the way the main character, Emma was written. The
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author made you feel like you were there, feeling her pain also. I didn't really care for Lisette, but at times I found myself feeling pity for her. She's a character that everyone loves to hate. Kendra was kind of original and weird, which I loved. She didn't really fit in anywhere, which I think everyone can identify with sometimes. Bewitching will make you laugh, cry, and make you happy. This book is a definite must read. Bewitching is possibly my favorite book of 2012 so far. Show Less
LibraryThing member raboyer
Wandering Witch
* ARC read via Around The World ARC Tours
3 out of 5 gnomes
I must admit that I have never read Beastly but I've read enough reviews/saw the preview for the movie to get the gist of what it's about. Knowing that I was very interested in what Kendra the witches story would be about. I
The tone and snark of the main character is great and with the beginning part you find out her origin story. This view on witches is an intriguing one especially the part about there not really being that many but that the ones there are just live a really long time and move around a lot. I just wish that there had been more from her direct point of view. The parts with just Kendra are the best parts in the book. When she's the omniscient narrator it's still good but the other characters kind of fall flat/feel like background characters. Don't get me wrong, they are good characters, they just didn't really have a lot of depth to them.
I'm also not sure why the story was put together so piece meal. There was enough material introduced in just this one book for potentially multiple stories. It just got kind of jarring jumping between so many different stories because then there was really no one thread to hold on to until you see how Kendra is involved in each story. What I'm trying to say is that I like the ideas and the stories themselves are good but if you're like me you'll always be waiting for Kendra to make an appearance.
The story with the most chapters is kind of Cinderella-esque. Emma and Lisette are stepsisters but of the long lost variety. At first Emma wants to be friends with Lisette but then Lisette's true intentions start to shine through. It's great how crafty Lisette is about getting her way and it takes Emma a long time to grow a backbone and stand up to her. There's also a nice twist to the story about love and staying true to who you are.
I would love to read whatever comes next in this series because I liked Kendra as the narrator. Overall these are some fun stories with a unique voice. If you're a fan of fairy tales I would recommend you check out this book.
* ARC read via Around The World ARC Tours
3 out of 5 gnomes
I must admit that I have never read Beastly but I've read enough reviews/saw the preview for the movie to get the gist of what it's about. Knowing that I was very interested in what Kendra the witches story would be about. I
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am a huge fan of fractured fairy tales or the redoing of classic stories. It's fun to have well known stories seen from a different perspective. So in that regard I enjoyed the story.The tone and snark of the main character is great and with the beginning part you find out her origin story. This view on witches is an intriguing one especially the part about there not really being that many but that the ones there are just live a really long time and move around a lot. I just wish that there had been more from her direct point of view. The parts with just Kendra are the best parts in the book. When she's the omniscient narrator it's still good but the other characters kind of fall flat/feel like background characters. Don't get me wrong, they are good characters, they just didn't really have a lot of depth to them.
I'm also not sure why the story was put together so piece meal. There was enough material introduced in just this one book for potentially multiple stories. It just got kind of jarring jumping between so many different stories because then there was really no one thread to hold on to until you see how Kendra is involved in each story. What I'm trying to say is that I like the ideas and the stories themselves are good but if you're like me you'll always be waiting for Kendra to make an appearance.
The story with the most chapters is kind of Cinderella-esque. Emma and Lisette are stepsisters but of the long lost variety. At first Emma wants to be friends with Lisette but then Lisette's true intentions start to shine through. It's great how crafty Lisette is about getting her way and it takes Emma a long time to grow a backbone and stand up to her. There's also a nice twist to the story about love and staying true to who you are.
I would love to read whatever comes next in this series because I liked Kendra as the narrator. Overall these are some fun stories with a unique voice. If you're a fan of fairy tales I would recommend you check out this book.
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LibraryThing member skaohee
Bewitching is the backstory of the witch who puts the curse on Beast from Beauty and the Beast. Alex Flinn did a retelling of that book as well – Beastly – and it was turned into a movie last year. I haven’t read Beastly or seen its movie counterpart, but I’m familiar with the story of
This book was so much better than I thought it was going to be. Kendra is a witch and she just so happens to be “the witch” in a bunch of OTHER fairytales because contrary to popular belief, witches are pretty rare and live forever. She’s “the witch” from The Little Mermaid and learns her tricks of the trade from another witch – the evil one from Hansel and Gretel.
Never having read anything by Alex Flinn, I don’t know what I expected from this book. Honestly, I haven’t read many retellings and am always skeptical of the execution of such things but was pleasantly surprised with this book. She gives the stories in this book alternate (aka “true”) endings and although they are retellings, it feels fresh and new. This was a really cute and fun read for me. Definitely recommend for all you Disney lovers out there, as well as people who love retellings.
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Beauty and the Beast and was in the mood for a little fairytale retelling.This book was so much better than I thought it was going to be. Kendra is a witch and she just so happens to be “the witch” in a bunch of OTHER fairytales because contrary to popular belief, witches are pretty rare and live forever. She’s “the witch” from The Little Mermaid and learns her tricks of the trade from another witch – the evil one from Hansel and Gretel.
Never having read anything by Alex Flinn, I don’t know what I expected from this book. Honestly, I haven’t read many retellings and am always skeptical of the execution of such things but was pleasantly surprised with this book. She gives the stories in this book alternate (aka “true”) endings and although they are retellings, it feels fresh and new. This was a really cute and fun read for me. Definitely recommend for all you Disney lovers out there, as well as people who love retellings.
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LibraryThing member amandacb
I have not read any of Alex Flinn's books and thus I was pleasantly surprised to find myself enjoying Flinn's recent Bewitching. Kendra is a likeable witch, and I enjoyed the story between the two half-sisters. The plot is confusing at times when Kendra halts the narrative to go off on a tangent,
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but the tangents are enjoyable and so I did not mind too much. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jennisthemennis
Alex Flinn is probably one of my favorite authors. I love retellings of fairy tales and she does the perfect job at them. Bewitching contained a retelling of Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, The Princess and the Pea, and The Little Mermaid all wrapped up into one story and it was perfection.
The story
The worst thing for me that a book can be is predictable, I am a huge unexpected twists and turns. Flinn did an amazing job doing this in Bewitching through the complex characters she created. The most complex characters were Lisette and Emma. The two girls suddenly become step sisters and throughout the book you see how their feelings change towards the situation. Emma is this average girl who most girls can relate to. She doesn't have many friends and she thinks of herself as ugly and weird, constantly comparing herself to her new gorgeous step sister Lisette. Most teenage girls are constantly comparing themselves, and to see Emma go through the journey of learning to love who she is, is incredibly relatable. Lisette on the other hand is a girl you feel bad to hate because everything she does is filled with wickedness yet she had a terrible life and you can see where she is coming from. My feelings towards her were conflicted the entire book.
You also can't have a fairy tale without a love story, and this love story was one that I believe could actually happen. I don't want to talk too much about the love story because I don't want to ruin it for you.
The only thing I would change about this was the ending seemed a little too abrupt because a new plotline was started and ended in the last two chapters. I was really enjoying the new plot line and wanted to learn more about it but there wasn't any time. I'm crossing my fingers for a sequel.
The story
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is focused on a witch named Kendra, who was the enchantress in Beastly for those of you who read that one, who enjoys helping people find their happy ending. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it goes terribly wrong. While the story is focused on her, there are three different speakers all in first person. There is Kendra, Emma who is the second main character and has a life based on Cinderella, and Doria who is this story's Little Mermaid. One of my favorite parts of the book was the Doria interlude because of the way Flinn combines The Little Mermaid and Titanic is magical.The worst thing for me that a book can be is predictable, I am a huge unexpected twists and turns. Flinn did an amazing job doing this in Bewitching through the complex characters she created. The most complex characters were Lisette and Emma. The two girls suddenly become step sisters and throughout the book you see how their feelings change towards the situation. Emma is this average girl who most girls can relate to. She doesn't have many friends and she thinks of herself as ugly and weird, constantly comparing herself to her new gorgeous step sister Lisette. Most teenage girls are constantly comparing themselves, and to see Emma go through the journey of learning to love who she is, is incredibly relatable. Lisette on the other hand is a girl you feel bad to hate because everything she does is filled with wickedness yet she had a terrible life and you can see where she is coming from. My feelings towards her were conflicted the entire book.
You also can't have a fairy tale without a love story, and this love story was one that I believe could actually happen. I don't want to talk too much about the love story because I don't want to ruin it for you.
The only thing I would change about this was the ending seemed a little too abrupt because a new plotline was started and ended in the last two chapters. I was really enjoying the new plot line and wanted to learn more about it but there wasn't any time. I'm crossing my fingers for a sequel.
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LibraryThing member kcarrigan
Review from ARC from fellow librarian, probably originally from publisher.
Good, but a little hard to navigate because the perspective kept switching.
Good, but a little hard to navigate because the perspective kept switching.
LibraryThing member LaneLiterati
I've read many of Alex Flinn's novels (and enjoyed them), so I thought that this one would be just as enjoyable. I found it hard to get absorbed into the plot. However, I feel that fans of retellings should still try this one. It incorporates multiple fairy tales and helps to give a backstory for
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the witch that is found in the author's other novels. Show Less
LibraryThing member Nitzan_Schwarz
I got to page 49 before I stopped reading this book. This wasn't half as interesting as I hoped nor very engaging and the summary is very misleading - this book is not really about Kendra...
Anyway, I will probably pick it up again and finish it simply because I hate leaving a book unfinished once I
Anyway, I will probably pick it up again and finish it simply because I hate leaving a book unfinished once I
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start, especially one I bought. But for now, I've dropped it. Show Less
LibraryThing member potterhead9.75
Wow. Just...wow. A well-deserved four star.
I love this book. And the cover is exactly how I imagine Kendra. She isn't my favorite witch, but she's definitely up there in the top five. This book literally blew me away. The...strength of feeling is the best way I can think of describing it. The
This book reads like a thriller, I couldn't stop turning the pages. The story charmed me from the start. I fell for it hook, line sinker, lock, stock, barrel. The KENDRA SPEAKS were like little slices of fairytale heaven. They were the best elements of the book for me. Her retellings were like a fresh breath of air, inventive and amusing and tragic at the same time. Lisette and Emma's story was good too. Every time you think you know where it is going, the story takes a new turn. It kept managing to surprise me. This book was completely . . . bewitching. Sorry, I couldn't resist.
On the whole, I definitely recommend this to everyone who loves fairytales, or a good read. Alex Flinn has indeed done it again.
I love this book. And the cover is exactly how I imagine Kendra. She isn't my favorite witch, but she's definitely up there in the top five. This book literally blew me away. The...strength of feeling is the best way I can think of describing it. The
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strength of feeling in her words is awe-inspiring. Alex Flinn takes all these corny cliches and turns it into something original. The woman CAN SO WRITE. This book reads like a thriller, I couldn't stop turning the pages. The story charmed me from the start. I fell for it hook, line sinker, lock, stock, barrel. The KENDRA SPEAKS were like little slices of fairytale heaven. They were the best elements of the book for me. Her retellings were like a fresh breath of air, inventive and amusing and tragic at the same time. Lisette and Emma's story was good too. Every time you think you know where it is going, the story takes a new turn. It kept managing to surprise me. This book was completely . . . bewitching. Sorry, I couldn't resist.
On the whole, I definitely recommend this to everyone who loves fairytales, or a good read. Alex Flinn has indeed done it again.
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LibraryThing member TheMadHatters
Kendra is a witch, and you might recongize her from some of the stories, the fairy tales. Only she isn't a fairy, just an immortal witch who outlives everyone she loves. Kendra whiles away the centuries by finding people to "help", like that boy she turned into a beast, or that mermaid who loved a
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human, etc. Here we learn about Kendra's past and why she helps people, even if they don't think it's helpful at the time. She does her best, just like anyone else. Show Less
LibraryThing member CasaBooks
Great little book - Easy reading - Witches live forever, so the twists on Hansel & Gretel are from centuries ago & the Cinderella-type story is current day. I love remakes of the old tales. Also read & enjoyed "Beastly" by this author. Might have liked this one just a smidget more.
LibraryThing member LaneLiterati
There needs to be more Kendra and less the other character. This is a mish-mash of several fairy tales. Cute but not fabulous.
LibraryThing member ZabetReading
This and other reviews can be found on Reading Between Classes
Cover Impressions: The cover is pretty, and I like the dark tone and colors but it doesn't really stand out from all the other "pretty girl in a pretty dress" in YA. If it wasn't for my slight obsession with witches and fairy tale
The Gist: Bewitching spins together a number of fairy tales as it follows Kendra, a witch who tries to help people but, inevitably, makes things worse.
Review: I thoroughly enjoy books that re-tell or take a different spin on fairy tales. This book should have been right up my alley, but there was something about it that just didn't click. First of all, I wasn't a fan of Kendra (does anyone else think this is an odd name for a character that originated in the 1660s?). We never really learn anything about her motivations. The story opens with her escaping a plague ridden town with her brother in tow and being captured by the witch from the Hansel & Gretel story. This witch teaches Kendra how to control her powers but we see very little of these lessons nor do we learn anything else about the history of that witch or Kendra. Eventually, the brother disappears - for no apparent reason and we abruptly shift to the Cinderella story of Emma and Lisette.
In Emma, I see a character that I could enjoy (despite her being ANOTHER YA character who is obsessed with classical novels - puhleese!). She grew up in a priveledged household, but it ultimately just a lonely little girl. When her stepfather brings home a daughter Emma never knew about, she hopes to gain a friend and instead finds Lisette to be a mastermind at manipulation. A few things bothered me: 1) we never find out why Lisette lived in abject poverty while Daddy Warbucks spoiled Emma and her mother 2) the father seems like a decent guy, but while bonding with Lisette he COMPLETELY neglects Emma - FOR YEARS!
Just as I am getting interested in Emma and Lisette's story, there is yet another interlude while Kendra tells us another story. The shifts in time and narrator changes made for a very choppy storyline and left me annoyed. Each time one occurred, I was tempted to put the book down and never pick it up again. In the end, it felt like the author started this book with a handful of short stories and then concocted a weak storyline in order to link them all together into one book. Perhaps, if the entire story had been told from Kendra's point of view (or at least switched between just Kendra and Emma) it might have flowed better.
In the end, I found this novel unsatisfying. While the novel may be exactly what some readers enjoy (and judging by many of the reviews, it is) it was simply not for me and I do not think I will be continuing with Kendra's story through any subsequent books.
Teaching/Parental Notes:
Age: 15 and up
Gender: Females
Sex: Kissing,
Violence: Death by drowning,
Inappropriate Language: Bastard, Slut
Substance Abuse: Underage Drinking, Marijuana Use
Cover Impressions: The cover is pretty, and I like the dark tone and colors but it doesn't really stand out from all the other "pretty girl in a pretty dress" in YA. If it wasn't for my slight obsession with witches and fairy tale
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re-tellings, I probably never would have picked up this book.The Gist: Bewitching spins together a number of fairy tales as it follows Kendra, a witch who tries to help people but, inevitably, makes things worse.
Review: I thoroughly enjoy books that re-tell or take a different spin on fairy tales. This book should have been right up my alley, but there was something about it that just didn't click. First of all, I wasn't a fan of Kendra (does anyone else think this is an odd name for a character that originated in the 1660s?). We never really learn anything about her motivations. The story opens with her escaping a plague ridden town with her brother in tow and being captured by the witch from the Hansel & Gretel story. This witch teaches Kendra how to control her powers but we see very little of these lessons nor do we learn anything else about the history of that witch or Kendra. Eventually, the brother disappears - for no apparent reason and we abruptly shift to the Cinderella story of Emma and Lisette.
In Emma, I see a character that I could enjoy (despite her being ANOTHER YA character who is obsessed with classical novels - puhleese!). She grew up in a priveledged household, but it ultimately just a lonely little girl. When her stepfather brings home a daughter Emma never knew about, she hopes to gain a friend and instead finds Lisette to be a mastermind at manipulation. A few things bothered me: 1) we never find out why Lisette lived in abject poverty while Daddy Warbucks spoiled Emma and her mother 2) the father seems like a decent guy, but while bonding with Lisette he COMPLETELY neglects Emma - FOR YEARS!
Just as I am getting interested in Emma and Lisette's story, there is yet another interlude while Kendra tells us another story. The shifts in time and narrator changes made for a very choppy storyline and left me annoyed. Each time one occurred, I was tempted to put the book down and never pick it up again. In the end, it felt like the author started this book with a handful of short stories and then concocted a weak storyline in order to link them all together into one book. Perhaps, if the entire story had been told from Kendra's point of view (or at least switched between just Kendra and Emma) it might have flowed better.
In the end, I found this novel unsatisfying. While the novel may be exactly what some readers enjoy (and judging by many of the reviews, it is) it was simply not for me and I do not think I will be continuing with Kendra's story through any subsequent books.
Teaching/Parental Notes:
Age: 15 and up
Gender: Females
Sex: Kissing,
Violence: Death by drowning,
Inappropriate Language: Bastard, Slut
Substance Abuse: Underage Drinking, Marijuana Use
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LibraryThing member MynTop
I really liked this book. I wasn't sure at first if I would because it keeps switching between stories, but I found that it was very intriguing that way. Emma and Lissette's story had me fuming at times, so I kept wanting to get back to that and see what happened. However, all the misguided fairy
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tales in Kendra's past were equally entertaining and humorous. I recommend this book to anyone who's read or seen Beastly, as well as anyone who enjoys fairy tale retellings, or witches. Show Less
LibraryThing member Briars_Reviews
I love myself a little Alex Flynn, and this book did not disappoint.
This book was a nice, quick read that revolved around fairy tales. Much like Beastly, you follow an interesting set of characters in a modern day fairy tale.
Following the witch from Beastly, Kendra, was an interesting read. While
I did not like this book as much as I liked Beastly and A Kiss in Time, but it was a good book to help tie Beastly together.
There's not much I can say about this book other than the plot was predictable, it seemed a little forced for a 300 page novel, and it felt more kiddish than Beastly did.
Good book, not my favourite, but still a good read.
Three out of five stars.
This book was a nice, quick read that revolved around fairy tales. Much like Beastly, you follow an interesting set of characters in a modern day fairy tale.
Following the witch from Beastly, Kendra, was an interesting read. While
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I guessed what was going to happen for most of the book, it was still a refreshing read that kept me wanting to know what would happen with Emma. I could guess every plot twist and turn, but it was a cute read.I did not like this book as much as I liked Beastly and A Kiss in Time, but it was a good book to help tie Beastly together.
There's not much I can say about this book other than the plot was predictable, it seemed a little forced for a 300 page novel, and it felt more kiddish than Beastly did.
Good book, not my favourite, but still a good read.
Three out of five stars.
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Awards
Florida Book Award (Bronze Medal — Young Adult — 2012)
The Best Children's Books of the Year (Nine to Twelve — 2013)
Texas Lone Star Reading List (2013)
Language
Original publication date
2012-02-14
Physical description
352 p.
Local notes
Emma's a total daddy's girl but her newly acquired stepsister Lisette isn't the sweet lovable new addition she pretends to be. Lovely Lisette is slowly stealing away everything Emma holds dear, and when she finally goes too far Emma enlists the help of a teenage witch Kendra. But Kendra knows all too well that spells very often backfire.
Veerrrrry ordinary. A disappointment from this author, whose other work I've loved.
Veerrrrry ordinary. A disappointment from this author, whose other work I've loved.