A book that was on my TBR for a very long time and while I am glad to check it off, I didn't quite enjoy the read. A retelling of sorts of a German fairytale set in a fictional town in the United States where teenagers are dealing with hormones and magic. Izzie knows that her mom is a witch who can create healing potions and she knows that her dad had magic and passed away when she was very young, but was always under the impression that she did not possess the magic until some funny things start happening.

I finished the book, but that is partly because my need for closure is big! I think the big thing that kept me from enjoying this book was my inability to connect with any of the characters. Izzie is a young woman who discovers she has magic and must fight the evil forces to avenge the death of her father and others and take this evil down once and for all. For me, Izzie was just an awkward young girl who for me never felt like a full character and while I am glad she ended up in a good spot, I am also glad the book was short!

I requested this several years ago and I don't think it's a book for me anymore. So I will not be reviewing at this time, but if I do read it, I will update this review. Thank you for the opportunity.

I'm going through the books I requested pre-2018 when I stopped blogging to clean up my NetGalley TBR and this was on the list. I don't think it's a book for me anymore and will not be reviewing at this time, but if I do read it, I will update this review. Thank you for the opportunity.

I won't be able to leave a review for this book; I requested it in a past lifetime of my NetGalley use (over ten years ago) and it no longer fits with my reading interests. If I ever do end up reading it I'll come back and update this!

This book was a just a little too cheesy and predictable and the writing was not very good. Unfortunately, not for me.

Title: Tris & Izzie
Author: Mette Ivie Harrison
Genre: YA fantasy/romance
Publishing Information: October 11, 2011 by EgmontUSA

Where I got it: NetGalley

One sentence: Izzie is a young witch dating basketball star Mark and things are going great- until she makes a love potion for her best friend and accidentally takes it herself, therefore falling in love with the new kid in school, Tristan.

Themes: Fairytale retelling, romance, fantasy, magic, high-school

Main character: 2/5
I was not a fan of Izzie. She was unlikeable in her relationship with Mark and Branna, and then later seemed resigned to their relationship too early, with no true emotions to her best friend and boyfriend falling in love. The only plus I can give Izzie is that she seemed to improve slightly throughout the novel. I really disliked how Harrison wrote her relationship with Tristan- it completely love at first sight, but not for any logical reason, and I didn’t feel like their relationship progressed realistically, or at all really. Tristan was also like a block of wood- no personality whatsoever.

Secondary characters: 1/5
The villain- Gurman- was really not frightening at all. A giant snake, really? Mark seemed very boring and predictable, and his relationship with Izzie seemed flat and unbelievable. Branna was the stereotypical best friend who goes along with everything: I was alternatively mad at her for her response to Izzie, and mad at her for not responding more.

Writing style: 1/5
The style was immature, choppy and simple. The writing employed countless clichés and awkward expressions. The phrase “we’d have to talk about it later” popped up about five times in the span of a chapter. I didn’t like the first person POV because it was hard to follow and

Plot: 2.5/5
I thought that a retelling of Tristan & Isolde would be fascinating, and I was excited at the premise, however it fell flat. The conflict was uninspiring, some parts ridiculous and unbelievable, and the twists were predictable and childish. The love philtre, for instance, was something that I felt was slightly unnecessary, but it was used as a main plot device.

Ending: 3/5
I was surprised, but the ending was actually the best part of the novel. The final conflict was weak, but the way that Harrison tied up all the loose ends was a nice change to the trend in YA of leaving books on cliffhangers or tying up the ends quickly and in a rush.

Best scene: I guess the final fight scene?

Positives: How nicely the ending tied up, premise

Negatives: Characters, conflict, plot, writing style

First Line: Mark caught me in a big hug from behind as I closed my locker.

Cover: So pretty! The portrayal of Izzie wasn’t how I visualized her, but the shot is just so gorgeous. I wish the novel had lived up to the cover.

Verdict: Sorry, but this fairytale reinvention didn’t cut it for me.

Rating: 3.8 / 10

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to review the book at the time. However, it has been promoted on my site. I feel my readers welcome news about books even without reviews. Thank you for the opportunity to review your product.