Tear You Apart

It’s been a long time since Kill Me Softly (a couple years actually) but I still remember the basics and the characters. So even though you don’t need to read it in order to read Tear You Apart, it did lay the groundwork of the fairy tale town of Beau Rivage. Sarah Cross returns to the town but takes on another story with Viv and Henley. Unlike Blue and Mira they share the same Fairy Tale but are still separated by their curse.

As far as characters go I really liked Viv. She has a hard shell she wears to protect herself. It’s unfortunate that instead of controlling the curse she lets the curse control her. There is also Henley who even though he is cursed to be the Huntsman, stands by Viv. Blue and Mira pop in occasionally and I liked that Jewel had a bigger role. I wouldn’t mind her having her own book. Also there was the new addition of Jasper and his family.

I love the story of Viv and Henley. Even though their relationship becomes kind of volatile as the curse takes precedence. They are constantly pulling and pushing against eachother. They need to let go because he’s supposed to kill her, they can’t let go because they love one another. Very complicated.

The plot is kind of told with two storylines that intertwine. We do sometimes read in Henley’s perspective but because there are two components to the story. There is the Snow White curse that plays out just like the Fairy Tale and then the Underworld that has a bit more of mix of stories. There were times when I could not put the story down and at times I felt like it was moving a little bit slower. I did enjoy it all the way through, there was definitely enough intrigue to keep me interested.

There are many fairy tales that pop in and out. Most I knew but every once in a while there would be a character that I didn’t remember and would have to look it up. The tales keep the basics of the stories but they have their own spin on them. Predominantly it’s Snow White, The Dancing Princesses and Rumpelstiltskin.

I enjoyed Tear You Apart and the stories it represented. I haven’t always been a big Snow White fan but I liked how Sarah Cross changed it up.

Companion novel to Kill Me Softly By Sarah Cross Available now from EgmontUSA Review copy

EgmontUSA may be shutting down, but at least they're releasing their 2015 slate. The first one I just had to read is TEAR YOU APART, the companion to KILL ME SOFTLY. The first book introduced Beau Rivage, the town where descendants of faerie-human unions are forced to live out curses, curses worse than living in Mississippi for the rest of your life.

One of the big differences between TEAR YOU APART and KILL ME SOFTLY is that Viv grew up in Beau Rivage. She knows exactly what story she's living, and she fears it. She is Snow White, which means the Huntsman Henley will either kill or save her. If he saves her, her stepmother Regina will keep trying. Once Viv loved both Regina and Henley. But when Regina betrayed her true colors and Henley was cursed, Viv decided she couldn't trust anyone. She can't keep herself from Henley, but she can't bring herself to trust him again either.

TEAR YOU APART weaves together "Snow White," "The Twelve Dancing Princesses," and "Rumpelstiltskin" in a darkly romantic tale. Viv can be an utter spoiled brat, but getting out of her comfort zone and talking to people really forces her to take measure of her life. And even when she's in spoiled brat mode, I admire her dedication to her own survival. I liked the romance between her and Henley, but liked that she takes a chance when her prince Jasper shows up. Even more, I like that she grows into being her own rescuer (as much as she can).

TEAR YOU APART will satisfy fans of fairytales who aren't afraid of some rather large liberties and some of the darker endings remaining in place. Fans of KILL ME SOFTLY will enjoy that the cast of that novel makes cameo appearances. Also nice: a reoccurring character is confirmed as a lesbian and there is a princess and princess couple that no one remarks upon. Little details like that help the updated fairytale concept really work.

The world of Beau Rivage is like a dream. In some cases those dreams happen to be nightmares. Sarah Cross' books are as chilling as they are magical. Her fairytales tend to skew towards the darkness rather than the light and her take on Snow White is even more unnerving than expected.

Viv has always known a huntsmen would come to kill her one day. She's expected it forever, along the with the prince that is supposed to rescue her. The fact that her huntsmen also happens to be the person she is in love with only complicates the situation further. Viv and Henley's push/pull romance added an edge of danger and suspense to the story. It's a darker romance that created some real tension. This novel is a fairytale, but it also happens to be a well written suspense novel. I was breathlessly on edge waiting to see what Henley would decide, what Regina would do, and how Viv might find a loop hole to her curse. The thriller aspect of the novel is pulse pounding and just as strong (if not stronger) than the fairytale elements. The fate of everyone involved feels uncertain and that allows for real stakes.

This novel blends together the Twelve Dancing Princesses fairytale with the Snow White fairytale. There is even an dash of Rumpelstiltskin added into the mix. This novels blend them together effortlessly so that they compliment each other and weave together seamlessly.

These fairytales are almost twisted beyond belief and turned into something much more sinister than the tales of your childhood. In Beau Rivage Snow White's prince may prefer his princess more comatose and therefore drug her. A single spoken word could mean death for one girl's brothers. Murder is overlooked if done in the name of a curse. These curses are normally looked at as a blessing but Sarah Cross adeptly shows that they tend to cause more pain and offer little to any benefit. The happily ever after destined to be is not always what is promised. The notion of making your own fate, even if it is not a blissfully happy one, being worth the freedom is shown and present a more modern, realistic take on fairytales.

The characters are flawed and imperfect. This includes Viv. She and Henley have a tumultuous relationship where neither of them treat each other very well. Viv is always pushing the boundaries and testing the limits when it comes to Henley's heart. Both of them try to make the other jealous. However, it's clear that they love each other and that it was built on a solid friendship that the curse is destroying. Regina is more than a caricature villainess. She has layers to her that were unexpected. The novel shows that everyone involved is a victim of the curse, and bittersweetly shows you how different things could have been without it.

Sarah's version of a fairytale ending is not the sweetness and light one might expect from a fairytale. Her inspiration tends to be the more sinister versions of the fairytales, and at most the endings are bittersweet. This ending is laced with a sadness that prevents it from being the typical happily ever after.

A darkly seductive, twisted fairytale that blends together multiple inspirations flawlessly. Sarah Cross has truly created a spellbinding, magical take on the Snow White tale that inspires and entrances even as it leaves you feeling unsettled.