Wednesday, May 6, 2009

A Kiss In Time by Alex Flinn

Talia fell under a spell . . . . Jack broke the curse.

I was told to beware the accursed spindle, but it was so enchanting, so hypnotic. . . .

I was looking for a little adventure the day I ditched my tour group. But finding a comatose town, with a hot-looking chick asleep in it, was so not what I had in mind.

I awakened in the same place but in another time—to a stranger's soft kiss.

I couldn't help kissing her. Sometimes you just have to kiss someone. I didn't know this would happen.

Now I am in dire trouble because my father, the king, says I have brought ruin upon our country. I have no choice but to run away with this commoner!

Now I'm stuck with a bratty princess and a trunk full of her jewels. . . . The good news: My parents will freak!

Think you have dating issues? Try locking lips with a snoozing stunner who turns out to be 316 years old. Can a kiss transcend all—even time?

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Thoughts in a nutshell:
This novel was cute and fun. I loved that it was a modern version of Sleeping Beauty. Flinn took the classic fairy tale and tweaked it, made it her own, and added lots of great plot twists. It was different enough to engage the reader yet retained some of its familiarity.

Characters:
Talia was an interesting character to read about. She was a high class girl thrown into a completely foreign world where people weren't nice to her just because of her ancestry. Her parts of the story were written in a language expected from someone who lived in the 1700s but still very understandable. It was fun to see how she reacted to everyday things like iPods and cell phones.

Jack was also a great character. He was pretty much your average 17-year-old guy. Except, you know, the part where he stumbles into a country thats been asleep for 300 years and wakes up the princess. I liked that he was a decent, genuinely nice guy. His emotions were one of the most entertaining things - they ranged from bewildered and disbelieving to loving.

Plot:
Yes, this was most definitely a love story. By that, I mean it was predominately about Jack and Talia slowly falling in love. But it touched on family love as well. Both Jack and Talia have problems with their parents that they need to work out. They both come to realize that, contrary to their previous beliefs, their parents love them unconditionally.

Overall:
Cute, fun, and satisfying. Good writing and fast-paced plot.

Cover:
Gorgeous! I love the green dress. It actually makes a few appearances in the story. The girl is exactly how I pictured Talia to look.

4 out of 5 stars

Recommended if you:
-liked Alex Flinn's other novels
-like reading fairy tale remakes
-enjoy reading novels where a character is from another time and place

Like the new review format? Or do you prefer the old way better? Let me know in the comments!

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