Wondrous Strange (Wonderous Strange, #1) by Lesley Livingston

Nov 27, 2008 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, own-arc

I think I’ve wrote and then rewrote this review about a hundred times now! And I know it’s going to come across one way, and that’s just how it’s going to have to be, because I simply cannot write it any other way. So here is goes... fangirly-ness and all. I hope you last through it.

I loved it, I LOVED it. I love it so much I want to marry it. If you are a fan of faerie books, you’ll want to read this one. If you’ve tried faerie books before, but didn’t like them, you’ll want to read this. If yo...more I think I’ve wrote and then rewrote this review about a hundred times now! And I know it’s going to come across one way, and that’s just how it’s going to have to be, because I simply cannot write it any other way. So here is goes... fangirly-ness and all. I hope you last through it.

I loved it, I LOVED it. I love it so much I want to marry it. If you are a fan of faerie books, you’ll want to read this one. If you’ve tried faerie books before, but didn’t like them, you’ll want to read this. If you aren’t a fan of faerie books, you’ll still want to read it. It’s that good.

Incredible characters, incredible writing, incredible plot. It was really just so fricking fantastic, it’s hard to find the words to describe it. I never in a million years would have guessed this was a debut novel. The key to my heart is great characters and story line, and this book had it all and then some. Even the minor characters stood out to me, and they were fascinating. Like Chloe, she is a siren, a very minor role and yet she is very memorable. As well as a few other characters..... but I don’t want to give all the goods away.

Completely original plot! I figured a few things out, but other things I was oblivious to, until they were revealed. I’ve read other faerie books about the faerie “royalty” if you’ve read Melissa Marr you know what I’m talking about here. Not that I’d even compare this book to Marr’s because they are at totally two different ends of the spectrum. And I don’t mean that in the quality of writing, because they are both fabulous writers. Did I just write fabulous... don’t you just love the plethora of “f” adj.!? Do you think I’m subconsciously doing it because of the whole faerie thing... freaking fantastic fascinating fabulous faeries! I promise I did NOT do that on purpose!

Great writers write what they know.... what movie is that from? Never Been Kissed! I think that statement definitely has some truth to it. Kelley is an actress. (a struggling actress to be more specific) The theater scenes within the novel were marvelous (notice no ‘f’ here!) so I wasn’t surprised to learn that the lovely Lesley Livingston herself is at home on the stage. I wonder if she knows any faeries personally?

I think the thing I loved most about this novel was Kelley. She is an exceptional female protagonist. I was instantly drawn to her character. She’s honest, she imperfect, and she doesn’t pull the Bella card. When a cute guy tells her that faeries are real. She reacts like a normal person and laughs in his face. LOVED IT.

And I must mention Sonny. Ah... Sonny.. Mom can I have one? Yeah that’s really all I’m going to say about him, because if I tell you, they you’re going to want him too, and you can’t have him because he’s mine. No really, I’m not going to tell you how incredibly cute he is, and how he kicks major faerie ass, because he’s all protecting the mortal world from the mean faeries.. And yet, he can still rescue the damsel in distress even if she is mean to hin and laughs in his face.

I simply cannot say enough good things about this novel. I highly recommend you grab a copy of this book. It would make an awesome Christmas present! And I’m even more thrilled to mention that this novel is the beginning of a trilogy! (less)

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Nov 15, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: trt-gold-star-award-winner, trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by The Story Siren for TeensReadToo.com

I loved it, I LOVED it. I love it so much I want to marry it. If you are a fan of faerie books, you'll want to read this one. If you've tried faerie books before, but didn't like them, you'll want to read this. If you aren't a fan of faerie books, you'll still want to read it. It's that good.

Incredible characters, incredible writing, incredible plot. It was really just so fantastic, it's hard to find the words to describe it. I never in a million...more Reviewed by The Story Siren for TeensReadToo.com

I loved it, I LOVED it. I love it so much I want to marry it. If you are a fan of faerie books, you'll want to read this one. If you've tried faerie books before, but didn't like them, you'll want to read this. If you aren't a fan of faerie books, you'll still want to read it. It's that good.

Incredible characters, incredible writing, incredible plot. It was really just so fantastic, it's hard to find the words to describe it. I never in a million years would have guessed this was a debut novel. The key to my heart is great characters and storyline, and this book had it all and then some. Even the minor characters stood out to me, and they were fascinating. Like Chloe - she is a siren, has a very minor role, and yet she is very memorable. As well as a few other characters..... but I don't want to give all the goods away.

Completely original plot! I figured a few things out, but other things I was oblivious to until they were revealed. I've read other faerie books about the faerie "royalty" - if you've read Melissa Marr you know what I'm talking about here. Not that I'd even compare this book to Marr's because they are at totally two different ends of the spectrum. And I don't mean that in the quality of writing, because they are both fabulous writers. Did I just write fabulous...don't you just love the plethora of "f" adj.!? Do you think I'm subconsciously doing it because of the whole faerie thing... freaking fantastic fascinating fabulous faeries! I promise I did NOT do that on purpose!

Great writers write what they know.... what movie is that from? Never Been Kissed! I think that statement definitely has some truth to it. Kelley is an actress (a struggling actress to be more specific). The theater scenes within the novel were marvelous (notice no `f' here!) so I wasn't surprised to learn that the lovely Lesley Livingston herself is at home on the stage. I wonder if she knows any faeries personally?

I think the thing I loved most about WONDROUS STRANGE was Kelley. She is an exceptional female protagonist. I was instantly drawn to her character. She's honest, she imperfect, and she doesn't pull the Bella card. When a cute guy tells her that faeries are real, she reacts like a normal person and laughs in his face. LOVED IT.

And I must mention Sonny. Ah... Sonny.. Mom, can I have one? Yeah, that's really all I'm going to say about him, because if I tell you, they you're going to want him, too, and you can't have him because he's mine. No really, I'm not going to tell you how incredibly cute he is, and how he kicks major faerie butt, because he's all about protecting the mortal world from the mean faeries.. And yet, he can still rescue the damsel in distress even if she is mean to him and laughs in his face.

I simply cannot say enough good things about this novel. I highly recommend you grab a copy of this book. It would make an awesome Christmas present! And I'm even more thrilled to mention that this novel is the beginning of a trilogy!
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Jan 11, 2009 Marcy Jo rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: myalltimefaves, reading-challenge-2009

Wondrous Strange is one of those gems that I stumbled across completely by accident. I was in the book store looking to grab the second book in the BIFN series and of course I had to spend some time browsing while I was there. The cover of this book (gorgeous yes?) caught my attention, as did the title. Both of them put me in mind of "Wicked Lovely."

It was too much to resist. Without even reading the inside flap, I grabbed the book and headed to the register. This was a fortuitous happening.

I'...more Wondrous Strange is one of those gems that I stumbled across completely by accident. I was in the book store looking to grab the second book in the BIFN series and of course I had to spend some time browsing while I was there. The cover of this book (gorgeous yes?) caught my attention, as did the title. Both of them put me in mind of "Wicked Lovely."

It was too much to resist. Without even reading the inside flap, I grabbed the book and headed to the register. This was a fortuitous happening.

I'm not going to say too much, as to not give anything away (since you know me well enough by now to know that I will hound you until you read this)but I couldn't get enough of these characters! The story is chock full of fae lore, which is fantastic for those already mildly versed in it (whether through the myths themselves or vicariously through other authors such as Holly Black or Melissa Marr) and explained enough that complete novices in that world will not be lost.

The first half of the story is very whimsical and fun. So many of the little details that I crossed made my lips turn up into that grin that makes my husband shake his head tolerantly at me; the smile of a satisfied and enchanted reader. The last half of it made my head spin with the suddenness of some of the plot points. That sounds like a negative, but it honestly wasn't. The chaos of that part of the story flows with the sudden chaos and confusion of the main characters. It works. Well.

The romance is sweet without being overtly cheesetastic. Parts of the interaction between Kelley and Sonny are hilarious, as he isn't quite accustomed to some modern speech patterns, and they sort of baffle and confuse each other when they first meet (and later as well.) It's a cute and sweet little commentary on communication that I really enjoyed.

The end was satisfying (again with the looking hopefully to the future as opposed to the everyting-is-so-happy-with-rainbows-and-pants-that-never-wrinkle ending) though it left me desperately hoping that a sequel is in the works.

PLEASE LET THERE BE A SEQUEL IN THE WORKS.

All in all, I'm very pleased. Even more so that my copy of the book is a first edition. I have a suspicion this author is going places. ;)(less)

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Feb 10, 2009 Michelle rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have two comments to make on this book:

1. There is a character named Tyffanwy. No, my typing has not, in fact, developed a lisp, it is the truth.

2. During a scene in which a full-grown man is sitting on a little wooden painted pony on a carousel, the following description appears: "Kelley stared at Sonny, who sat easily on his mount, like a knight in shining armor on the back of his charger" (page 181).

And then I threw up, and that was the end of that.

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Jan 02, 2009 Alethea rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: faerie-lovers, romantics, and wannabe princesses everywhere

Recommended to Alethea by: the book cover faerie!

Always choose a book by its cover... ahem.

First, a disclaimer! I liked this book. Despite what I am about to say next.

Definitely better written and far less angsty than Wicked Lovely, somewhat lacking in the descriptive area (esp. in comparison to the Marillier I just read--Wildwood Dancing) but the story ties up nicely and the characters are amusing. It was more humorous than I expected, which was good. It was less dramatic than I expected, which was not so good. (I know, ambiguous, huh? I exp...more

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Jan 30, 2009 Alexandria rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone who likes fairytales, romance, and the paranormal

Recommended to Alexandria by: I stumbled across it in Barnes N Noble

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 25, 2012 M. Kay rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Hey! Hey there! What a wondrously strange book! And I do mean that in a good way! I have never read A Midsummer's Night Dream, as I am not a big reader of the classics. However, the allusions in Wondrous Strange to Shakespeare's play makes me want to pick up a copy and see what I've been missing. Meaning Livingston did a great job making her characters and world come to life.

Of course by now I've read several books about the Fair Folk, but this one for me, stands out among the rest. That may hav...more Hey! Hey there! What a wondrously strange book! And I do mean that in a good way! I have never read A Midsummer's Night Dream, as I am not a big reader of the classics. However, the allusions in Wondrous Strange to Shakespeare's play makes me want to pick up a copy and see what I've been missing. Meaning Livingston did a great job making her characters and world come to life.

Of course by now I've read several books about the Fair Folk, but this one for me, stands out among the rest. That may have a lot to do with Kelley, our main protagonist. I love that she's feisty and strong willed. Not the least bit a whiner or a push over. Yeah, she had a bit of denial going on, but if someone told me that I was a Fairy, I would tell them to go to H-E-double hockey sticks with gasoline underwear! That's not nice, yet you get what I'm saying right?

The other protagonist, Sonny, I'm not sure how I feel personally about his character. I mean his character was well written, Livingston told his story within Kelley's story, yet I didn't connect with him in the same manner. And that's weird because I usually dig the brooding and dangerous types, the outcasts, and the arrogant hot-heads who know that they're sexy and are so full of themselves. Maybe that's the thing though, he didn't really fit in those categories. Well, he was dangerous and certainly had his jerk moments, but he wasn't an Ethan (Glimmerglass) or an Ash (Iron King). I don't know...maybe it's because the story went by so fast and Sonny was so different that it left me wanting more.

I also wanted to know more about the other Janus members (If you have no ideal what I'm talking about, read the book to find out more). Livingston went through the pains of introducing each Janus member, and even went through a short description, but aside from that, they popped into the scenes sporadically. I would've like for them to be included just a wee bit more. That's me being greedy.

Speaking of wanting more. I was waiting on Kelley to whip those Fey powers out and toss them around all willy-nilly in order to save her world and of course the love of her life. Yeah well, it happened, but not like I was expecting. The ending felt rushed. I thought to myself, Wait. That's it? That happened too fast! Of course, you don't have to take my word for it since there's a possibility that I'm just a difficult person to please.

So we have a nice plot, some good twists, and solid characters. Things went a little faster than I would've like. Still it was a good story. This is flying in on my radar at a good 4 out of 5.(less)

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Feb 01, 2009 Audrey rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, fairies, urban-fairy, young-adult

I see that most people seem to have really liked this book, but it really rubbed me the wrong way. It felt very flat and predictable. I would have liked to have had a sense that there was real danger at hand, but the writing lacked the necessary tension to pull off the New York City apocalypse scenario. (See: The City's End Two Centuries of Fantasies, Fears, and Premonitions of New York's Destruction) I generally really enjoy books like this, but it just didn't draw me in. I love the cover art,...more

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Feb 19, 2010 Kelley Anne rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010

I just finished reading Wondrous Strange. It was pretty good. I'd probably give it 3 - 3 1/2 stars. I had to read this book when I saw that the main character's name was Kelley, and she even spelled it the same as me! I know that may seem funny to some, but when you have a rather common name like Kelley, but never see it spelled the same way that you do, it's fun when you can find it!

The main character in this story is an actress in New York City. One day while walking through Central Park, she...more

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Apr 18, 2009 Cecelia rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 28, 2010 Amelia, the pragmatic idealist rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, favorite-books, ya-kids-teen, harper-collins, own, lovestory-done-right, paranormal, best-characters-ever, mc-girl

Wondrous Strange to me offered a very clever, very interesting amount of mythology and folklore to explain the faerie world. This is particularly interesting because the entire story takes place in New York City - the "Otherworld," as it is known, is only referenced.
There's something in particular that I found really neat: So often in faerie fiction, you hear the same things over and over: Seelie/Unseelie, Winter & Summer Courts. Well, those concepts are all here, but Livingston brings more...more Wondrous Strange to me offered a very clever, very interesting amount of mythology and folklore to explain the faerie world. This is particularly interesting because the entire story takes place in New York City - the "Otherworld," as it is known, is only referenced.
There's something in particular that I found really neat: So often in faerie fiction, you hear the same things over and over: Seelie/Unseelie, Winter & Summer Courts. Well, those concepts are all here, but Livingston brings more to the table by having 4 courts: yes, Autumn and Spring are represented too! That was really cool. And the Midsummer monarchs: Titania and Auberon (instead of Oberon--cool!) are here as well, but they're not near as stereotypical. In fact, Titania is only referenced, and Auberon is portrayed in a way that makes sense with his character background.

And the Love Story: Yes! Finally a love interest who actually cares about the girl and doesn't want to kill her and doesn't treat her like garbage!
*does the macarena*
Oh, how I love Sonny! And I love Kelley and Sonny together! I didn't particularly think their relationship was rushed, but some reviewers have said that. I also like that Sonny is a bit of an... unconventional love interest (don't want to spoil anything here, but I will say that he's not a Faerie Prince). Three cheers for variety!

There were a few passages and quotes that made me laugh out loud! I like when Mabh says to Sonny: "I like you! You're an angry little thing!" For some reason, I just thought that was funny. And then the word "hag." I just think that word sounds hilarious.
Also, I loved that Livingston chose to tell Wondrous Strange using double perspectives. It's 3rd person rotated between Sonny and Kelley, and wow, what a good idea! Sometimes just seeing things from the point of view of the "normal girl character" can be a bit limiting. It was really cool to have Sonny's perspective and be able to have a window into the faerie world. And the POVs were rotated very nicely by chapter, which made transitioning very smooth.

I liked Kelley Winslow a lot. It may sound like an understatement, but I really love it when I read a book with a main character I like. I found Kelley to be a near-perfect MC: she's smart, spunky, and capable, but she's also able to let somebody else take the lead, too - a very good quality to have in a well-rounded and mature person. And she graduated early - very cool. I think she's the first character I've encountered who's done that (I graduated early too!) She's 17 and living in New York City as an actress. On the surface, that sounds really far-fetched, but actually, that's believable. Kelley reminded me of a girl in my dance class who tested out of her senior year so she could move to LA. Of course, New York theatre is so much more suave than silly Hollywood! But I digress.

I loved this book, and I would highly recommend it to fantasy lovers and fans of faerie fiction - particularly those (like me) who were unimpressed by Marr, Black, and some of the others :P But even if you liked those books, you'll probably like this one, too!
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Jun 20, 2010 Natalie (Mindful Musings) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've been ridiculously excited to read this book. I've heard a lot of wonderful reviews about it, and I was super-psyched to walk into my library last week and see a copy of it sitting on the Teen shelf!

Lori @ Pure Imagination said in her review of Wondrous Strange that "With this book, I got everything I wanted Wicked Lovely to be and wasn't." I think this best sums up how I felt about the book. I've read quite a few YA books centered on faerie lore, (including Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely seri...more

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Feb 08, 2009 Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. After a couple false starts, I read this book. Honestly, the first chapters were pretty weak. There was nothing about it that made me interested in the rest of it and the flash forward at the beginning didn't really add anything for me. In fact, I dislike those.

Once I got past the rather boring beginning to the point where Kelley meets Sonny and finds the kelpie, it started to get better. It was all really predictable. Still, it's always interesting to see how someone takes something like fairie...more

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Dec 23, 2008 Betty rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: 13 and up

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, novels, paranormal, young-adult, favorites

Odds bodkins! I’ve fallen into A Midsummer Night's Dream! Lesley Livingston’s debut “Wondrous Strange” is exactly that, a book of wonder and enchantment; a world of faeries, fauns, sirens, changelings, and the Hounds of Hell. The author is obviously familiar with Shakespeare’s works, and certainly has done a lot of research into legends, mythology and faerie lore. This wonderful story is captivating, the characters both surprising and interesting. It is listed as Young Adult, but I as a grandmot...more

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Jun 27, 2011 Alaa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I’ll admit that when I read the synopsis, I was a bit put off, but this book suprised.

I fell in love the same time sonny fell; In the park where she threw her lines at him. I fell more when they confessed their love to one another. It helped that the writer gave time and space for each character, to tell their point of view. Kelley character was loveable, funny, innocent, and strong. Sonny was strong, loyal and gentle. All the time they were both unpredictable and fascinating. There was also ot...more

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Jan 05, 2013 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

The rating is a gift, I know it's a book certain people will really enjoy. I didn't finish it. I didn't care for the way it was written, the tone nor the way the story was laid out. I suppose it might be that I'm just too old, too male, and too well read.

Please enjoy this if it's your cup of tea...or fairy wine. It's not mine. I have a long to be read list and I really wasn't enjoying this, so please my "friends" who have enjoyed this series, don't hold it against me...I just didn't care for it...more

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Oct 25, 2011 El Templo de las Mil Puertas added it · review of another edition

Shelves: 13-eltemplo, reseñas

"Kelley Winslow decide mudarse a la ciudad de Nueva York persiguiendo su gran sueño: convertirse en actriz y debutar sobre la tarima de un teatro. Venciendo las reticencias de su tía y tras encontrar una compañera de piso, finalmente lo consigue. A sus diecisiete años parece que la vida le sonríe porque también ha obtenido un papel en uno de los teatros de Broadway, el Gran Teatro Avalón, para el estreno de su nueva producción, El Sueño de una noche de verano de Shakespeare. Pero ahí no ha acaba...more

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Dec 20, 2008 Darlene rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wondrous Strange by Canadian author Lesley Livingston is a wonderful debut novel. I could not put it down and those who know me, also know I read three or four novels at a time. Not this time. I picked it up and finished it and immediately wanted more.

This is a YA novel rated for ages 12 and up but I'm here to tell you it kept this adult absolutely enthralled. It's a great story full of faeries, mortals and most importantly, magic, that also weaves pieces of A Midsummer Night's Dream through it....more Wondrous Strange by Canadian author Lesley Livingston is a wonderful debut novel. I could not put it down and those who know me, also know I read three or four novels at a time. Not this time. I picked it up and finished it and immediately wanted more.

This is a YA novel rated for ages 12 and up but I'm here to tell you it kept this adult absolutely enthralled. It's a great story full of faeries, mortals and most importantly, magic, that also weaves pieces of A Midsummer Night's Dream through it. The novel's central characters are Kelley and Sonny and the author does a great job of drawing us into these two characters to the point where you truly want what's best for both of them. Kelly is just your run of the mill 'normal', seventeen-year-old girl trying to make a go of it on the stage in the big city while Sonny, although mortal, also has powers that a normal mortal doesn't have. As you read about him you're thinking how sweet he seems-he makes a great male heart throb character. There are minor characters as well that the author manages to draw us into even though they have smaller parts in the book like Chloe who is a Siren and Maddox who is Sonny's friend.

The novel starts with Kelley finding out that she's going to be the lead in the play The Midsummer Night's Dream where she will play Titania, Queen of Fairies. While practising her lines in Central Park she meets Sonny who is a Janus, who unknown to the mortal world, guards the Gate that stands between the ordinary world and the enchanted world keeping out beings that could cross over and throw New York city into chaos. He knows something is different about Kelley but he has no idea what it could be.

On her way home Kelley hears someone screaming near the Lake and runs to help. It turns out to be a horse who she attempts to save. She's drawn deeper and deeper into the water until she passes out hearing faint music in her head. She wakes up soaked to the skin but alive. After this strange things start happening. She comes home and ends up having a horse in her apartment in her tub which turns out to be the horse she thought she had saved. She starts meeting many people who she never figured for faeries. You just never know what may be lurking in the background of our normal mortal world.

From there Kelley learns her true heritage which is that she is the daughter of the King of Fairies. For all of her life she has had protective charms and had not had any idea of the true power she possesses. Together with Sonny they fight a battle that puts them in grave danger just to survive. There is also a little romance in this story but definitely nothing that takes away from the plot. It's really interesting to find out just how both Kelley and Sonny came to be in the worlds they inhabited.

I would absolutely recommend this book especially for those who love the magical stories. It is very well written and the language is beautifully descriptive and flows very nicely throughout the story. I was very happy to learn that this is the first book in a trilogy and I can't wait for the next one to come out to find out more about what will happen to Kelley and Sonny.

This book was released by HarperCollins Canada in hardcover on December 12, 2008 and will be released in paperback on January 9, 2009. I did notice though that it is not being released until December 23, 2008 in the US.

http://peekingbetweenthepages.blogspo...(less)

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Apr 08, 2013 Canadian Children's Book Centre added it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-news-reviews

They are from two completely different worlds. Literally. Sonny Flannery, currently residing in a penthouse overlooking Central Park, has not grown up as a normal child. Taken from his mother as an infant, Sonny is a changeling, a human raised in the land of
Faerie by none other than Auberon the Winter King. Now he is beginning his career as a Janus Guard, one of the specially chosen changelings trained as elite protectors of the gates between the Otherworld and the world of humans. Their task is...more

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Mar 01, 2013 Steph And Dani {A Walk on Words} rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston
Reviewed by Dani
Dani’s rating: 4 stars

This review can also be found @ http://awalkonwords.blogspot.com/

Dani’s Review:

Wondrous strange. I love the title of this book, which also happens to be the title of the trilogy. Can you think of anything that is such a mix of wonder and strangeness that the two components cannot be distinguished? In this book, both faeries and love are "wondrous strange". This book is about faeries, a topic that has been speculated, di...more Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston
Reviewed by Dani
Dani’s rating: 4 stars

This review can also be found @ http://awalkonwords.blogspot.com/

Dani’s Review:

Wondrous strange. I love the title of this book, which also happens to be the title of the trilogy. Can you think of anything that is such a mix of wonder and strangeness that the two components cannot be distinguished? In this book, both faeries and love are "wondrous strange". This book is about faeries, a topic that has been speculated, discussed, and written countless times. Like many stories about those peculiar creatures that do not have the ability to lie, this story has been heavily influenced by Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night Dream. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this rather "fresh" story about faeries. It has a very original plot, although it did have its fair share of the usual corniness since the main character Kelley is the daughter of 2 faery monarchs.

I loved the two characters Sonny and the Fennrys Wolf. Yes, he is called THE Fennrys Wolf. Fenn doesn't have as big a part in this book than in the later two books, but he is still an essential character. Both are Janus, warriors appointed by the winter king Oberon to guard the gate between the worlds of fey and mortals. All Janus are mortal changelings, snatched out of the mortal realm by faeries. Also, both are pretty darn cute but in different ways. Fenn was a Viking warrior before he became a changeling, so he has the “Grrr I’m a tough guy! DO. NOT. MESS. WITH ME.” attitude. But secretly, he’s a teddy bear inside. Sonny is the newest member of the Janus guard and is Irish. He’s just a plain old teddy bear, but he will still kick your butt if you call him a “teddy bear”. Unlike in Shakespeare’s writing, Oberon does not rule the summer kingdom with Titania. He is the Unseelie king. Sonny, raised by Oberon, never thought of associating love with a mortal until he met Kelley, his mysterious not-so-mortal "firecracker". ;) Inside reference! Gotta read this book to understand it!

Kelley is a strong female lead. She left her home and her aunt to pursue her acting career. No, Kelley is not a movie star. Kelley acts out Shakespeare plays as part of the Avalon Theatre Company. She somehow juggles her mortal life with discovering her faery heritage and learning how to deal with it. Talk about multitasking!

I really liked Wondrous Strange, but I felt like there were some slow parts that caused me to lose interest. This still was a phenomenal book, but it wasn't perfect. The writing of Lesley Livingston was wonderful, full of breathtaking imagery and innovative action scenes. You won't be bored when you read a battle scene!

If you're looking for a fantasy romance, Wondrous Strange is not what you're looking for, although I highly encourage you to read it. This book has a bit of romance, but there aren't any steamy scenes that cause a major crush on the male protagonist.(less)

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Feb 04, 2013 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, teen-fantasy, teen-girl, teen-magic, teen-paranormal-romance, tween-fantasy, tween-girl, tween-romance, teen-gods-and-mythology

Lesley Livingston is smarter than the average Teen author. This work combines Shakespeare, Celtic mythology, faerie lore, changelings and a feisty but flawed heroine in a believable romantic fantasy, not an easy accomplishment. We meet Kelley as she's disastrously filling in for Queen Titania in midsummer night's dream in a very far off Broadway production. Her memory lapses and nerves send her into Central Park to practice, where she is noted by the true Lord Oberon's guard, a changeling named...more

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Sep 21, 2012 Anita rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-paranormal, young-adult, fairy-tale, library

This is a contemporary young adult fairy tale set in NYC. I really wasn't impressed by it. The character relationships were not believable. The heroine goes from annoyance with the hero to confessing love to one another in a little over a day. She's 17, but even for a 17 year old, that's ridiculously fast. And as soon as things are looking up, the author rips the hero away to set up book 2. There was absolutely NO time for them to develop a relationship. There's a heavy reliance on coincidence,...more

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Sep 19, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Probably closer to 3.5 stars in this case, but I thought I'd round it up for sheer enjoyment's sake.

"Wondrous Strange" is not exactly the most original concept in fiction. Fantasy-world children growing up in the world as we know it, fairies, Shakespeare...none of this is new. And in the first few chapters, I worried that Livingston wouldn't have anything much to offer to such a well-traveled road. But once it got into its "groove," I quite thoroughly enjoyed it! In fact, I ended up wishing, as...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Kimmy rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book has been on my TBR for so long (since I first got my Kobo!). I kept putting off reading it, stuck between being interested enough to purchase it initially and contemplate reading it every time I finished a book, and not feeling quite intrigued enough to start reading it. Here is the Kobo store’s summary:

Kelley Winslow is living her dream. Seventeen years old, she has moved to New York City and started work with a theatre company. Sure, she’ s only an understudy for the Avalon Players,...more This book has been on my TBR for so long (since I first got my Kobo!). I kept putting off reading it, stuck between being interested enough to purchase it initially and contemplate reading it every time I finished a book, and not feeling quite intrigued enough to start reading it. Here is the Kobo store’s summary:

Kelley Winslow is living her dream. Seventeen years old, she has moved to New York City and started work with a theatre company. Sure, she’ s only an understudy for the Avalon Players, a third-tier repertory company so far off-Broadway it might as well be in Hoboken, but things are looking up- the lead has broken her ankle and Kelley’ s about to step into the role of Titania the Faerie Queen in Shakespeare’ s A Midsummer Night’ s Dream. But Faeries are far more real than Kelley thinks, and a chance encounter in Central Park with a handsome young man named Sonny Flannery plunges her into an adventure she could never have imagined. Sonny and Kelley find themselves drawn to each other- and into a terrible plot that could spell disaster for both New York and the Faerie realm alike.

Kelley Winslow is 17, pursuing her dream of acting as understudy in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, living in a tiny apartment with a roommate. One night, while rehearsing in Central Park, she encounters Sonny, who finds himself drawn to her.

Throughout the novel, Kelley and Sonny bicker while he tries to protect her and she refuses to believe she’s in any danger. Kelley thinks Sonny, with his talk of Faerie and changelings and magic, is crazy, but Sonny knows he needs to protect Kelley. As she comes to accept the things he tells her, things become more dangerous for both of them.

I don’t want to get too spoiler-y with the plot, because part of what I liked about this book was that, despite the length of time it’s been on my TBR, I didn’t know that much about it. I enjoyed learning about the Faerie world, which seemed both beautiful and dangerous, and which has its own power / political struggles. I thought the world-building was pretty good for this first book in a trilogy.

I also liked the main characters, Kelley and Sonny. Kelley was strong-willed, a bit stubborn, and seemed quite independent, as she had moved to New York at 17 to try her hand at acting (and it’s a good plot device to ensure that there are no parental/adult figures around! Although I should mention that Kelley does have an aunt, but they only speak by phone in this book). Sonny was a more intruguing character for me, given his history, which I appreciated. Sometimes the boy in YA romance novels comes across as fairly bland, but Sonny definitely has his own personality and motivations.

Sonny and Kelley’s pasts came together in a way that I saw coming, and you probably will too, but I thought it was a good twist for the story, and am looking forward to seeing where the rest of the series takes things.

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. If you like urban fantasy and/or YA romance, this may be a book (and series) for you. (From http://pingwings.ca)(less)

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Jul 23, 2012 Eccentrika rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, ya, series

Ispirato alla commedia di Shakespeare Sogno di una notte di mezza estate, "Wondrous Strange" è il primo capitolo di una trilogia fantasy fatata. Ci tengo a precisare che non è assolutamente una rivisitazione di tale commedia, ma si ispira ad essa in quanto ci sono alcuni dei personaggi più importanti, affiancati da altri inediti. Ma la storia è completamente diversa. In questo primo libro della trilogia, Kelley, la protagonista diciasettenne della serie, per inseguire il suo sogno di diventare a...more Ispirato alla commedia di Shakespeare Sogno di una notte di mezza estate, "Wondrous Strange" è il primo capitolo di una trilogia fantasy fatata. Ci tengo a precisare che non è assolutamente una rivisitazione di tale commedia, ma si ispira ad essa in quanto ci sono alcuni dei personaggi più importanti, affiancati da altri inediti. Ma la storia è completamente diversa. In questo primo libro della trilogia, Kelley, la protagonista diciasettenne della serie, per inseguire il suo sogno di diventare attrice, si ritroverà a New York a recitare la famosa commedia di Shakespeare (Sogno di una notte di mezza estate, appunto) completamente ignara del fatto che tale commedia è ispirata ad un mondo fatato e a dei personaggi realmente esistenti. Farà causalmente la conoscenza di Sonny, un umano rapito da bambino dal mondo fatato e che ora, insieme ad altri tredici, assume il ruolo di Giano, ovvero guardiano del varco che fa da tramite tra il regno fatato e quello degli uomini. E con lui inizierà una grandissima avventura che la porterà a conoscenza di segreti inimmaginabili che le cambieranno la vita.
Sono rimasta davvero soddisfatta dalla lettura di questo romanzo. La scrittura è piacevolmente scorrevole, la trama è interessante, originale e, in alcuni punti, anche parecchio divertente (la scena del cavallo mi ha fatto fare un mucchio di risate!!!). In più, lo sviluppo della storia è tutt'altro che banale, perché, oltre agli innumerevoli colpi di scena, fino alla fine non si riesce a capire cosa succederà. Adoro le storie fatate e questa è una storia che non delude. Nonostante sia ambientata quasi interamente a New York, lo scenario risulta affascinante, magico, e dato il parallelismo con il mondo fatato mi sento di poter affermare che come genere rientra pienamente nel fantasy. Sono talmente entusiasta dal mondo ricreato che mi sarebbe piaciuto saperne di più. A tale proposito, immagino che questo primo libro, funge un po' da mezzo preludio e che nei due successivi se ne vedranno delle belle! Non vedo l'ora di leggerli! Anche perché sono curiosissima di poter approfondire gli innumerevoli personaggi misteriosi che sono stati introdotti. Comunque come inizio saga non è niente male, anzi, lo promuovo a pieni voti!!!!(less)

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Jul 10, 2012 Marta rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was really good, and I enjoyed it very much.

BUT

I had one major annoying thing that kept coming back to me. According to the maple leaf sticker on the back of this book, that someone at the library stuck on, and Lesley's own blurb about herself at the back of the book, Lesley lives in Canada. Toronto to be exact. She went to U of T, as far as I can tell lived there her entire life, and probably says the name of her city the way most locals say it, Toronno and she probably smirks inside...more This book was really good, and I enjoyed it very much.

BUT

I had one major annoying thing that kept coming back to me. According to the maple leaf sticker on the back of this book, that someone at the library stuck on, and Lesley's own blurb about herself at the back of the book, Lesley lives in Canada. Toronto to be exact. She went to U of T, as far as I can tell lived there her entire life, and probably says the name of her city the way most locals say it, Toronno and she probably smirks inside while listening to Americans say Toronto when they pronounce the T.

So what does she do, as soon as she writes a book, and gets to show her opinion to the world, show people a place that they would never be able to go to through her pages??? She sets her book in New York City. NYC. Possibly one of the most written about places North America. I have no issue with New York. In fact, I want to go there very badly, and see a musical on Broadway. It is the fact that the author wrote about something that she knows nothing about. She probably sees New York from a tourist's point of view, instead of a person that has lived there for any length of time.

I find that I lose myself and enjoy the book more when I can tell the author knows the place that she is writing about, even if I have never been there. A great example of this would be any book by Melina Marchetta. She lives in Australia and is Italian. So she writes books set in Australia, near Sydney, where she lives, and many of her heroines are Italian. Even when she writes about Aussies, she knows what she is talking about because she is surrounded by them. She has lived through being an Italian in Austarlia and puts that knowlege into her books. She assumes that the reader knows what she is talking about, so she doesn't explain any culture-related things. And it works. When i read her books, I don't give a shit that I don't know that the hell a "wog" is, and I don't find it strange that they find it cold in June and want to wear scarves. Because I trust in her knowledge.

But it's also a pride thing , I geuss. Also, it maybe could help her with publicity if she set the book in T.O. instead of NYC. Think of all the books set in New York. You could probably name a couple off the top of your head, right? Now think of all the books set in Toronto. Can you think of any??? I know I can't. It would have been something unique. But oh, well.

The book is really good, and has a different vocabulary than most YA novels, and I can appreciate that. Plus, I love all the Irish-ness! ;D(less)

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Feb 01, 2012 Lydia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-speculative-fiction

There are several elements of this book that make it a great read. First, it has a unique setting and several themes that, in themselves, could be the backdrop for a novel: a young actress trying to make it on the Shakespearean stages of New York City, the Shakespearean basis of the world of faeries and that world's intermingling with our own, the identity crises of a young woman who finds out she is not who she thought she was, and a budding romance. Any of these themes could have an interestin...more

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Jul 28, 2011 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2008, reviewed

Once upon a time, a mortal once stole something dear to Auberon, King of the winter fae, and he closed the gates that served as a portal to the mortal world forever. But not quite. For nine days every ninth year, the Samhein gate in New York's Central Park cracks open letting through any fae that would attempt to cross, and is lucky enough to elude Auberon's mortal guard - the Janus.

Sounds deep, no? Wonderous Strange is actually a great deal more lighthearted than that. Sonny is a changling who...more

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Jul 18, 2011 Sensitivemuse rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Normally I shy away from books about faeries. They’re the least favorite of the paranormal beings that I like to read about. I’m not sure why but I’m just not interested in them. Yet when I finished Wondrous Strange, suddenly my interest in faeries has skyrocketed all because of this single book.

What can I say, except that I absolutely LOVED this book. Everything about it was so fantastic! I loved the characters, the whole story, and the references to A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It might help if...more Normally I shy away from books about faeries. They’re the least favorite of the paranormal beings that I like to read about. I’m not sure why but I’m just not interested in them. Yet when I finished Wondrous Strange, suddenly my interest in faeries has skyrocketed all because of this single book.

What can I say, except that I absolutely LOVED this book. Everything about it was so fantastic! I loved the characters, the whole story, and the references to A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It might help if the reader is familiar with the play in the first place, but a simple read through in wikipedia might help to those not wanting to read any Shakespeare.

I’d have to say Kelley is a wonderful character to read. She might seem meek and mild in the beginning but when Sonny comes around to annoy her Kelley gets all riled up and shows her angry side. It was absolutely fun to read, she does have a certain spark and some chemistry between herself and Sonny. I like them both as characters. I also liked Auberon. Yes, he wasn’t the most nicest person and was a backstabbing bastage, but there was an aura of suave and calm collected coolness that just emanated from him whenever he came around. You just couldn’t help but feel some sort of attraction to him despite his aloof behavior. One can also not forget Lucky, even though it was a horse, it was still a wonderful silent sidekick. Bob was also unforgettable, who even though he was mischievous, he was an excellent supporting character too.

The story is also a great read, I liked the idea of Sonny and his gang being tasked with protecting the gate so the Otherworld faeries don’t come in to create mischief or run amok. When things do run amok, the descriptions of what was happening, of bad trickster faeries creating chaos all over the city was just an eye opening read. I just had to keep going I could not stop reading unless I absolutely had to. There were plenty of twists and turns throughout the novel and it provides for much of the excitement. Overall it provided some real interesting and fun reading.

I am definitely grabbing the second book of this series! I can’t want to see what happens! there’s so much Kelley has to look forward to (and has a lot to learn!) I’m so glad I picked this book up. I give it full credit for getting me back into the world of faeries and fully enjoying it. I definitely recommend this to other YA readers and those that love anything to do with faeries and A Midsummer Night’s Dream!(less)

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Jul 18, 2011 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-stars

Plot: 4 Stars
I loved how the author took things from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream and stories of The Wild Hunt to come up with a tale all her own. In a time where YA Faerie novels are filled with many of the same themes, the author was able to integrate theater and make it her own.

Pace: 4 Stars
I loved how the chapters alternated between Kelley and Sonny's POV without distorting or confusing the timeline of the novel. The only slight complaint I have is that the last couple of chapters...more

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