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Nissa
Nissa is following her mother's path, and wants to be the best Fairy Godmother she can be. She's not thrilled when her new project turns out to be a teenaged girl. When she meets Vicky, and her brother Levi, Nissa has no idea what an impact they will have on her life. This is the project that will forever change or seal her fate...
156 pages, Paperback
First published April 6, 2013
26 people are currently reading
688 people want to read
About the author
Bethany Lopez
102 books2,118 followersSign up for my Newsletter for more information about my writing: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/61969e...
Bethany Lopez is a USA Today Bestselling author of more than seventy published works, as both Bethany Lopez and DJ Bryce, and has been publishing since 2011. She's a lover of all things romance, which she incorporates into the books she writes, no matter the genre.
When she isn't reading or writing, she loves spending time with family and traveling whenever possible.
Bethany can usually be found with a cup of coffee or glass of wine at hand, and will never turn down a cupcake!
Literary Agent - Amanda Wooden, SBR Media amanda@sbrmedia.com
Bethany Lopez is a USA Today Bestselling author of more than seventy published works, as both Bethany Lopez and DJ Bryce, and has been publishing since 2011. She's a lover of all things romance, which she incorporates into the books she writes, no matter the genre.
When she isn't reading or writing, she loves spending time with family and traveling whenever possible.
Bethany can usually be found with a cup of coffee or glass of wine at hand, and will never turn down a cupcake!
Literary Agent - Amanda Wooden, SBR Media amanda@sbrmedia.com
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May 5, 2013
I don’t even know where or how to start this review (take a deep breath!).
Nissa has everything, every single interesting element, to be a great book—but at the end of the day it just isn’t. It lacks growth, inspiration, creativity and commitment. The idea itself is quite good—I haven’t read many fairies or Godmothers stories so this could easily be a good read for me—, but somehow the author found a way to write a YA book without any kind of mature behaviour from her characters. These are simply not believable nor capable of connecting with the reader—although Nissa is kind of likeable—, and for the book to be good, the plot also needed unexpected twists and turns, and the writing style had to be different, had to be more personal, more intense, more show not tell.
This is really hard for me because I hate writing bad reviews. I honestly believe that every book has its proper audience, but I couldn’t get away of this awkward sensation of emptiness throughout the book. I felt nothing with this book, not a single thing, and whenever I get into a story, I want to be able to feel something.
Surprisingly enough, I read Nissa in an afternoon—still when I wasn’t liking it, I was reading it fast, and I see that has a good thing ‘cause at least there was something in it that kept me motivated. I think the biggest problem of this book is the writing—it’s just not portraying adequate emotion and feelings. It’s flat, way too simple, with not enough dialogue or action. A lot of things that are happening are described to the reader, and for a reader to truly connect with the protagonist’s fears and wishes, he needs to see more of her not to hear, read about her. Plus, the whole love interest thing was way to monotonous and innocent for an eighteen and a twenty-one year old girl and boy. I was constantly waiting for the moment when everything would bloom and explode between the two of them, but that kept not happening.
Nissa is naïve. I know she’s supposed to be a fairy in a human’s world, but her sense of innocent is overwhelming in a bad way. She looks like a fourteen year-old girl who sees the goodness in everything and who will not practice any evil. And her mission was to protect Vicky not to forget about her around the middle of the book and fully commit herself to her love to Levi—which takes me to an even more disappointing character. C’mon, Levi is so not the kind of adult guy that we, YA crowd, are used to read about. For a man of his age, he can be more naïve than her—how is that even possible?! There were times when he was a bit sweet and kind but overall it wasn’t enough.
If this book is targeted to the younger stage of the YA public, than I understand Lopez’s creative choices for this story—ultimately, I think nowadays more and more young readers look for stories who not only are different and unique, but that also, somehow, show them things they don’t know yet, they have not yet experienced, especially relationship wise. I did liked the fact that Nissa talked about bullying and insecurities, about friendships and first love, but I don’t think those themes were developed in a way that these younger young-adult readers could relate too.
Personally, I expected more mainly when this book can easily be compared to so many others who are really, really good. But hey, this is me, this is what I think. Hopefully, there will be people who think differently.
Originally posted here:
http://pedacinho-literario.blogspot.p...
Nissa has everything, every single interesting element, to be a great book—but at the end of the day it just isn’t. It lacks growth, inspiration, creativity and commitment. The idea itself is quite good—I haven’t read many fairies or Godmothers stories so this could easily be a good read for me—, but somehow the author found a way to write a YA book without any kind of mature behaviour from her characters. These are simply not believable nor capable of connecting with the reader—although Nissa is kind of likeable—, and for the book to be good, the plot also needed unexpected twists and turns, and the writing style had to be different, had to be more personal, more intense, more show not tell.
This is really hard for me because I hate writing bad reviews. I honestly believe that every book has its proper audience, but I couldn’t get away of this awkward sensation of emptiness throughout the book. I felt nothing with this book, not a single thing, and whenever I get into a story, I want to be able to feel something.
Surprisingly enough, I read Nissa in an afternoon—still when I wasn’t liking it, I was reading it fast, and I see that has a good thing ‘cause at least there was something in it that kept me motivated. I think the biggest problem of this book is the writing—it’s just not portraying adequate emotion and feelings. It’s flat, way too simple, with not enough dialogue or action. A lot of things that are happening are described to the reader, and for a reader to truly connect with the protagonist’s fears and wishes, he needs to see more of her not to hear, read about her. Plus, the whole love interest thing was way to monotonous and innocent for an eighteen and a twenty-one year old girl and boy. I was constantly waiting for the moment when everything would bloom and explode between the two of them, but that kept not happening.
Nissa is naïve. I know she’s supposed to be a fairy in a human’s world, but her sense of innocent is overwhelming in a bad way. She looks like a fourteen year-old girl who sees the goodness in everything and who will not practice any evil. And her mission was to protect Vicky not to forget about her around the middle of the book and fully commit herself to her love to Levi—which takes me to an even more disappointing character. C’mon, Levi is so not the kind of adult guy that we, YA crowd, are used to read about. For a man of his age, he can be more naïve than her—how is that even possible?! There were times when he was a bit sweet and kind but overall it wasn’t enough.
If this book is targeted to the younger stage of the YA public, than I understand Lopez’s creative choices for this story—ultimately, I think nowadays more and more young readers look for stories who not only are different and unique, but that also, somehow, show them things they don’t know yet, they have not yet experienced, especially relationship wise. I did liked the fact that Nissa talked about bullying and insecurities, about friendships and first love, but I don’t think those themes were developed in a way that these younger young-adult readers could relate too.
Personally, I expected more mainly when this book can easily be compared to so many others who are really, really good. But hey, this is me, this is what I think. Hopefully, there will be people who think differently.
Originally posted here:
http://pedacinho-literario.blogspot.p...
April 28, 2013
First I want to say that I had the opportunity to read Nissa early on. It took me by surprise because I had just finished Bethany's Friends series and I was blown away with that series. So when I found out Nissa was about Fairies I said wow what a change from her usual writing but I will give it a go and I am so so glad I did. Bethany has this way of writing things that will cling to your heart and stay with you long after you have read it. She has these incredible messages hidden in every story that jumps out at you when you least expect it. With Nissa this is a story about finding ones self, bullying, and love. Bullying is such a controversial subject when someone writes about it but Bethany did a great job of giving a character that learns to stand up for herself in the end against these bullies.
Nissa for over 900 years has wanted to be a good Fairy Godmother. She will finally get her first assignment and when she does she is not sure she can do it because she will have to go live as a teenage human. HOLY COW who wants that right? Well if Nissa wants to be the best fairy she will have to help out Vicky who is being bullied and has been for a long time. As if things could not get any worse for Nissa while she is trying to help out Vicky she feels her soul mate is close and when she sees Levi she is struck because he is her soul mate with one problem. He is human.
As Nissa navigates through helping Vicky with bullying and teaching her to stand up for herself she is struggling with her love for Levi. Once a fairy finds their soul mate they are instantly attracted to one another and need to be near each other. But Nissa needs to concentrate on her assignment. Will she be able to help Vicky out? Will Vicky stand up to these bullies? What will Nissa and Levi do? Will Levi want to be with her once he finds out what she is? This is such a heart warming book and a must read for everyone! I loved the ending because it was very different from what I thought would happen in a very good way.
Nissa for over 900 years has wanted to be a good Fairy Godmother. She will finally get her first assignment and when she does she is not sure she can do it because she will have to go live as a teenage human. HOLY COW who wants that right? Well if Nissa wants to be the best fairy she will have to help out Vicky who is being bullied and has been for a long time. As if things could not get any worse for Nissa while she is trying to help out Vicky she feels her soul mate is close and when she sees Levi she is struck because he is her soul mate with one problem. He is human.
As Nissa navigates through helping Vicky with bullying and teaching her to stand up for herself she is struggling with her love for Levi. Once a fairy finds their soul mate they are instantly attracted to one another and need to be near each other. But Nissa needs to concentrate on her assignment. Will she be able to help Vicky out? Will Vicky stand up to these bullies? What will Nissa and Levi do? Will Levi want to be with her once he finds out what she is? This is such a heart warming book and a must read for everyone! I loved the ending because it was very different from what I thought would happen in a very good way.
April 17, 2013
Cute little fairytale like read. Kind of like some of the cute Disney channel and ABC family movies I love to watch. A fairy godmother falling in love with the older brother of her mission. :-D
May 9, 2013
In a word: charming, romantic, full of fairy lore, with some gentle messages about human nature.
A few weeks ago I attended the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, and I just happened to run into Bethany Lopez. I introduced myself to her and told her I was going to be part of her blog tour, and purchased a copy of her book. She is such a nice person, and after speaking to her briefly and reading Nissa, I see some similarities between Bethany and her main character, Nissa the fairy. Nissa is a short but lovely tale about leaving home to do your duty, meeting the love of your life, helping those in need, coming home again, and having to make some tough choices about your future.
Nissa is a 900-year-old fairy, but in human years she’s only eighteen. She has just been given her first assignment as a Fairy Godmother, helping a teen girl get back the self-esteem she seems to have lost. After leaving fairy headquarters and being changed into human form, she meets her human liaisons the Cartwrights, a couple that will help her adjust to human life and assist with her mission. She soon meets Vicky, the girl she has been sent to help, and observes her being bullied at school by boys and girls alike. Vicky is miserable and doesn’t trust Nissa at first, but little by little, the girls become friends. One day Nissa goes to Vicky’s house and meets her brother Levi, and before you know it, Nissa is experiencing all the physical traits that fairies feel when they’ve met their soul mate: tingling in her right hand, a racing heartbeat, and eyes that briefly turn pink!
There’s only one problem: Nissa is a fairy and Levi’s human, and according to fairy law, the two can never be together. Nissa has her hands full in her human disguise and not only has to help Vicky, but figure out how to deal with her growing feelings for Levi.
I loved the author’s vision of fairy life. I’m not sure how much of it is made up and how much is based on folklore, but in my opinion, the fairies in Nissa have it pretty good. They spend their (very long) lives romping through the forest, they have wings and can fly whenever they want to, and if need be, they can transform into humans in order to accomplish certain tasks. Lopez’s fairies are kind, courteous and practical. They are also innocent and trusting, which could be seen as flaws in the human world. Nissa herself is all these things, but she has wisdom, probably because of her advanced age!
Nissa and Levi are a good romantic match. I enjoyed their budding relationship, and many of the moments they spent together were sweet and innocent. I also really liked Vicky’s character. She begins as an oppressed and unhappy teenager, but gradually gains the self-esteem she sorely lacks in the beginning of the story. I loved her growth into a happier and more confident girl.
The author also mentions several Los Angeles landmarks, which I enjoyed since I’ve been to some of them myself. But the land where the fairies live is quite unique, and I loved the descriptions of the forest trees where they make their home, and the strong family bonds between fairy folk. I wanted to spend more time there, and for that reason I wish the book had been longer. Its brevity made for a quick read, but I did want more detail in certain spots. I also wanted a bit more tension during the story. Sometimes it felt as if Nissa reached her goals too easily, and I wanted her and the other characters to work harder.
But those are just small complaints. I enjoyed the clear and simple writing style, and I thought it had just the right touch for a fairy tale. A surprise revelation at the end about two of the characters made the story all the more charming.
A quick read, yes, but one full of delightful characters, some thoughtful morals, and just a touch of magic.
Many thanks to the author for supplying a review copy.
This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy.
A few weeks ago I attended the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, and I just happened to run into Bethany Lopez. I introduced myself to her and told her I was going to be part of her blog tour, and purchased a copy of her book. She is such a nice person, and after speaking to her briefly and reading Nissa, I see some similarities between Bethany and her main character, Nissa the fairy. Nissa is a short but lovely tale about leaving home to do your duty, meeting the love of your life, helping those in need, coming home again, and having to make some tough choices about your future.
Nissa is a 900-year-old fairy, but in human years she’s only eighteen. She has just been given her first assignment as a Fairy Godmother, helping a teen girl get back the self-esteem she seems to have lost. After leaving fairy headquarters and being changed into human form, she meets her human liaisons the Cartwrights, a couple that will help her adjust to human life and assist with her mission. She soon meets Vicky, the girl she has been sent to help, and observes her being bullied at school by boys and girls alike. Vicky is miserable and doesn’t trust Nissa at first, but little by little, the girls become friends. One day Nissa goes to Vicky’s house and meets her brother Levi, and before you know it, Nissa is experiencing all the physical traits that fairies feel when they’ve met their soul mate: tingling in her right hand, a racing heartbeat, and eyes that briefly turn pink!
There’s only one problem: Nissa is a fairy and Levi’s human, and according to fairy law, the two can never be together. Nissa has her hands full in her human disguise and not only has to help Vicky, but figure out how to deal with her growing feelings for Levi.
I loved the author’s vision of fairy life. I’m not sure how much of it is made up and how much is based on folklore, but in my opinion, the fairies in Nissa have it pretty good. They spend their (very long) lives romping through the forest, they have wings and can fly whenever they want to, and if need be, they can transform into humans in order to accomplish certain tasks. Lopez’s fairies are kind, courteous and practical. They are also innocent and trusting, which could be seen as flaws in the human world. Nissa herself is all these things, but she has wisdom, probably because of her advanced age!
Nissa and Levi are a good romantic match. I enjoyed their budding relationship, and many of the moments they spent together were sweet and innocent. I also really liked Vicky’s character. She begins as an oppressed and unhappy teenager, but gradually gains the self-esteem she sorely lacks in the beginning of the story. I loved her growth into a happier and more confident girl.
The author also mentions several Los Angeles landmarks, which I enjoyed since I’ve been to some of them myself. But the land where the fairies live is quite unique, and I loved the descriptions of the forest trees where they make their home, and the strong family bonds between fairy folk. I wanted to spend more time there, and for that reason I wish the book had been longer. Its brevity made for a quick read, but I did want more detail in certain spots. I also wanted a bit more tension during the story. Sometimes it felt as if Nissa reached her goals too easily, and I wanted her and the other characters to work harder.
But those are just small complaints. I enjoyed the clear and simple writing style, and I thought it had just the right touch for a fairy tale. A surprise revelation at the end about two of the characters made the story all the more charming.
A quick read, yes, but one full of delightful characters, some thoughtful morals, and just a touch of magic.
Many thanks to the author for supplying a review copy.
This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy.
April 29, 2013
I don't know about you but when I watched cartoons I didn't yearn to be the princess - I wanted to be the fairy godmother. After all, she has a magical wand that can do anything even create clothes out of thin air, what more could a girl want, right? I was always sorry there were not more fairy tales that centered around fairies, and Bethany Lopez fulfilled my wish by writing Nissa.
Nissa is a 900-year-old fairy that just finished her course for fairy godmother and is on her first assignment in human contemporary world. Can I say that I was a little bit disappointed that there was no sparkly magic wand and no amazing outfits were created during this book? ;) Nissa did have cute wings, but they are visible only in her fairy form. Most of the book Nissa is masquerading as human while trying to help her charge to get more self-esteem and stand up for herself.
As usual, while on a mission, Nissa meets the cute guy who turns out to be The One. I would not say that it was insta-love but definitely insta-attraction, like in all fairy tales. This is one of those books that you can give to a teen girl to read with a clear conscience. No sexual content or steamy scenes - a true novel for young adults.
Sadly, Nissa came out a little bit too late, because I found that although I liked the idea, the style of narration similar to classic fairy tales was a little bit too simplistic for me. Things were just too... well fairy-tale-ish from basic plot elements to stupid little things like: why the hell does not anyone think that it is weird she is sleeping in a pile of branches and leaves instead of a tent on a camping trip?
If you like Jessica Day George's books or Beauty by Robin McKinley and don't mind switching the fairy tale setting to contemporary, then you are probably going to enjoy Nissa.
My rating: 2.5 stars
Disclaimer: I was given a free eBook as part of the blog tour in exchange for a honest review. This text is also posted on my blog Bookworm Dreams in a little bit more styled edition.
Nissa is a 900-year-old fairy that just finished her course for fairy godmother and is on her first assignment in human contemporary world. Can I say that I was a little bit disappointed that there was no sparkly magic wand and no amazing outfits were created during this book? ;) Nissa did have cute wings, but they are visible only in her fairy form. Most of the book Nissa is masquerading as human while trying to help her charge to get more self-esteem and stand up for herself.
As usual, while on a mission, Nissa meets the cute guy who turns out to be The One. I would not say that it was insta-love but definitely insta-attraction, like in all fairy tales. This is one of those books that you can give to a teen girl to read with a clear conscience. No sexual content or steamy scenes - a true novel for young adults.
Sadly, Nissa came out a little bit too late, because I found that although I liked the idea, the style of narration similar to classic fairy tales was a little bit too simplistic for me. Things were just too... well fairy-tale-ish from basic plot elements to stupid little things like: why the hell does not anyone think that it is weird she is sleeping in a pile of branches and leaves instead of a tent on a camping trip?
If you like Jessica Day George's books or Beauty by Robin McKinley and don't mind switching the fairy tale setting to contemporary, then you are probably going to enjoy Nissa.
My rating: 2.5 stars
Disclaimer: I was given a free eBook as part of the blog tour in exchange for a honest review. This text is also posted on my blog Bookworm Dreams in a little bit more styled edition.
April 29, 2013
Nissa has always had a helpful, caring nature about her. So when it’s time for someone in her family to follow in her mother’s path and become a fairy godmother, she happily takes the job. Only to find out that her first assignment is that of a teenage girl with self-esteem issues who has been bullied since her freshman year. Not the most ideal first assignment, but Nissa is willing to take it on knowing that she has to start somewhere. What she didn’t plan on was meeting her soulmate.
I really enjoyed this story as it definitely fit the bill of a modern fairy tale. Two girls who become friends while one tries to help the other get past the horrible bullying of her high school peers and a touch of romance thrown in when the brother of the assignment appears.
Nissa is a sweet, likable character. Her caring, nurturing nature was seen from the very start. I had to laugh a few times at her reactions to certain events as it was obvious she wasn’t as familiar with the human world so the added humor was a nice addition. Vicky was a troubled girl who blossomed towards the end of the book with the help of Nissa. Most of the time, I just wanted to hug her. Even though she tried to not act affected by the bullying, you could tell that it did hurt her. And Levi – he’s the type of boy that your momma wants you to bring home. The only thing I didn’t really like about Levi was how it was love at first sight for him and Nissa. I wish the interaction between them would have been stretched out a bit more.
All in all, this story was a lovely one. It was a quick, easy read that just sucked me in from the beginning. The characters are well-liked and can be easily related to with their flaws, the subject of bullying is touched on but not overly done and the cliffhanger towards the end as to whether or not Nissa and Levi would be allowed together was one that kept me on the edge of my seat.
And I have to add that the cover art of this book is simply gorgeous.
A definite must-read for those who love a little fairy tale every now and then. Check out the book tour stop at Once Upon a Book!
I really enjoyed this story as it definitely fit the bill of a modern fairy tale. Two girls who become friends while one tries to help the other get past the horrible bullying of her high school peers and a touch of romance thrown in when the brother of the assignment appears.
Nissa is a sweet, likable character. Her caring, nurturing nature was seen from the very start. I had to laugh a few times at her reactions to certain events as it was obvious she wasn’t as familiar with the human world so the added humor was a nice addition. Vicky was a troubled girl who blossomed towards the end of the book with the help of Nissa. Most of the time, I just wanted to hug her. Even though she tried to not act affected by the bullying, you could tell that it did hurt her. And Levi – he’s the type of boy that your momma wants you to bring home. The only thing I didn’t really like about Levi was how it was love at first sight for him and Nissa. I wish the interaction between them would have been stretched out a bit more.
All in all, this story was a lovely one. It was a quick, easy read that just sucked me in from the beginning. The characters are well-liked and can be easily related to with their flaws, the subject of bullying is touched on but not overly done and the cliffhanger towards the end as to whether or not Nissa and Levi would be allowed together was one that kept me on the edge of my seat.
And I have to add that the cover art of this book is simply gorgeous.
A definite must-read for those who love a little fairy tale every now and then. Check out the book tour stop at Once Upon a Book!
April 23, 2013
3.5 Stars
Nissa is a fun and light-hearted young adult contemporary fantasy novel that centers on our main character - a 900 year old fairy named Nissa. She has decided to follow in her mother's footsteps and becoming a Fairy Godparent. After years of schooling and training, Nissa is finally ready to complete her first assignment - a teenage girl named Vicky who has problems with bullies at school and self esteem issues. Nissa feels sure she can handle her first project until she meets Vicky's older brother, Levi. Immediately, Nissa feels a connection with Levi that's more than just a crush. She feels the tell-tale signs that a fairy experiences when they have met their eternal mate. But there's just one problem - Levi's a human, and no fairy has ever been Fated to be with a human before. Knowing in her heart the Levi is the one she's meant to be with, Nissa travels home to implore The Fates if they may be allowed to be together. Will The Fates condone their love? And if they do, will Levi even believe Nissa's true identity?
This book was a really light and easy read - I actually read it in a couple of hours. The writing was well done and the book flowed easily, so I had no problem falling right into the story alongside the characters. Nissa was a fun lead - she was a fairy, which is always awesome, but she was kind and sympathetic, with some definite quirks. Levi is the perfect guy, of course, and they experience the kind of instalove that some readers don't care for. I did find it a bit cheesy and hard to believe that they would fall so in love with each other after only a couple of weeks, but in the end, I'm a sucker for romance - so I ate it all up with a smile. It did feel like parts of the book went super fast and it could've been drawn out a bit more, but overall the pacing worked well throughout the story. I really liked reading about the fairies and their lives. I thought it made the story really unique and added a great depth to the plot that wouldn't have been there otherwise. Overall, this was a quick and fun book that fans of YA romance will absolutely devour.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Nissa is a fun and light-hearted young adult contemporary fantasy novel that centers on our main character - a 900 year old fairy named Nissa. She has decided to follow in her mother's footsteps and becoming a Fairy Godparent. After years of schooling and training, Nissa is finally ready to complete her first assignment - a teenage girl named Vicky who has problems with bullies at school and self esteem issues. Nissa feels sure she can handle her first project until she meets Vicky's older brother, Levi. Immediately, Nissa feels a connection with Levi that's more than just a crush. She feels the tell-tale signs that a fairy experiences when they have met their eternal mate. But there's just one problem - Levi's a human, and no fairy has ever been Fated to be with a human before. Knowing in her heart the Levi is the one she's meant to be with, Nissa travels home to implore The Fates if they may be allowed to be together. Will The Fates condone their love? And if they do, will Levi even believe Nissa's true identity?
This book was a really light and easy read - I actually read it in a couple of hours. The writing was well done and the book flowed easily, so I had no problem falling right into the story alongside the characters. Nissa was a fun lead - she was a fairy, which is always awesome, but she was kind and sympathetic, with some definite quirks. Levi is the perfect guy, of course, and they experience the kind of instalove that some readers don't care for. I did find it a bit cheesy and hard to believe that they would fall so in love with each other after only a couple of weeks, but in the end, I'm a sucker for romance - so I ate it all up with a smile. It did feel like parts of the book went super fast and it could've been drawn out a bit more, but overall the pacing worked well throughout the story. I really liked reading about the fairies and their lives. I thought it made the story really unique and added a great depth to the plot that wouldn't have been there otherwise. Overall, this was a quick and fun book that fans of YA romance will absolutely devour.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
May 1, 2013
Nissa always knew she wanted to be a Fairy Godmother like her mother used to be. She goes through the training and is finally ready to be on her own. She is disappointing in her first assignment because she thinks it is to easy a task. She has to help Vicky a teenage girl with her self-esteem issues. Her task turns out to be harder than she thinks because she meets a human who she just knows is her mate. Humans and fairy really don't go together and it is up to the Fates to say what will happen to Nissa. She wants to complete her assignment and have the boy she loves. She also has to deal with showing her love the truth about who she is.
Nissa seems like she is the sweetest fairy ever. She cares about everyone and is truly an amazing person urhh fairy. You do get to see a different side of her when she faces down some bullies who go to far. You also get to see how loyal she is and how far she will go for her love. Vicky is the teenager who has been picked on for years. She tries to ignore the taunts but they still hurt her. You can tell she is a good person as she and Nissa become friends. She has a good sense of humor and is a wonderful artist. Levi is Vicky's brother and you can see how attracted to each other he and Nissa are even as they fight it just a little. He is smart, cares about the environment, hot and really enjoys his family and spending time with Nissa.
I read this book in one sitting. It is an excellent book that pulls you in with the goodness of it and is just such a sweet read. In times where YA sometimes crosses into Adult or New Adult genres this book does not. It is what it says it is. It is a clean great story that has a great plot. I love the thought of a fairy godmother helping a teen overcome her problems and the love story. You get to see a girl grow as a person even when she has been bullied. I really can not say enough good hings about this book. It is wonderful and anyone who loves a fairy story or even a love story should read this.
The cover of this book catches your eye right away and is simply beautiful!
Nissa seems like she is the sweetest fairy ever. She cares about everyone and is truly an amazing person urhh fairy. You do get to see a different side of her when she faces down some bullies who go to far. You also get to see how loyal she is and how far she will go for her love. Vicky is the teenager who has been picked on for years. She tries to ignore the taunts but they still hurt her. You can tell she is a good person as she and Nissa become friends. She has a good sense of humor and is a wonderful artist. Levi is Vicky's brother and you can see how attracted to each other he and Nissa are even as they fight it just a little. He is smart, cares about the environment, hot and really enjoys his family and spending time with Nissa.
I read this book in one sitting. It is an excellent book that pulls you in with the goodness of it and is just such a sweet read. In times where YA sometimes crosses into Adult or New Adult genres this book does not. It is what it says it is. It is a clean great story that has a great plot. I love the thought of a fairy godmother helping a teen overcome her problems and the love story. You get to see a girl grow as a person even when she has been bullied. I really can not say enough good hings about this book. It is wonderful and anyone who loves a fairy story or even a love story should read this.
The cover of this book catches your eye right away and is simply beautiful!
May 11, 2013
Nissa is super excited to begin her first mission as a fairy godmother. She has little trouble befriending her charge, Vicky, a teenage girl in need of some extra self confidence. What Nissa didn't plan on was falling quickly in love with Vicky's older brother, Levi. Fae and human relationships are virtually doomed from the start, but that doesn't stop Nissa and Levi from becoming enamored with each other. Will he feel the same when he finds out what she really is?
I thought this was a pretty cute story, I read it quickly in a couple of hours. It did have a bit of predictability, but there were other things I enjoyed about the story that outweighed that fact.
Nissa is a bubbly, and fun fairy girl with an amazing attitude and a willingness to help everyone. I can't tell you how much I loved having a non-whiny female main character to read about. Levi was a very sweet guy, and while their relationship did have some of the tinges of the dreaded insta-love, for the most part I really loved them together and saw that they were meant to be.
I also liked the fact that even though Nissa fell in love with Vicky's brother, she didn't abandon Vicky. She really helped her with her problems, and turned out to be a good fairy godmother. I think the appearance of Nissa in Vicky's life changed it forever.
There are some fantastical elements, and a bit of the romance as well you must suspend your disbelief. But this was subtitled as "A Modern Day Fairy Tale" so I was more than happy to do just that. I felt very satisfied with the ending, though it was bittersweet in a way. I finished the book knowing Nissa would do an amazing job at everything that lies ahead of her in life!
I thought this was a pretty cute story, I read it quickly in a couple of hours. It did have a bit of predictability, but there were other things I enjoyed about the story that outweighed that fact.
Nissa is a bubbly, and fun fairy girl with an amazing attitude and a willingness to help everyone. I can't tell you how much I loved having a non-whiny female main character to read about. Levi was a very sweet guy, and while their relationship did have some of the tinges of the dreaded insta-love, for the most part I really loved them together and saw that they were meant to be.
I also liked the fact that even though Nissa fell in love with Vicky's brother, she didn't abandon Vicky. She really helped her with her problems, and turned out to be a good fairy godmother. I think the appearance of Nissa in Vicky's life changed it forever.
There are some fantastical elements, and a bit of the romance as well you must suspend your disbelief. But this was subtitled as "A Modern Day Fairy Tale" so I was more than happy to do just that. I felt very satisfied with the ending, though it was bittersweet in a way. I finished the book knowing Nissa would do an amazing job at everything that lies ahead of her in life!
April 25, 2013
Reviewed on Lili Lost in a Book
I really liked this book! I thought it was a very fun read!
I really liked story... A Fairy godmother falling in love with a human while on an assignment? Can you say forbidden love? I don't think I've read something like this before, so I thought it was interesting. However, the pace of the story was too fast for my liking and there was a lot of telling instead of showing, unfortunately.
Nissa was a very likable character, though! She was very sweet but a bit naive. This was her first assignment, though. Vicky...gosh, I just wanted to give her a big hug because of the way she was being treated. But Nissa really helped her and she went though some amazing changes. Levi was such a sweet guy...I seriously have a weakness for guys like this.
The romance was kept very PG, so even though the characters or on the older side of YA, I think this can be an appropriate MG read, as well.
I absolutely loved the ending! It wrapped things up nicely, and yet kept the reader wondering what will happen next. But then again, it would be a bad thing if a book didn't leave you thinking about it once you were finished with it ;)
And that cover? Absolutely gorgeous!
Final words: I feel like the story moved along a little too fast, but it was a very enjoyable read, nonetheless! If you like fairy-tale-type books, I think this should be on your TBR list!
I really liked this book! I thought it was a very fun read!
I really liked story... A Fairy godmother falling in love with a human while on an assignment? Can you say forbidden love? I don't think I've read something like this before, so I thought it was interesting. However, the pace of the story was too fast for my liking and there was a lot of telling instead of showing, unfortunately.
Nissa was a very likable character, though! She was very sweet but a bit naive. This was her first assignment, though. Vicky...gosh, I just wanted to give her a big hug because of the way she was being treated. But Nissa really helped her and she went though some amazing changes. Levi was such a sweet guy...I seriously have a weakness for guys like this.
The romance was kept very PG, so even though the characters or on the older side of YA, I think this can be an appropriate MG read, as well.
I absolutely loved the ending! It wrapped things up nicely, and yet kept the reader wondering what will happen next. But then again, it would be a bad thing if a book didn't leave you thinking about it once you were finished with it ;)
And that cover? Absolutely gorgeous!
Final words: I feel like the story moved along a little too fast, but it was a very enjoyable read, nonetheless! If you like fairy-tale-type books, I think this should be on your TBR list!
May 5, 2013
Did I enjoy this book: I did enjoy this book. It was a sweet read that left me smiling.
Nissa is indeed a contemporary fairy tale. It is sweet, romantic, and has the reader hoping for a happily ever after at the end.
Nissa was a nice girl for a 900 year old fairy. She wanted to be a fairy godmother to take after her mother. She trained hard and was looking forward to her first solo assignment. As with any newbie, Nissa wanted a challenging, difficult first assignment and found herself rather disappointed in *only* having to help a high school senior who was being picked on relentlessly. However, the Fates seem to know better as to why she received this particular assignment.
Along with Nissa, the rest of the characters were so likeable. Vicky was a great girl who just needed someone to give her that push to stand up for herself. She wasn't treated well at school but her strength to let it go and to eventually do something about it was admirable. Levi, Vicky's older brother, is a chivalrous young man who cares deeply about his little sister and the environment. I even liked Jackson, Vicky's old friend from grade school.
Would I recommend it: I would recommend this book to any YA, fairytale fan. This book would also be suitable for younger YA readers as well.
Will I read it again: I will not.
(I received a copy of this book for review purposes.)
http://everyfreechance.com/2013/04/bl...
Nissa is indeed a contemporary fairy tale. It is sweet, romantic, and has the reader hoping for a happily ever after at the end.
Nissa was a nice girl for a 900 year old fairy. She wanted to be a fairy godmother to take after her mother. She trained hard and was looking forward to her first solo assignment. As with any newbie, Nissa wanted a challenging, difficult first assignment and found herself rather disappointed in *only* having to help a high school senior who was being picked on relentlessly. However, the Fates seem to know better as to why she received this particular assignment.
Along with Nissa, the rest of the characters were so likeable. Vicky was a great girl who just needed someone to give her that push to stand up for herself. She wasn't treated well at school but her strength to let it go and to eventually do something about it was admirable. Levi, Vicky's older brother, is a chivalrous young man who cares deeply about his little sister and the environment. I even liked Jackson, Vicky's old friend from grade school.
Would I recommend it: I would recommend this book to any YA, fairytale fan. This book would also be suitable for younger YA readers as well.
Will I read it again: I will not.
(I received a copy of this book for review purposes.)
http://everyfreechance.com/2013/04/bl...
July 26, 2020
Nissa is a short story about a fairy of the same name who is training to be a fairy godmother. In order to finish her training, she has to go to Earth and help a bullied girl named Vicky get through school. Then she meets Vicky’s brother Levi and she isn’t sure if the path she is going down is the right one for her after all.
I enjoyed reading this short fairy story. I didn’t feel an intense emotional connection with any of the characters, but it was a short story that I read in about an hour or so and really enjoyed. Nissa was such a sweet character, but that doesn’t mean that her mission was easy. Being a fairy godmother was far more difficult than she thought it would be. Earth is not an easy place to be.
I think my favorite part of the story was the comparison with the human world and fairy/magical world. I wish that Nissa had spent a bit more time in the magical world, as it seemed like a beautiful place to be. Maybe if the book had been a bit longer, there would have been a bit more time to flesh out this part of the story more. There was a bit of romance, and I really enjoyed it.
I would recommend this story to anyone looking for a new fairy fantasy novel to read.
I enjoyed reading this short fairy story. I didn’t feel an intense emotional connection with any of the characters, but it was a short story that I read in about an hour or so and really enjoyed. Nissa was such a sweet character, but that doesn’t mean that her mission was easy. Being a fairy godmother was far more difficult than she thought it would be. Earth is not an easy place to be.
I think my favorite part of the story was the comparison with the human world and fairy/magical world. I wish that Nissa had spent a bit more time in the magical world, as it seemed like a beautiful place to be. Maybe if the book had been a bit longer, there would have been a bit more time to flesh out this part of the story more. There was a bit of romance, and I really enjoyed it.
I would recommend this story to anyone looking for a new fairy fantasy novel to read.
April 29, 2013
Nissa is one of the most unique paranormal romances I've read in a long time. The story opens with us learning about the title character, Nissa, a centuries-old fairy godmother. We learn that she's about to undertake her first mission as a full-fledged godmother...and that she's far from thrilled that her first assignment is a teenage girl with self-esteem issues.
What I love about this plot point is that many of us understand how serious low self-esteem can be in teenage girls. We realize that Nissa's assignment is important and valuable, even if she (as a fairy) doesn't. Her "assignment," Vicky, has been bullied for years. Nissa has to help her combat the effects of the bullying, which is no easy task.
Along the way, we meet Vicky's brother, the swoon-worthy Levi. The relationship between Nissa and Levi begins right away with an unusual twist centering around fairy mating, and it felt real and compelling throughout the story. I was rooting for them!
Because Nissa is a novella, it evolves at a quick pace, which I quite enjoyed. It has the perfect blend of character development and romance. If you're looking for a quick, satisfying read, don't miss this story!
What I love about this plot point is that many of us understand how serious low self-esteem can be in teenage girls. We realize that Nissa's assignment is important and valuable, even if she (as a fairy) doesn't. Her "assignment," Vicky, has been bullied for years. Nissa has to help her combat the effects of the bullying, which is no easy task.
Along the way, we meet Vicky's brother, the swoon-worthy Levi. The relationship between Nissa and Levi begins right away with an unusual twist centering around fairy mating, and it felt real and compelling throughout the story. I was rooting for them!
Because Nissa is a novella, it evolves at a quick pace, which I quite enjoyed. It has the perfect blend of character development and romance. If you're looking for a quick, satisfying read, don't miss this story!
May 2, 2013
Nissa is given her first assignment as a fairy godmother. She has completed training and is excited to go and help humans. She has a loving and giving nature and is perfect for the job.
Her first assignment is a supposedly easy one. They like to easy the new godmothers in on the job. She is to help a high school senior with her self-esteem issues. Frankly, she isn't too excited, she wanted something a little more challenging.
There is more to her assignment than she counted on, Vicky has an older brother who Nissa is showing all the signs of him being her mate. Fairies have a unique way of finding their partner, they tingle and their eyes turn pink. The only problem is... he's a human. Why would the fates have a human as her perfect mate?
There are some humorous moments in this book that made me chuckle. Some bullies that I would have liked to tell off, some kissing, and a girl learning to like herself again.
This book is quick and cute.
Her first assignment is a supposedly easy one. They like to easy the new godmothers in on the job. She is to help a high school senior with her self-esteem issues. Frankly, she isn't too excited, she wanted something a little more challenging.
There is more to her assignment than she counted on, Vicky has an older brother who Nissa is showing all the signs of him being her mate. Fairies have a unique way of finding their partner, they tingle and their eyes turn pink. The only problem is... he's a human. Why would the fates have a human as her perfect mate?
There are some humorous moments in this book that made me chuckle. Some bullies that I would have liked to tell off, some kissing, and a girl learning to like herself again.
This book is quick and cute.
May 2, 2013
Nissa was really a cute fluffy read and I adored it! The writing flowed so nicely I was finished with the story in no time it seemed but despite being fluff filled and cozy a part of the plot hits on two very serious matters especially among middle graders and teens which are low self esteem issues and bullying and Bethany handled the issues quite well. There was not alot of action or mind boggling experiences going on in Nissa but I enjoyed it for what it was, "a light read", a fairy tale and if I ever score a fairy Godmother I hope they send me Nissa. We're already friends and I think she is just awesome!
April 25, 2013
loved this book! what happens when a Fairy Godmother meets the love of her life, a human? Can they overcome the issues and be together or will they be fated to remember those few weeks together?
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July 29, 2014This is a book I wasn't expecting Bethany to write, but she has done a very great job at it. I fell in love with Nissa and Levi.
It has become one of my favourite Bethany Lopez books to date.
It has become one of my favourite Bethany Lopez books to date.
November 28, 2014
A great quick read for me.
A great quick read for me. I loved the characters and the storyline. Wish it were a series. I could really get into more of the storyline.
A great quick read for me. I loved the characters and the storyline. Wish it were a series. I could really get into more of the storyline.
December 23, 2014
4.5 Stars
Better than I expected it sucked me in and I enjoyed experiencing Nissas journey with her!
Better than I expected it sucked me in and I enjoyed experiencing Nissas journey with her!
January 2, 2015
Very fun! A quick, simple story about a fairy who must choose between her work and love. Exactly what I expected from this book--fast-paced, easy read.
March 23, 2020
2.5
Nissa had everything to make it sound amazing, a fairy godmother retelling, complicated teen situation, and it’s her first mission? So many things could’ve turned this into a fun and thrilling urban fantasy. But well, it fell short.
First thing, I had expected there to be more action. Nissa goes into training for 3 years, yet we don’t find anything about that period of time. We only know that she had it hard at the beginning but made her way to gain access to her first solo mission. I wished we had seen more of her struggles to become a fairy godmother, was it normal for it to last 3 years? What did she have to do in order to train? These were questions that kept running through my mind.
Next up the magic. There was very little practice of it. Nissa wasn’t allowed to use any during the mission…so that leads to question, why would it be necessary for a fairy godmother to train for so long if she isn’t going to actually use any of her magic? I guessed it would’ve been to learn other methods to have a successful mission, but I would’ve loved to see more magic.
Now, the relationships and bonds built over the book. All of these in a way felt forced, I didn’t buy that her and Vicky became true friends, let alone that her love interest was even compatible. It felt odd and unnecessary, however I feel like if the romance portion was more stretched out, and how things worked it would’ve been fine.
The 2 major plot points are Vicky and Levi, but towards the middle, Vicky falls to the side as if the mission is over and the story is heard towards Levi and Nissa. It felt as if the mission had barely begun, Vicky was supposed to gain confidence and open up, but it all happened too quickly and without a bump in the road that it felt very superficial.
More on the mission though, I thought, that since its Nissa’s first mission she would have to make reports every so often, weekly, or even monthly. But it seemed more that the council didn’t even bat an eyelash at this and let her do as she pleased. I would’ve loved to see her struggle to please the council.
Writing style wise, the book did more telling than showing. There were chunks of dialogue that felt missing in a way. Often times Nissa would tell the reader that she had a conversation with another character but we never really got to “see” that conversation. This made for a lack of personality leaving the characters to seem 2D. We never really explored more than the major interest of each sibling. I would’ve loved to read more about their pasts and how Nissa could’ve used this to her advantage during her mission.
Final thoughts
This story had so much potential, it was the first book I found that dealt with the fairy godmother aspect, but it felt rushed and left me disappointed. If this book would’ve been a hundred pages longer no doubt my opinion would change.
Nissa had everything to make it sound amazing, a fairy godmother retelling, complicated teen situation, and it’s her first mission? So many things could’ve turned this into a fun and thrilling urban fantasy. But well, it fell short.
First thing, I had expected there to be more action. Nissa goes into training for 3 years, yet we don’t find anything about that period of time. We only know that she had it hard at the beginning but made her way to gain access to her first solo mission. I wished we had seen more of her struggles to become a fairy godmother, was it normal for it to last 3 years? What did she have to do in order to train? These were questions that kept running through my mind.
Next up the magic. There was very little practice of it. Nissa wasn’t allowed to use any during the mission…so that leads to question, why would it be necessary for a fairy godmother to train for so long if she isn’t going to actually use any of her magic? I guessed it would’ve been to learn other methods to have a successful mission, but I would’ve loved to see more magic.
Now, the relationships and bonds built over the book. All of these in a way felt forced, I didn’t buy that her and Vicky became true friends, let alone that her love interest was even compatible. It felt odd and unnecessary, however I feel like if the romance portion was more stretched out, and how things worked it would’ve been fine.
The 2 major plot points are Vicky and Levi, but towards the middle, Vicky falls to the side as if the mission is over and the story is heard towards Levi and Nissa. It felt as if the mission had barely begun, Vicky was supposed to gain confidence and open up, but it all happened too quickly and without a bump in the road that it felt very superficial.
More on the mission though, I thought, that since its Nissa’s first mission she would have to make reports every so often, weekly, or even monthly. But it seemed more that the council didn’t even bat an eyelash at this and let her do as she pleased. I would’ve loved to see her struggle to please the council.
Writing style wise, the book did more telling than showing. There were chunks of dialogue that felt missing in a way. Often times Nissa would tell the reader that she had a conversation with another character but we never really got to “see” that conversation. This made for a lack of personality leaving the characters to seem 2D. We never really explored more than the major interest of each sibling. I would’ve loved to read more about their pasts and how Nissa could’ve used this to her advantage during her mission.
Final thoughts
This story had so much potential, it was the first book I found that dealt with the fairy godmother aspect, but it felt rushed and left me disappointed. If this book would’ve been a hundred pages longer no doubt my opinion would change.
March 3, 2021
Nissa was a good read by Bethany Lopez. Nissa wants to be the best fairy godmother she can be. She isn't too happy when her new project is a teenaged girl. She meets Vicky and her brother Levi. She never knew how much of an impact they would have on her. This project forever changes her fate. I enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more by the author.
November 2, 2017
An easy reading, sure. Maybe even cute but I think I'm way too old now for these books. Little context and no characterization of all the main characters. Two stars because I liked The idea of The "fairy godmother".
January 18, 2019
Fairy Godmother love mission.
Lovely and gentle feel-good YA read. Newly trained Fairy Godmother has her first assignment and falls in love with a human boy which is unheard of. If she is to pursue her heart then she must sacrifice so much. True love conquers all.
Lovely and gentle feel-good YA read. Newly trained Fairy Godmother has her first assignment and falls in love with a human boy which is unheard of. If she is to pursue her heart then she must sacrifice so much. True love conquers all.
January 13, 2020
Nissa Rocks!!
Loved this contemporary fairy tale!! Could not stop reading and routing for Nissa and a successful mission and then some!! A must read!!
Loved this contemporary fairy tale!! Could not stop reading and routing for Nissa and a successful mission and then some!! A must read!!
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May 8, 2013As a self-proclaimed fairy tale nerd, I admit that I love the offbeat tales, the ones that focus on secondary covers. Within the last few years, I've read some interesting books from the fairy godmother's POV. THE FAIRY GODMOTHER by Mercedes Lackey is my favorite example, though DON'T EXPECT MAGIC by Kathy McCullough, GODMOTHER by Carolyn Turgeon, and MY FAIRY FAIR GODMOTHER also come to mind. When I heard that NISSA revolved around a fairy godmother in training, I knew I wanted to read another story revolving around the topic.
Nissa is excited for her first "real" assignment. She's 900 years old (which is "18" in human years) and has been training for the past 3 years. Fairy Godparents are able to help humans through difficult times and allow them to step into their potential. Nissa's a little bummed that her first real assignment is to boost the self-esteem of a teenage girl rather than something more complex, but she makes the best of the situation. She finds a way to become close to Vicky, who is tormented by a couple of popular guys at school and wary of people. But nothing surprises Nissa more about her new assignment than being introduced to Vicky's brother Levi. Fairies experience a unique way of discovering their soulmates, and Nissa is set into a whirlwind when she experiences symptoms around Levi. There's no way a fairy and a human can be soulmates, and her life becomes even more complex as she's forced to deal with warring emotions while still attempting to complete her assignment. Will Nissa sacrifice the world she's come from to explore the impossible, or is it all just a giant misunderstanding on her part?
The world of Fairy Godparents is vast and unique. I loved Bethany Lopez's world-building, such as the way the Headquarters Branch is, quite literally, a branch. Several branches on a beautiful oak serve as the floors of Headquarters. Very imaginative! I also liked little elements, like the way Nissa makes her teacher a dew drop sweet cake or the way coffee is substituted for hot nectar. It's all very innovative, and made the atmosphere more realistic. I also like the way Lopez sets up liaisons and guardians in the human world to make a Godparent's assignment easier. These were my favorite elements of NISSA. There was a case of insta-love, but due to the way fairies mate and know, it made sense in context, so I was able to accept the romance more readily than I might have otherwise. There were some grammatical issues, mostly in contractions, and particularly with the lack of one resulting in sometimes overly formal dialogue or the awkward use of "I've" at times when used in speech. It wasn't a huge detractor, however, because the world of the Fairy Godparents intrigued me so much. While NISSA wasn't the deepest book I've read, it was a fun, fast read, and perfect for anyone who loves reading about "secondary" fairy tale characters.
Nissa is excited for her first "real" assignment. She's 900 years old (which is "18" in human years) and has been training for the past 3 years. Fairy Godparents are able to help humans through difficult times and allow them to step into their potential. Nissa's a little bummed that her first real assignment is to boost the self-esteem of a teenage girl rather than something more complex, but she makes the best of the situation. She finds a way to become close to Vicky, who is tormented by a couple of popular guys at school and wary of people. But nothing surprises Nissa more about her new assignment than being introduced to Vicky's brother Levi. Fairies experience a unique way of discovering their soulmates, and Nissa is set into a whirlwind when she experiences symptoms around Levi. There's no way a fairy and a human can be soulmates, and her life becomes even more complex as she's forced to deal with warring emotions while still attempting to complete her assignment. Will Nissa sacrifice the world she's come from to explore the impossible, or is it all just a giant misunderstanding on her part?
The world of Fairy Godparents is vast and unique. I loved Bethany Lopez's world-building, such as the way the Headquarters Branch is, quite literally, a branch. Several branches on a beautiful oak serve as the floors of Headquarters. Very imaginative! I also liked little elements, like the way Nissa makes her teacher a dew drop sweet cake or the way coffee is substituted for hot nectar. It's all very innovative, and made the atmosphere more realistic. I also like the way Lopez sets up liaisons and guardians in the human world to make a Godparent's assignment easier. These were my favorite elements of NISSA. There was a case of insta-love, but due to the way fairies mate and know, it made sense in context, so I was able to accept the romance more readily than I might have otherwise. There were some grammatical issues, mostly in contractions, and particularly with the lack of one resulting in sometimes overly formal dialogue or the awkward use of "I've" at times when used in speech. It wasn't a huge detractor, however, because the world of the Fairy Godparents intrigued me so much. While NISSA wasn't the deepest book I've read, it was a fun, fast read, and perfect for anyone who loves reading about "secondary" fairy tale characters.
August 10, 2016
Check this review out at our blog!
Let me completely honest: I only chose this book because it had the words "a contemporary fairy tale" on the cover. The whole godmother thing didn't really sound too exciting and girls with self-esteem issues tend to be bleh. It's all about "she's so pretty, so I'll bully her" sort of thing that is so irritating. This does happen, but probably not to the extent that writers tend to exaggerate in their books. However in Nissa, the primary focus is not Vicky and her issues, the priority is Nissa; Vicky's brother, Levy; and their romance.
I think the biggest problem that this book was its length. Usually a book's length is only a problem when the book is too long and unnecessary with details, but in this case everything felt a little too rushed. Immediately from the very beginning, we skim through Nissa's childhood within a few pages and jump immediately to her mission to help Vicky. It would have been nice to have an elaboration on the fairy world, which is infinitely more interesting than the human world.
The length also unfortunately contributed to the completely rushed romance. Once again, hormones have overwhelmed the brains of our poor, innocent protagonist and her lover. I admit that their little dates and talks were cute, but they came entirely too soon! There was an excuse for this Romeo and Juliet-esque, minus their deaths, romance in that fairies have soul mates. Still that is not any reason to just have them going from formal greetings to kissing within the next dozen pages.
Keeping with the length problem, the main characters felt somewhat lacking. Nissa and Levy were just two hopeless fools in love, and somehow the supporting characters were the ones who shined the most. Vicky's unjustly pushed-off character arc was really sweet and cute after the bullying crisis was over. The redemption of one of her bullies was also adorable because his apology was so sincere and just ah!!! Even though he was a vile character initially, his extremely long and heartfelt apology just stood out so much. In fact, it was my favorite moment of the book. I kind of want to see a spin-off with Vicky and the guy getting together because he became my fave character of the novel.
Despite its somewhat undeveloped world and romance, Nissa was an enjoyable read. The writing was not completely solid throughout the entirety, feeling a bit childish at some points. However, the story was able to effectively move along, which is definitely more important. There was a lot of potential in this book in spite of its faults, so I do look forward to Bethany Lopez's future works.
-Angie @ YA Novelties
Let me completely honest: I only chose this book because it had the words "a contemporary fairy tale" on the cover. The whole godmother thing didn't really sound too exciting and girls with self-esteem issues tend to be bleh. It's all about "she's so pretty, so I'll bully her" sort of thing that is so irritating. This does happen, but probably not to the extent that writers tend to exaggerate in their books. However in Nissa, the primary focus is not Vicky and her issues, the priority is Nissa; Vicky's brother, Levy; and their romance.
I think the biggest problem that this book was its length. Usually a book's length is only a problem when the book is too long and unnecessary with details, but in this case everything felt a little too rushed. Immediately from the very beginning, we skim through Nissa's childhood within a few pages and jump immediately to her mission to help Vicky. It would have been nice to have an elaboration on the fairy world, which is infinitely more interesting than the human world.
The length also unfortunately contributed to the completely rushed romance. Once again, hormones have overwhelmed the brains of our poor, innocent protagonist and her lover. I admit that their little dates and talks were cute, but they came entirely too soon! There was an excuse for this Romeo and Juliet-esque, minus their deaths, romance in that fairies have soul mates. Still that is not any reason to just have them going from formal greetings to kissing within the next dozen pages.
Keeping with the length problem, the main characters felt somewhat lacking. Nissa and Levy were just two hopeless fools in love, and somehow the supporting characters were the ones who shined the most. Vicky's unjustly pushed-off character arc was really sweet and cute after the bullying crisis was over. The redemption of one of her bullies was also adorable because his apology was so sincere and just ah!!! Even though he was a vile character initially, his extremely long and heartfelt apology just stood out so much. In fact, it was my favorite moment of the book. I kind of want to see a spin-off with Vicky and the guy getting together because he became my fave character of the novel.
Despite its somewhat undeveloped world and romance, Nissa was an enjoyable read. The writing was not completely solid throughout the entirety, feeling a bit childish at some points. However, the story was able to effectively move along, which is definitely more important. There was a lot of potential in this book in spite of its faults, so I do look forward to Bethany Lopez's future works.
-Angie @ YA Novelties
April 23, 2013
The tagline of this book is what sold me. A Contemporary Fairy Take- how awesome does that sound? Plus I love the cover. I think it is so ethereal and pretty. I ended up enjoying Nissa. I think it is a very quick read and it's heartwarmingly cute.
Nissa is a fairy godmother and it seems like that is pretty much all she wanted out of life. She is just one of those people, err...fairies that just loves helping others. She seems really sweet, but I also liked that you could see just a hint of spunk in her. It only peeked out once or twice, like when she was dealing with Brandon in defense of her friend but those moments were my favorite. I loved seeing Nissa stand up for someone and honestly, I had hoped to see more spunkiness from her. (even if she might have gotten in to trouble for it.) But it is easy to see that Nissa is just a lovely girl down to her core. She meets and falls in love with her romantic interest pretty early on. It didn't seem like insta-love (it is, but it isn't) to me because Bethany Lopez did a good job of laying out what the signs and symptoms were for a fairy mating. They hit you all at once and its not really something you can control. So while things were happening pretty fast, I understood that was why it was happening at that pace. It's the way of the fairies in love.
I know I just said that I didn't feel like the romance was rushed, and now I am going to say that I would have liked some more development in the story. But before you say those two things contradict, hear me out! I understand why the initial attraction and romance all happened so fast (see above), but overall I thought the book was a very quick read. One that I really liked, so I would have loved to see it stretch out a bit. I love the small details in books and the slow progress of character growth and development so Nissa had a tendency to feel a little rushed at parts. I would have liked to learn a little more about the fairy worlds or about Nissa's fairy godmother assignment.
Other than the slight issue I had with pacing and details, I thought Nissa was a really fun read. I think it would be a perfect supernatural beach read. It is light and fast and you can probably read the book in one shot. I found it easy to just fall into the story and float along with Nissa on her journey until you look up and you are done with the book. I really liked the book. The story ended at a great place and the ending seemed very satisfying for me. If you are looking for a cute contemporary romance and a quick light hearted read, Nissa is the book for you! Plus, how can you say no to that cover?
more at http://bookbriefs.blogspot.com
Nissa is a fairy godmother and it seems like that is pretty much all she wanted out of life. She is just one of those people, err...fairies that just loves helping others. She seems really sweet, but I also liked that you could see just a hint of spunk in her. It only peeked out once or twice, like when she was dealing with Brandon in defense of her friend but those moments were my favorite. I loved seeing Nissa stand up for someone and honestly, I had hoped to see more spunkiness from her. (even if she might have gotten in to trouble for it.) But it is easy to see that Nissa is just a lovely girl down to her core. She meets and falls in love with her romantic interest pretty early on. It didn't seem like insta-love (it is, but it isn't) to me because Bethany Lopez did a good job of laying out what the signs and symptoms were for a fairy mating. They hit you all at once and its not really something you can control. So while things were happening pretty fast, I understood that was why it was happening at that pace. It's the way of the fairies in love.
I know I just said that I didn't feel like the romance was rushed, and now I am going to say that I would have liked some more development in the story. But before you say those two things contradict, hear me out! I understand why the initial attraction and romance all happened so fast (see above), but overall I thought the book was a very quick read. One that I really liked, so I would have loved to see it stretch out a bit. I love the small details in books and the slow progress of character growth and development so Nissa had a tendency to feel a little rushed at parts. I would have liked to learn a little more about the fairy worlds or about Nissa's fairy godmother assignment.
Other than the slight issue I had with pacing and details, I thought Nissa was a really fun read. I think it would be a perfect supernatural beach read. It is light and fast and you can probably read the book in one shot. I found it easy to just fall into the story and float along with Nissa on her journey until you look up and you are done with the book. I really liked the book. The story ended at a great place and the ending seemed very satisfying for me. If you are looking for a cute contemporary romance and a quick light hearted read, Nissa is the book for you! Plus, how can you say no to that cover?
more at http://bookbriefs.blogspot.com
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