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Thanks to NetGalley and Amulet Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Release Date: September 6th, 2016
352 pages
Synopsis: Everyone loves the Graces. Fenrin, Thalia, and Summer Grace are captivating, wealthy, and glamorous. They’ve managed to cast a spell over not just their high school but also their entire town– and they’re rumored to have powerful connections all over the world. If you’re not in love with one of them, you want to be them. Especially River: the loner, new girl at school. She’s different from her peers, who both revere and fear the Grace family. She wants to be a Grace more than anything. And what the Graces don’t know is that River’s presence in town is no accident.
The Graces is being hyped as Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets The Craft, so what could possibly go wrong? Um, plenty. First, the pacing is so agonizingly slow that I felt as though I was drowning in quicksand. For the majority of the book there is really no cohesive plot. It just goes round and round about River’s and most of the town’s fascination with the Graces. Are they witches or aren’t they?
Honestly, by the time I reached the halfway point I couldn’t have cared less. I disliked all of them, as well as River, whose motivations are murky and in the end, just not believable. Adding to the unpleasantness is the dialogue which tries to be all deep and emo, but instead is utterly cringeworthy. Here’s a sample:
Every girl with eyes loved Fenrin. But I was not like those prattling, chattering things with their careful head tosses and thick cloying lip gloss. Inside, buried down deep where no one could see it, was the core of me, burning endlessly, coal black and coal bright.
What the heck does that even mean? The last few chapters perk up slightly where the big reveal comes and loose ends come together to set things up for the next book. The problem is the mystery involving River isn’t a big surprise and the author throws in too many things too quickly which basically makes it a muddled mess. What is truly disappointing is the potential that was wasted. This could have been a thrilling YA horror novel, but instead is just a typical and rather boring high school soap opera.
I’m sorry to say that I just can’t find anything to recommend about The Graces. It’s receiving mixed reviews on Goodreads, and Kirkus actually gave it a positive write up, so if you’re intrigued, please don’t let my experience deter you from trying it.
lowcountrybooklover said:
If someone wrote a good Buffy and Craft mix up I would be so excited!
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Right?!
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yourdaughtersbookshelf said:
SO disappointing! The thought of a good Buffy/Craft mash-up had me salivating.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Same here. I finished this last night and I still don’t get the Buffy bit. There are no vampires or slayers in this. I guess that maybe the publisher was alluding to Willow and Tara, but I think this was a stretch.😕
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Lekeisha The Booknerd said:
I am laughing so hard at this. I read a similar review the other day, and I am in no hurry to read it now. So sorry this one sucked. Hope your next read is better.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thanks Lekeisha! I really dislike giving a book a poor review so it helps in some way if I can liven thing up.
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The Shameful Narcissist said:
I saw this in my Goodreads newsfeed and something about it put me off. I’m glad I listened to my heart hehe.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
See, the whole Buffy meets The Craft got me so excited! I LOVED both of them! Now I’m really annoyed.😤 I’m glad you spared yourself!
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The Shameful Narcissist said:
I loved both of those things, too!
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
I can rewatch them ad nauseum!
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vinnieh said:
A mixing of Buffy and The Craft would be neat, yet this doesn’t appear to be at all successful at getting the right vibe.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Nope. It completely missed the mark Vinnie!😞
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vinnieh said:
Uh, I hate it when that happens. Loved the gifs though, Nancy scowling is a great one.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thanks Vinnie!
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vinnieh said:
I really love The Craft. Such a good movie that is worthy of a revisit.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
It’s absolutely brilliant! I’ve watched it so many times but I never get sick of it!
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vinnieh said:
It was one of the first movies that I saw that had witchcraft at the centre. After this I obviously found Charmed.
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Natasha said:
I love a good teenagy book. This doesn’t seem to be the case here however. Sorry you didn’t love it!
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thanks Natasha. I really thought a mashup between Buffy and The Craft would be brilliant. *heaves sigh*
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thanks Natasha. I really thought this was going to be a winner.😕
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Heena Rathore P. said:
What a waste, I really like that cover! After reading the dialogue that you shared I’m thinking it’ll be better if I stay away from this book. I mean seriously, what the hell does that last line even mean!?
I hate it when I really want to like a book, but it ends up something like this.
Sorry, you didn’t like it. And thanks for the lovely and humorous review. I love the gif just below the dialogue! It cracked me up! Lol.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thanks Heena. I hate giving bad reviews, but if I can use some humor it makes things a little better. I’m glad you liked the gifs. They’re all from Buffy and The Craft, so I thought they were appropriate.
Hugs!
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Heena Rathore P. said:
That’s the best way to write one.
This feels so embarrassing, but I haven’t read Buffy and The Craft. I’ve heard so many raves about Buffy that I feel ashamed in admitting it. Can you please tell me what it’s about?
I’ll have to read it soon!
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Buffy is a much loved American tv series about a young girl coping with her sudden powers that allow her to vanquish vampires. We have it on Netflix here so I’m hoping you have it on yours. If you do Heena YOU’VE GOT TO WATCH THIS! I know you’re going to love it! The Craft was a movie made in the 90s which was campy but oh so good! I can’t remember if it’s on Netflix right now, but if not it seems to keep popping on and off. Oh! And while we’re on the subject of Netflix, did I mention Once Upon A Time? That’s a mother series that I know you’ll love!
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Heena Rathore P. said:
Really!? I thought they were books. All the more better now, I’ll keep an eye out for it and also for Craft.
And wow! What is it (Once Upon A Time) about? If you don’t mind me bugging you 😀
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
After Buffy got so popular there actually was a slew of YA books released. Some were good, others not so much.
Once Upon A Time is the clever creation about the characters of Disney fairytales cursed to live in a modern day town called Stonybrook by Regina, aka the evil queen. The first season shows them without a clue as to who they really are. But then there’s a intrepid boy, a magic book, and I’m going to stop there because I want you to really see this for yourself!😊
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Heena Rathore P. said:
Shoot, Once Upon A Time was up last week, but it’s not now. I missed it, but I’m sure it’ll be back again soon. I’ll definitely keep an eye out for it and for Buffy too 🙂
Thanks a lot ❤
Hugs!
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Drat! I do hope it comes back. I think youd love both shows Heena.
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Heena Rathore P. said:
I’ll definitely keep a tab on the new shows they add every week. 🙂
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
☺️☺️
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Jen said:
That quote, wow, I don’t even know what that means either. I’m sorry you had to endure reading this book, but thank YOU for saving us from picking it up too. Hope your next book is a billion times better!
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Right?! Not only is it incomprehensible, but it’s pretentious and obnoxious! Grrr!😡 Thankfully I’m reading some good books now.☺️
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Jen said:
I completely agree! ACK! Well thank goodness the books you’re reading now are fabulous woohoo!
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
There’s something about discovering a good book(s) right after you’ve read a bad one than just makes things right again!😊
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vinnieh said:
I actually watched The Craft again recently for like the millionth time. Still just as good.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
The Craft, Lost Boys, Stand By Me, Goonies, and Footloose (1984 Kevin Bacon version) are my go to movies when I’m feeling nostalgic.
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vinnieh said:
All good movies Kim. Your taste is as excellent as you are. And thanks for checking out that butt post, know you loved Joe’s buns.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Aww! Thanks sweetie!
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vinnieh said:
It’s all part of my charm.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
And you do have oodles of it!😙
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vinnieh said:
Now you’re making me blush.
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bluecloverdust said:
I could not even finish this mess!
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
I don’t blame you. I definitely won’t be bothering with the second book.
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bluecloverdust said:
I had such high expectations and that cover!
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Right?! And Buffy meets The Craft? It should have been amazing!😞
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bluecloverdust said:
I loved Buffy and The Craft!!!! If only…
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
😞
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emmakwall said:
But as a positive point, I LOVE (LOOOOVE!) those gifs!! ❤ ❤
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thanks Bestie!
xoxo
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emmakwall said:
I love those email pics Kims!!!! 😀 :D:D xoxox
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Yay! I thought youneeded a reminder Ems!
#youandme
#bestiesforever
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The Telltale Mind said:
Sounds absolutely drivelous!
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
I think it’s one of my biggest disappointments of this year just because I was so excited about the Buffy and The Craft mash-up idea.😕
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