Book Review
Title: Geneva Sommers and the First Fairytales
Author: C.J. Benjamin
Genre: YA/Fantasy/Romance
Rating: *****
Review: So, all I know about First Fairytales is that it is a sequel to the series detailing how everyone meets before the events of the first book. The first short story is the Christmas Gift which is Remi’s story, it begins when he and Geneva then known as Jane #65 are 8 years old and discuss Christmas which was outlawed after the Flood, but she dreams about celebrating it and Remi is toying with the idea of gifting her an old compass he found during his flood work. It is quite easy to see her how Remi fell in love with Geneva from an early age since she was one of his only friends and the person who understood and accepted him no matter what.
I wasn’t that connected to Remi in the later novels but in the first two novels especially he was one of my favourite characters. The relationship between a young Geneva and Remi is strange, sometimes is it brotherly like they are siblings, sometimes protective and of course, sometimes Remi falls to see how madly in love he has been and yet somehow knows not to tell Geneva his secret. However, when Christmas finally arrives both confronted by the headmistress and confess which results in them spending Christmas in the locker, but they have each other. This story gives some real insight into how strong the friendship is between Geneva and Remi.
The next story centres around Mala and Sadie’s parents and how they are hunted by the Fae but survive and raise two daughters. However, death comes around a make a deal for Mala`s father to fix a compass in a week and he will hide them from the Fae for the rest of their lives, but we already know this doesn’t come to pass. We see Mala and Mali for the fairies help and trade a secret in return which leads to her mother being taken but as they completed Death’s task the rest of the family are safe until Mala witnesses a vision of the flood and swears to keep Sadie safe no matter what.
The next story is Sparrow and Journey’s and given how their character arcs played out I was eager to see how they became so close. We see how Sparrow found Journey on the beach after the Flood and subconsciously healed him and how they found their hope stone. However, when they are brought to the orphanage their hope is fading especially when Journey gets sent to the Locker, but Sparrow uses magic accidentally to send him to the done and free him from the Locker. We also learn Journey has met Malakai before and he agreed to get Journey out of the Locker and but Sparrow on Flood work with him in return for his obedience which he agrees to as he is happy along as Sparrow is with him.
The next story is Nova’s before the flood with his sister Ivy. Ivy was the light of Nova’s life and after he believes she was killed in the Flood along with his parents Nova becomes extremely depressed but has a friend in Ren. Ren gives Nova the hope he lost, and it leads him to the magical compass but gives it back to the sea after Ren’s death because he knows he isn’t facing the future along as he has Tippy.
The next story in the novel is Jovi’s, which I was not expecting but it tells the story of how Jovi learned of death and the day she was chosen by the wind to be a Pillar. Despite this story being so short, it was heartbreaking to see Jovi crave he name into the weeping willow beside her father’s and brothers names wishing that when her end comes that the wind will carry her home.
The final story in this novel belongs to Jemma which was unexpected given the kind of person Jemma was. This story shows us Jemma’s life before the Flood with her mother and sister and how her mother knew her power was of darkness and set the prophecy in motion. It then jumps forward to the moment before her death and her mother’s whisper in her mind as she dies.
Overall, I liked First Fairytales as we know these characters stories, but these events are what made them the people we know and love even Jemma. I highly recommend this series as it really pulls on the heartstrings especially Magic Destiny.
I received this review copy from Booksprout.
Buy it here:
Paperback/Hardcover: amazon.co.uk amazon.com
Kindle Edition: amazon.co.uk amazon.com
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