Strange Earthly Things by Kelly Creagh review

Title: Strange Earthly Things

Author: Kelly Creagh

Ch: 41

Pg:400

Genre: Gothic retelling

Rating: 5 stars

Publisher: Penguin Young Readers

I love Kelly Creagh’s gothic retellings and Strange Earthly Things is no different. It’s a Jane Eyre retelling with a twist. Jane Reye and Giovani and Ingrid are invited to Fairfax Hall because of their paranormal abilities. It’s there that the meet Elias Thornfield in which there is more than meets the eye.

The book starts out slow but quickly picks up once Jane and the reader get to Fairfax Hall and you just want to keep reading because you just have to know what happens. There’s quite a few pop culture Easter eggs sprinkles throughout out.

And as a reader who wasn’t a huge fan of Jane Eyre (never cared for the ending). I loved this retelling, twist and ending. This is the perfect gothic read to curl up with a hot cup of cider in the fall or really any time of the year.

 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Phantom Heart by Kelly Creagh review

 Title:  Phantom Heart

Author:  Kelly Creagh

Ch: 85 Plus Epilogue

Pg:  528

Series: Phantom Heart

Genre:  Teen Paranormal romance retelling

Rating: 5 stars

Publisher: Viking books

 

I've been putting off writing this review not because I didn't love the book, but because I was still processing my emotions after reading this one and gathering my thoughts. As well as trying to find the balance as a reader/reviewer while being friends with the author. (And on a platform like goodreads other readers would say I'm bias but if I don't like a book, I'm going to say that, while being polite).  But my rating of the book has everything to do with how the book was written being true to the original story while creating a unique modern tale. 

 

Creagh pays homage to the original by keeping the name Erik for the phantom character as well as using the last names Armand and Cheney for the main characters.  Like her previous books the setting for this book is Louisville. As a Louisvillian I loved finding the Easter eggs of local things in the book.   While this isn't the first Phantom of the Opera retelling, I've read, it is the first one I've read that I could tell early in the book that was indeed inspired by the Phantom of the Opera.  Creagh knows how to write paranormal and retellings that's for sure. 

 

I've seen other reviews comparing it to Twilight. To me the only thing relating it to Twilight is that it's teen paranormal romance with a slight love triangle. But guess what that's where the similarities end.  Phantom Heart having a love triangle doesn't make it Twilight like it just makes it true to the original story as they was indeed a love triangle in the book and the musical. Having loved the original and been team Phantom I was shocked that with Phantom Heart I was rooting not for Erik but for Lucas. I guess I'm still a sucker for a nerdy hero.  

Another thing that I enjoyed is Creagh always manages to add nerdy pop culture references into her book and this one made my marvel nerd heart happy.  While one storyline wrapped up nicely by the end with only a slight cliffhanger the main storyline is left to continue in book 2(hopefully)?  In which I am indeed looking forward to. 

Review of Oblivion

Title: Oblivion

Author: Kelly Creagh

Series:  Nevermore book 3

Pages: 448

Genre: Teen

Rating: 5 stars

Oblivion is the final book in the Nevermore trilogy. To me it was the best one of the trilogy. Kelly does something that most author's of trilogies generally cannot do, and that's finish a trilogy strong.  With Oblivion Kelly did that. I enjoyed the fast pace of this novel.  I look forward to whatever else Kelly comes out with.

Not only is Kelly an amazing storyteller, and author she is an amazing person.