They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and that’s great . . . as long as you don’t die.

Sixteen-year-old Haley Tremaine had it all: top-notch school, fantastic family, and a bright future, but all of that changed when an accident tore her family apart. Now, an alcoholic father, a bitter younger sister, and a cold headstone bearing her mother’s name are all she has left.

Chris Charming has it all: a powerful CEO for a father, a prestigious school, and a fortune at his fingertips, but none of that matters when he lands a reputation as a troublemaker. Struggling to follow in his father’s footsteps, he reaches out to the one person he believes truly sees him, the one person he wants: Haley.

Little do they know someone’s determined to bring the two together, even if it means murder.

*REVIEW

Charming by Krystal Wade

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

 There really is no other way to describe this but as a retelling of a Cinderally if she took some hallucinogens and ended up in Saw franchise.

No seriously. Although the story is told of our “Cinderella” as a HS sophomore there is a lot of adult content such has dealing with abuse. If anythingn this story reflects much of the original Brothers Grimm story of Cinderella in the gore and messing with your head factor. In the original story there is actual cutting/trimming of feet to get into that slipper. I’m serious look it up. That is REAL!

As for this story our “Cinderella” is Haley…  our poor girl in her teenage nativity takes on something that even as adults we have a hard time processing. She takes on abuse from her alcoholic father in order to shield her younger sister to honor her dying mother’s wish to shield her.

As I kept reading it all I wanted to do was hug the poor Haley. I mean honestly her life S-U-C-K-S.

Her days spent wasting her youth years being the adult and a punching bag at home and visiting her dead mother at the grave.

If that is not enough on top of it all she has a stalker who took it upon himself the role of a Demented Fairy Godmother. Punishing those who wronged her and “giving” her to Prince Charming.

Aaah Prince Charming… or shall we say Chris Charming… A boy who was always meant to be in her life. A life that was mean to happen if it weren’t for the horrible accident that took her mother away and put her in this path of life destruction.

“God, Haley. You let your dad hit you for years, blindly protecting your sister. You took shit from her to honor your mom. I get it. I do. But are you fucking crazy? I’m not them. I’m not going to hurt you. I’m not going to walk away from you. I actually care for you, Haley.

 

Fortunately, there is a rainbow at the end of this tragic story… a determined girl with a gang of helpful, supporting cast to help… but can they take on the darkness that surrounds her? Well read on and get your answer.
For a YA book there is a lot of blood and gore and violence that made my tummy ache… And like a true sicko I loved every second of it. The author did a fantastic job of retelling the old classic and making it her own. In my age (non-teen age that is) I find it hard relating to issues of HS drama but this story went so much more. A nice bloody horror story.

I’m glad I went outside my comfort zone for this.

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AUTHOR BIO

Krystal Wade is happily married to the love of her life (don’t gag) and raising three beautiful children in the gorgeous state of Virginia. They live just outside Washington, D.C., and every day she wakes up to find herself stuck in traffic trying to get there.

The horrid commute gives Krystal plenty of time to zone out and think about her characters in full, brilliant details (she’s a safe driver; don’t worry). Stories give her a way to forget about the sometimes smelly strangers sitting next to her on the fifty mile trek into town (she picks up hitchhikers every day. True story. Check out www.slug-lines.com if you don’t believe us).

Krystal has been a part of organized hitchhiking for nearly fifteen years, but that’s just one small aspect of her oh-so-large life. When she’s not working, commuting, or chasing after her three children (four if you count the man), you can usually find Krystal outside talking to her chickens like they’re the cutest things in the world (they are), or training her amazing dogs how to herd said chickens (which they love), or curled up on the sofa with a good book (why can’t that be 100% of the time?).

Author links: 

http://www.krystal-wade.com/