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Twisted Lit #1
Tempestuous
Recently banished, unfairly, by the school’s popular crowd, former “it girl,” Miranda Prospero, finds herself in a brave new world: holding dominion amongst a rag-tag crew of geeks and misfits where she works at the Hot-Dog Kabob in the food court of her local mall. When the worst winter storm of the season causes mall workers and last-minute shoppers to be snowed-in for the night, Miranda seizes the opportunity to get revenge against the catty clique behind her social exile. With help from her delightfully dweeby coworker, Ariel, and a sullen loner named Caleb who works at the mall’s nearby gaming and magic shop, Miranda uses charm and trickery to set things to right during this spirited take on Shakespeare’s The Tempest.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published November 18, 2012
9 people are currently reading
3305 people want to read
About the author
Kim Askew
10 books134 followersKim Askew is co-author of the Twisted Lit novels, critically-acclaimed, Shakespeare inspired young adult fiction, published by Simon & Schuster.
Kim's writing has appeared in newspapers, literary journals, and other publications, including the Wall Street Journal, SoMa Literary Review, and Elle Magazine, as well as the anthology The May Queen.
She wrote her Master's thesis, on Henry James, at Mount St. Mary's University, Los Angeles, and she's also a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for abused and neglected children in Los Angeles county.
Kim and her co-author, Amy Helmes, are managed by Jennifer Au of Untitled Entertainment and represented by Hannah Brown Gordon of Foundry Literary + Media.
Kim's writing has appeared in newspapers, literary journals, and other publications, including the Wall Street Journal, SoMa Literary Review, and Elle Magazine, as well as the anthology The May Queen.
She wrote her Master's thesis, on Henry James, at Mount St. Mary's University, Los Angeles, and she's also a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for abused and neglected children in Los Angeles county.
Kim and her co-author, Amy Helmes, are managed by Jennifer Au of Untitled Entertainment and represented by Hannah Brown Gordon of Foundry Literary + Media.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 177 reviews
February 19, 2017
This book takes its inspiration from Shakespeare's The Tempest, but instead of a storm trapping the characters on an island, a blizzard traps teenager workers and shoppers overnight in a mall leading to all kinds of craziness. One of the trapped teens, Miranda Prospero, has always had a knack for bringing people together and manipulating things (for good, mostly) behind the scenes so a mall lock-down gives her lots of opportunities for fun. Until recently Miranda was a prep school princess, but following a fall from grace after one of her schemes went bad she's had to take a humiliating job at a hot dog stand in the food court. The silver lining in her new world is Ariel, her spritely coworker and a great friend. It's Ariel's birthday and Miranda has all kinds of ideas for how to make the night special, but then she ends up handcuffed to an infuriating guy named Caleb, a possibly dangerous burglar is on the loose, some mall workers are missing and unaccounted for, and the toniest part of the mall has been taken over by a crew from Miranda's prep school that includes her ex-boyfriend and the ex-best friend who's now dating him. Snappy dialog, clever plotting, and a main character with a winning mix of heart, moxie, and vulnerability make make this a fast and entertaining read.
December 18, 2012
This is the first book ever I’ve read written by these two gifted authors and I must admit I’m uber impressed! If you’re a fan of rom-coms, you’ll undoubtedly adore this book. It’s one of those feel-good books which you read while smiling the whole time. You can just imagine the chaos that would ensue if a bunch of high school kids is locked unattended in a mall overnight and have the run of the place, right? I can’t even begin to tell you how much fun this book was, but be prepared to laugh till you cry, wipe away a tear or two, and be touched by a story which you simply won’t be able to put down.
Whilst reading the prologue, my curiosity levels skyrocketed. What extraordinary saga of events took place in one short night as to have two characters – who clearly can’t stand each other – end up handcuffed together in a storeroom from which they can’t escape? The answer? Let’s just say, I was completely taken by surprise.
One of the most important elements that always determines whether I enjoy a book or not, is how the characters are presented to the reader and how much they are developed, if any. On this point alone, “Tempestuous” scores ten out of ten, as main- and secondary role players all received a significant amount of attention and it was clear to me that the authors put a lot of effort into establishing that connection between characters and the reader. The main character, Miranda, is the sort of character most young people today will easily relate to. She’s hip, sassy, feisty, and genuine. Despite her character and most of the supporting cast being carbon copies of characters in your average high-school teen flick, I still really liked her as she also had a naturalness and maturity about her. Though Miranda’s the star of the show, other role players who also found a spot in my heart were Caleb – with his Nicholas Cage-like broodiness; Ariel – a trusting, naïve, little ball of energy; Raj and his tech-savvy crew; and a boatload of memorable secondary characters.
Using the show-don’t-tell formula, and clever dialogue, the authors effortlessly draw the reader smack-dab into the middle of the action and drama, and trust me, there’s not one dull moment in this story with Miranda and her band of misfits’ antics in her plans for revenge. The plot is well thought out and moves at a breakneck pace, building up to an exciting and heartfelt conclusion which leaves you wanting more. Even though “Tempestuous” is a fun read, there’s depth to this story and I walked away feeling that I’ve had a truly magnificent reading experience and wishing it didn’t have to end so soon. Miranda’s fall from grace, and her subsequent journey to self-discovery of the person she truly is at her core, was written in a deeply touching way. I’m eagerly looking forward to reading the next Twisted Lit novel, and am gladly giving this superb book two thumbs up!
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Whilst reading the prologue, my curiosity levels skyrocketed. What extraordinary saga of events took place in one short night as to have two characters – who clearly can’t stand each other – end up handcuffed together in a storeroom from which they can’t escape? The answer? Let’s just say, I was completely taken by surprise.
One of the most important elements that always determines whether I enjoy a book or not, is how the characters are presented to the reader and how much they are developed, if any. On this point alone, “Tempestuous” scores ten out of ten, as main- and secondary role players all received a significant amount of attention and it was clear to me that the authors put a lot of effort into establishing that connection between characters and the reader. The main character, Miranda, is the sort of character most young people today will easily relate to. She’s hip, sassy, feisty, and genuine. Despite her character and most of the supporting cast being carbon copies of characters in your average high-school teen flick, I still really liked her as she also had a naturalness and maturity about her. Though Miranda’s the star of the show, other role players who also found a spot in my heart were Caleb – with his Nicholas Cage-like broodiness; Ariel – a trusting, naïve, little ball of energy; Raj and his tech-savvy crew; and a boatload of memorable secondary characters.
Using the show-don’t-tell formula, and clever dialogue, the authors effortlessly draw the reader smack-dab into the middle of the action and drama, and trust me, there’s not one dull moment in this story with Miranda and her band of misfits’ antics in her plans for revenge. The plot is well thought out and moves at a breakneck pace, building up to an exciting and heartfelt conclusion which leaves you wanting more. Even though “Tempestuous” is a fun read, there’s depth to this story and I walked away feeling that I’ve had a truly magnificent reading experience and wishing it didn’t have to end so soon. Miranda’s fall from grace, and her subsequent journey to self-discovery of the person she truly is at her core, was written in a deeply touching way. I’m eagerly looking forward to reading the next Twisted Lit novel, and am gladly giving this superb book two thumbs up!
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
July 2, 2015
What happens when a snow storm hits the city and many people, including a bunch of high school students in a mall over night. Miranda and Caleb are handcuffed together, Miranda's former mean friends are trapped in the mall too, and someone is robbing stores. This is a fun young adult story that will keep you entertained. Some of the pranks Miranda comes up with to get back at her former friends are pretty funny. Very entertaining and a very quick read. You could read it in a day.
January 21, 2013
SHUT.THE.FRONT.DOOR.
wawawawawawawawa I looooooooved it
Le me is like the Ryan, fully satisfied.
cannot wait to post full review, it was awesome.
CAN I HAVE MOREEEEEEE?!
JANUARY 20TH: FULL REVIEW
So once in a while something totally unexpected happens, like finding a ten-dollar bill on the street or discovering there’s only 2 girls in your class, both of them named Melannie. OR starting a book and loving it from page one, that’s what happen to me while I read Tempestuous, loved it from page 1 ‘till the very last one.
Miranda is an ambitious girl, who kind of has the power of getting people to do what she wants. She’s popular and beautiful yet the authors managed to make her likable. I loved her from the start because she’s so witty, and she means no harm, she’s just used to having people offering to do stuff for her but it’s not like she’s bossing them around. Well, at least not after that pesty situation that made her fall from grace at her private school and has her working for minimum wage at the food court in the mall.
Caleb’s another awesome part of the story; I loved his mysteriousness and his intelligence. He’s also a musician, which can only make your knees weak. He works at the gaming & magic shop at the mall too (!!) so he's like Miranda’s total opposite.
It was hilarious to see the dynamics between these two. I thought that sticking them together (literally, they’re handcuffed to each other during the book) was a brilliant idea, kudos for that because it made the couple’s progressive emotional attachment more believable and the story 100% more entertaining.
I actually loved all the characters, they all have personalities that stood out, and the authors managed to leave clichés aside, and you know how difficult that is when you’re writing high-school-aged characters. I especially loved that Miranda’s friendship with her previous best friends from private school wasn’t completely lost and that she showed so much growth during the course of one night.
The mystery of the mall thief was also a great addition to the story, even though I figured it out early on, I still enjoyed watching it develop.
So really, great book; super entertaining, funny, clean and perfect for teens and adults alike. I wish it was a movie, since the story moves so fast, it’d probably have a smooth transition to the big screen, Hollywood: make it happen. ‘Till then, I’ll be re-reading it a couple of times this winter break.
wawawawawawawawa I looooooooved it
Le me is like the Ryan, fully satisfied.
cannot wait to post full review, it was awesome.
CAN I HAVE MOREEEEEEE?!
JANUARY 20TH: FULL REVIEW
So once in a while something totally unexpected happens, like finding a ten-dollar bill on the street or discovering there’s only 2 girls in your class, both of them named Melannie. OR starting a book and loving it from page one, that’s what happen to me while I read Tempestuous, loved it from page 1 ‘till the very last one.
Miranda is an ambitious girl, who kind of has the power of getting people to do what she wants. She’s popular and beautiful yet the authors managed to make her likable. I loved her from the start because she’s so witty, and she means no harm, she’s just used to having people offering to do stuff for her but it’s not like she’s bossing them around. Well, at least not after that pesty situation that made her fall from grace at her private school and has her working for minimum wage at the food court in the mall.
Caleb’s another awesome part of the story; I loved his mysteriousness and his intelligence. He’s also a musician, which can only make your knees weak. He works at the gaming & magic shop at the mall too (!!) so he's like Miranda’s total opposite.
It was hilarious to see the dynamics between these two. I thought that sticking them together (literally, they’re handcuffed to each other during the book) was a brilliant idea, kudos for that because it made the couple’s progressive emotional attachment more believable and the story 100% more entertaining.
I actually loved all the characters, they all have personalities that stood out, and the authors managed to leave clichés aside, and you know how difficult that is when you’re writing high-school-aged characters. I especially loved that Miranda’s friendship with her previous best friends from private school wasn’t completely lost and that she showed so much growth during the course of one night.
The mystery of the mall thief was also a great addition to the story, even though I figured it out early on, I still enjoyed watching it develop.
So really, great book; super entertaining, funny, clean and perfect for teens and adults alike. I wish it was a movie, since the story moves so fast, it’d probably have a smooth transition to the big screen, Hollywood: make it happen. ‘Till then, I’ll be re-reading it a couple of times this winter break.
January 9, 2021
As the alter ego of the world renowned (ahem) Ruby Jand, author of 'Shakespeare calling - the book' it is my obligation to keep track of Shakespeare spin-offs. I am not obliged to like them. This extremely YA romace is supposedly a spin-off of 'The Tempest' but if the narrator wasn't called Miranda Prospero I would never have guessed. Not even with the quotes at the start of the chapters. The story goes from irritating to mildly amusing to tedious. Miranda is one of the most unlikeable characters I've met. Why not just 1* then? Well, I did finish it and it's about a snowstorm and I love snow, so....
May 25, 2020
Very much a YA Teen retelling, I enjoyed the way that the original Tempest was brought in, though there were a lot of things that made me roll my eyes.
A good way to spend a couple of hours.
A good way to spend a couple of hours.
February 10, 2013
3.5 Stars
Before reading Tempestuous I had no idea what Shakespeare's Tempest was about.So before reading Tempestuous I looked up the Tempest and here's a short summary that might give you an idea of what it is about.
Tempestuous was a quick and light read-It wasn't the kind of book that I usually read but it was definitely entertaining!Most retellings fall short of my expectations for some reason but Tempestuous was not one of those books.The similarities between Shakepeare's Tempest and Tempestuous were subtle and not overly stressed so it didn't come across as forced.The smooth writing and the witty dialogue made experience very enjoyable.
The characters were strong and flawed so this made relating to them quite easy.Miranda is no longer the popular high school girl,kicked out from the inner circle by her "friends" she has become a social leper who's forced to work at a hot dog stall in the mall.....in hideous hat that has a plastic wiener spinning on top of it!Miranda's friend and co-worker,Ariel was adorably chirpy.Although Ariel comes across as a bit of an airhead at the beginning she surprised me with her thoughtfulness and crazy ideas as the story progresses.
Caleb too turns out be much more than a moody loner.Miranda and Caleb end up handcuffed together and this helps to reevaluate their love-hate relationship.The romance builds slowly as soon as they both realize that there's more to each other than what meets the eye.
The "bad guys" were believable since they each had their own set of flaws.There were some interesting twists and turns in Tempestuous and I definitely see that ending coming!
Tempestuous with it's quirkiness and laugh-out-loud moments would make a great summer read.
See here for my review of Exposure - Twisted Lit #2
February 6, 2013
Remember high school? Remember being (or seeing someone else be) the brunt of scorn, going from the top of the food chain to the the social equivalent of the plague? Did the opportunity ever present itself to get revenge? Did you have the guts to take it?
Miranda is a fallen A-Lister at her private school. She had it all, the guy, the brains, the clique. It all came crashing down, big time and she is required to get a job (horrors!) in a mall food court to re-pay her debts. Top it off with the stupid hat she has to wear and life just sucks! She works with 'regular kids' (again, horrors!) Yet, even they recognize that special something Miranda has to solve problems, get results and she often holds audience for her minions.
One night, a huge snowstorm closes down the road and everyone still in the mall must spend the night. Just so happens, there is a robber also inside the mall, and Amanda's old gang and current tormentors. Nice, let's not forget to add that she has been accidentally handcuffed to some strange and nasty guy in a cape!
VERY loosely written as a modern day take on Shakespeare's The Tempest, this is now in my top entertainingly awesome LIGHT reads! Miranda is diabolical, humorous, brilliant, daring, caring, loyal and a treat to read about! You will love her sidekick, the pixie-like Ariel! She is too cute for words with a hidden side that shines! Caleb is...well, you have to read the book to enjoy all of the characters! Fun, fast, ingenious with a hint of danger!
Now, when talking 'books' with people, I can say, "Why, yes, I've read a modern day take on one of Shakespeare's works, very enlightening, very current." (All done with a careless flick of my hand!) I only hope I can keep a straight face!
This edition was provided by NetGalley and Merit Press in exchange for an honest review!
Miranda is a fallen A-Lister at her private school. She had it all, the guy, the brains, the clique. It all came crashing down, big time and she is required to get a job (horrors!) in a mall food court to re-pay her debts. Top it off with the stupid hat she has to wear and life just sucks! She works with 'regular kids' (again, horrors!) Yet, even they recognize that special something Miranda has to solve problems, get results and she often holds audience for her minions.
One night, a huge snowstorm closes down the road and everyone still in the mall must spend the night. Just so happens, there is a robber also inside the mall, and Amanda's old gang and current tormentors. Nice, let's not forget to add that she has been accidentally handcuffed to some strange and nasty guy in a cape!
VERY loosely written as a modern day take on Shakespeare's The Tempest, this is now in my top entertainingly awesome LIGHT reads! Miranda is diabolical, humorous, brilliant, daring, caring, loyal and a treat to read about! You will love her sidekick, the pixie-like Ariel! She is too cute for words with a hidden side that shines! Caleb is...well, you have to read the book to enjoy all of the characters! Fun, fast, ingenious with a hint of danger!
Now, when talking 'books' with people, I can say, "Why, yes, I've read a modern day take on one of Shakespeare's works, very enlightening, very current." (All done with a careless flick of my hand!) I only hope I can keep a straight face!
This edition was provided by NetGalley and Merit Press in exchange for an honest review!
November 25, 2012
Miranda has been exiled to get a job. As if things could not be bad enough, the only jobs left at the mall was working in the food court. Miranda has a uniform that includes a hat with a spinning hot dog. Luckily, Miranda’s co-worker, Ariel is cool. However Miranda blames her ex-boyfriend, Brian and his new girlfriend, Rachel for her predicament.
Fortunately for Miranda she only has a few hours until her shift is over. As Miranda’s bad luck would have it a storm blows in and traps her and her enemies in the mall. Now it is a battle of epic proportions between Miranda on one side and Rachel on the other side. Oh and did I forget to mention that Miranda will have to battle while being handcuffed to Caleb, a possible love interest of Miranda’s.
To be honest, I was not familiar with the story of The Tempest. I had to read up on the story. Having once done that, I thought this book was a nice modern day twist on William’s story. I think that the teen audience will enjoy this book. This book just did not hit the right sweet spot for me. I found the characters a bit childish. This turned me off. Also, the story moved slowly for me. This could have accounted for the fact that I was not feeling the characters. Kim Askew and Amy Helmes make a good team. I could not tell where one stopped and the other one picked up writing the story.
Fortunately for Miranda she only has a few hours until her shift is over. As Miranda’s bad luck would have it a storm blows in and traps her and her enemies in the mall. Now it is a battle of epic proportions between Miranda on one side and Rachel on the other side. Oh and did I forget to mention that Miranda will have to battle while being handcuffed to Caleb, a possible love interest of Miranda’s.
To be honest, I was not familiar with the story of The Tempest. I had to read up on the story. Having once done that, I thought this book was a nice modern day twist on William’s story. I think that the teen audience will enjoy this book. This book just did not hit the right sweet spot for me. I found the characters a bit childish. This turned me off. Also, the story moved slowly for me. This could have accounted for the fact that I was not feeling the characters. Kim Askew and Amy Helmes make a good team. I could not tell where one stopped and the other one picked up writing the story.
July 15, 2023
If you were snowed into a mall, what would you do? Miranda works in the food court and during a snow storm, all the teen workers of the mall are stuck together--both the popular kids and the "nerds." Miranda was once one of the popular kids, but after an SAT for money scandal, she has become friendless. At least by the popular kids. To top it all off, there is a burglar in the mall and he has attacked some of the employees during his thefts. Can the one security guard catch the thief? Who is behind the thefts?
January 2, 2021
Review in my Merry Bookmas Week 1 Vlog
https://youtu.be/aJ5fIAmMH0Q
https://youtu.be/aJ5fIAmMH0Q
August 9, 2016
For Miranda Prospero, a former member of Eastern Prep’s elite “in-crowd,” life has become boring, but not exactly unbearable. Just recently, the school administration discovered that she and her friends were running a secret matchmaking service that paired up geeks and the academically challenged cool kids (for a price). In order to save their own skins, her (soon to be) ex-beau and friends produced Miranda as the ringleader of the operation. Ordered by the school to pay back all the money she’s earned from her well-meaning operation, she now finds herself sentenced to minimum-wage labor at a greasy hotdog stand at the local mall.
But at least she’s managed to make some friends her own age there. There’s Ariel, her sweet, cheerful manager/co-worker; Colin, a waiter who works in the hell that is Cheeze Monkey Pizzeria (think Chuck E. Cheese’s); and Caleb, a brooding, infuriating, yet attractive game-store employee. Shortly after the story’s beginning, Miranda, her new friends, and a handful of other teens (including her now ex-boyfriend and a few treacherous Eastern Prep classmates) get snowed in by a massive blizzard. Since Miranda had planned to throw a surprise birthday party for Ariel, she and her friends unleash the festivities in the mall—as well as take vengeance on her former in-crowd compatriots by increasingly juvenile means: trapping one girl with rabbit-phobia in an elevator with one of the pet store bunnies; assigning Ariel to lure a few “mean girls” into the mall beauty salon and give them bad makeovers, etc. The fun turns dangerous once they realize that a dangerous assailant is trapped in the mall with them—one who steals mall merchandise, then retaliates with violent force against whoever crosses his path.
Tempestuous, the first book in a series that plans to focus on putting a “modern-day spin” on Shakespearean literature, centers on the comedic play The Tempest. For those who haven’t read it, Tempest takes place on an enchanted island where Prospero, the bookish, exiled Duke of Milan, now spends his time dabbling in magic. His only companions are his daughter, Miranda; Ariel, his faithful spirit-servant; and Caliban, the crafty, deformed monster-servant intent on betraying him and claiming the island for himself. When a ship carrying the makers of his social undoing—Alonso, king of Naples; Duke Antonio, Prospero’s usurper brother, and others—comes within distance of his island home, Prospero decides that he wants revenge and creates a storm to shipwreck everyone on the island. He then spends the rest of the story leading the castaways through a series of tests to call them out on their past transgressions, leading them to see the error of their ways. He then gets his old job back, and he even manages to arrange a marriage between his daughter and the king’s son, Ferdinand.
“Twisted Lit” ’s Tempestuous proves to be a very faithful, if at times, somewhat problematic interpretation of the Bard’s work. In this updated version the authors have combined Prospero, the original magician, and his daughter Miranda to make the story’s hero young and female. Like her literary component, the YA novel’s heroine “works magic” by matchmaking, manipulating situations to her liking, and punishing her enemies—though in her case, it seems like each prank is carried out in a fit of mean-spirited vengeance against deliberately unlikeable villains rather than with the well-meaning spirit of the Bard’s comedy. This isn’t to say that Miranda herself doesn’t gain some sense of humility in the end, however. As she sheepishly admits, following the conclusion of her adventures: “...justice [is] always preferable to petty revenge” (169).
Knowledge of the origin material gives the story’s somewhat silly and extravagant antics a degree of credibility, though taken as an original standalone piece, readers more interested in “reality-based” fiction may call their suspension of disbelief into question. But, now that I think about it, I can’t really image many teens interested in anything remotely “reality-based.”
Who will enjoy it? I think I can safely say that this book will appeal to shy, young loner-types who feel they don’t fit in, who enjoy a light read on occasion, and who love seeing snooty popular kids reduced to caricatures. Reading The Tempest isn’t required to get the overall gist of the story, but as a former English major, I can’t resist urging those unacquainted with the Bard to rent a copy of it (Julie Taymor recently produced a PG-13 version in 2010, shown here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1274300/). Recommended for Ages 15-17 for Language.
But at least she’s managed to make some friends her own age there. There’s Ariel, her sweet, cheerful manager/co-worker; Colin, a waiter who works in the hell that is Cheeze Monkey Pizzeria (think Chuck E. Cheese’s); and Caleb, a brooding, infuriating, yet attractive game-store employee. Shortly after the story’s beginning, Miranda, her new friends, and a handful of other teens (including her now ex-boyfriend and a few treacherous Eastern Prep classmates) get snowed in by a massive blizzard. Since Miranda had planned to throw a surprise birthday party for Ariel, she and her friends unleash the festivities in the mall—as well as take vengeance on her former in-crowd compatriots by increasingly juvenile means: trapping one girl with rabbit-phobia in an elevator with one of the pet store bunnies; assigning Ariel to lure a few “mean girls” into the mall beauty salon and give them bad makeovers, etc. The fun turns dangerous once they realize that a dangerous assailant is trapped in the mall with them—one who steals mall merchandise, then retaliates with violent force against whoever crosses his path.
Tempestuous, the first book in a series that plans to focus on putting a “modern-day spin” on Shakespearean literature, centers on the comedic play The Tempest. For those who haven’t read it, Tempest takes place on an enchanted island where Prospero, the bookish, exiled Duke of Milan, now spends his time dabbling in magic. His only companions are his daughter, Miranda; Ariel, his faithful spirit-servant; and Caliban, the crafty, deformed monster-servant intent on betraying him and claiming the island for himself. When a ship carrying the makers of his social undoing—Alonso, king of Naples; Duke Antonio, Prospero’s usurper brother, and others—comes within distance of his island home, Prospero decides that he wants revenge and creates a storm to shipwreck everyone on the island. He then spends the rest of the story leading the castaways through a series of tests to call them out on their past transgressions, leading them to see the error of their ways. He then gets his old job back, and he even manages to arrange a marriage between his daughter and the king’s son, Ferdinand.
“Twisted Lit” ’s Tempestuous proves to be a very faithful, if at times, somewhat problematic interpretation of the Bard’s work. In this updated version the authors have combined Prospero, the original magician, and his daughter Miranda to make the story’s hero young and female. Like her literary component, the YA novel’s heroine “works magic” by matchmaking, manipulating situations to her liking, and punishing her enemies—though in her case, it seems like each prank is carried out in a fit of mean-spirited vengeance against deliberately unlikeable villains rather than with the well-meaning spirit of the Bard’s comedy. This isn’t to say that Miranda herself doesn’t gain some sense of humility in the end, however. As she sheepishly admits, following the conclusion of her adventures: “...justice [is] always preferable to petty revenge” (169).
Knowledge of the origin material gives the story’s somewhat silly and extravagant antics a degree of credibility, though taken as an original standalone piece, readers more interested in “reality-based” fiction may call their suspension of disbelief into question. But, now that I think about it, I can’t really image many teens interested in anything remotely “reality-based.”
Who will enjoy it? I think I can safely say that this book will appeal to shy, young loner-types who feel they don’t fit in, who enjoy a light read on occasion, and who love seeing snooty popular kids reduced to caricatures. Reading The Tempest isn’t required to get the overall gist of the story, but as a former English major, I can’t resist urging those unacquainted with the Bard to rent a copy of it (Julie Taymor recently produced a PG-13 version in 2010, shown here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1274300/). Recommended for Ages 15-17 for Language.
February 26, 2015
Read this and other reviews at my blog.
Thank you Netgalley for providing my advance copy.
After being roped into the greatest cheating scandal her prep school had ever seen, Miranda is forced to take a job at Hot-Dog Kabob in the mall as a way to repay her "debt to society" for her involvement. Banished and ridiculed, unfairly, by her classmates, Miranda struggles to maintain her dignity in her low-wage, highly embarrassing job. When the biggest snow storm of the season traps the mall workers and last-minute shoppers in the mall overnight, Miranda decides to use her charm and cleverness to get back at her former best friends, the ones who had shoved the blame of the scandal on her shoulders. With the help over her over-zealous coworker, Ariel, and the cute loner, Caleb, from the video game store, she gets her revenge and discovers a lot about herself in the process.
This was super cute. I should let it be known that I haven't read The Tempest since I was about nine and I honestly don't remember it at all. Not being familiar with the original tale, will not hurt this story for you. I wasn't able to see how many nods there might have been to the original story, but it didn't feel lacking to me at all.
Miranda is a great character. She is a great planner, and people seem to rely on her to solve their problems. She does get sick of being everyone's go-to girl for their problems, but at the same time, she relishes the attention. It was great to watch her realize who her real friends were, and get over her anger as the night went on. Caleb is a great male lead. He is sullen and cynical and just makes for a great companion to Miranda. They are so ridiculously perfect for one another that it just makes their interactions that much better to watch. Ariel is the cutest friend. She is not one to be underestimated either. The characters were really good, and they had a lot of fun throughout the night. It made for great entertainment.
The plot was cute and simple. It had underlying things that needed handled, but a lot of the book felt really random. In any other story, that wouldn't work, but it totally worked here. It was a lot of fun to see their adventures through the night play out. The one thing that was a recurring issue in the book that wasn't mentioned in the summary is that there is a shop-lifter locked into the mall with them. They spend the night getting increasingly more worried about it until they realize who it is. The danger element was there, but it was done in a way to not be a killjoy. This book wasn't meant to be a mystery, so it turning into one would've been really unsettling.
This story was short, easy to read, and hard not to love. This is definitely a series that I plan to keep my eye on. I can't wait till this one is released so I can buy it for my book shelf. I recommend it to everyone.
Thank you Netgalley for providing my advance copy.
After being roped into the greatest cheating scandal her prep school had ever seen, Miranda is forced to take a job at Hot-Dog Kabob in the mall as a way to repay her "debt to society" for her involvement. Banished and ridiculed, unfairly, by her classmates, Miranda struggles to maintain her dignity in her low-wage, highly embarrassing job. When the biggest snow storm of the season traps the mall workers and last-minute shoppers in the mall overnight, Miranda decides to use her charm and cleverness to get back at her former best friends, the ones who had shoved the blame of the scandal on her shoulders. With the help over her over-zealous coworker, Ariel, and the cute loner, Caleb, from the video game store, she gets her revenge and discovers a lot about herself in the process.
This was super cute. I should let it be known that I haven't read The Tempest since I was about nine and I honestly don't remember it at all. Not being familiar with the original tale, will not hurt this story for you. I wasn't able to see how many nods there might have been to the original story, but it didn't feel lacking to me at all.
Miranda is a great character. She is a great planner, and people seem to rely on her to solve their problems. She does get sick of being everyone's go-to girl for their problems, but at the same time, she relishes the attention. It was great to watch her realize who her real friends were, and get over her anger as the night went on. Caleb is a great male lead. He is sullen and cynical and just makes for a great companion to Miranda. They are so ridiculously perfect for one another that it just makes their interactions that much better to watch. Ariel is the cutest friend. She is not one to be underestimated either. The characters were really good, and they had a lot of fun throughout the night. It made for great entertainment.
The plot was cute and simple. It had underlying things that needed handled, but a lot of the book felt really random. In any other story, that wouldn't work, but it totally worked here. It was a lot of fun to see their adventures through the night play out. The one thing that was a recurring issue in the book that wasn't mentioned in the summary is that there is a shop-lifter locked into the mall with them. They spend the night getting increasingly more worried about it until they realize who it is. The danger element was there, but it was done in a way to not be a killjoy. This book wasn't meant to be a mystery, so it turning into one would've been really unsettling.
This story was short, easy to read, and hard not to love. This is definitely a series that I plan to keep my eye on. I can't wait till this one is released so I can buy it for my book shelf. I recommend it to everyone.
January 31, 2013
Read my full review here: http://mimi-cyberlibrarian.blogspot.c...
Tempestuous is a delightful YA romp based on Shakespeare’s The Tempest, but the reader doesn’t have to know too much about The Tempest to enjoy Tempestuous. Miranda Prospero is a feisty take-charge type of teenager who through a series of misfortunes is stuck with an after school job at a mall food court in Minneapolis. She is feeling really sorry for herself when she arrives at work on a Saturday evening. The weather service has issued blizzard warnings, and Miranda knows that business will be slow. A student at an elite private high school, Miranda thinks that she is way better than all of the other public high school kids who work in the mall, including Ariel, a sweet girl sharing the shift with her. The other kids think she is as snooty as she thinks they are low lives.
The storm quickly causes the customers to empty out of the mall; the roads are closed, and some kids from Miranda's school as well as most of the workers are left stuck in the mall—shipwrecked as it were. But they are not alone; a masked robber is emptying the stores of their merchandise. Whoever he is poses a threat to the kids. Using all their resourcefulness, the mall kids entertain themselves, form new relationships, and thwart the robber. All’s well that ends well! (Oh, wait! That’s a different play!)
I had to go back and read a summary of The Tempest. It had been a lot of years since I had seen a production of the play. The authors have used quotes to title the chapters, which is a nice touch. The characters in the book have similar names to the characters in the play. However, the father, who figures so prominently in the play, has no presence in the novel. Like most YA novels, parents and other adults play a small role in the action. There is a lot of humor, a bit of romance, a bit of mystery, and a lot of resourcefulness—all hallmarks of a good YA novel. Like all feisty heroines, Miranda is glib and a bit smart mouthed. She is also capable of change, which makes her a very appealing character to young readers. A teenage blogger wrote a delightful review of the book and gave it an A+--high praise indeed.
I especially appreciated that there was minimal bloodshed and minimal sex, making it appropriate for the younger end of the YA spectrum. A librarian or bookseller could feel confident putting it into the hands of a 12- or 13-year-old girl, yet it was clever enough that an older teenager (or even an old lady like me) could have a good time reading it. I plan to give it to my granddaughters. I think they will like it.
Tempestuous is a delightful YA romp based on Shakespeare’s The Tempest, but the reader doesn’t have to know too much about The Tempest to enjoy Tempestuous. Miranda Prospero is a feisty take-charge type of teenager who through a series of misfortunes is stuck with an after school job at a mall food court in Minneapolis. She is feeling really sorry for herself when she arrives at work on a Saturday evening. The weather service has issued blizzard warnings, and Miranda knows that business will be slow. A student at an elite private high school, Miranda thinks that she is way better than all of the other public high school kids who work in the mall, including Ariel, a sweet girl sharing the shift with her. The other kids think she is as snooty as she thinks they are low lives.
The storm quickly causes the customers to empty out of the mall; the roads are closed, and some kids from Miranda's school as well as most of the workers are left stuck in the mall—shipwrecked as it were. But they are not alone; a masked robber is emptying the stores of their merchandise. Whoever he is poses a threat to the kids. Using all their resourcefulness, the mall kids entertain themselves, form new relationships, and thwart the robber. All’s well that ends well! (Oh, wait! That’s a different play!)
I had to go back and read a summary of The Tempest. It had been a lot of years since I had seen a production of the play. The authors have used quotes to title the chapters, which is a nice touch. The characters in the book have similar names to the characters in the play. However, the father, who figures so prominently in the play, has no presence in the novel. Like most YA novels, parents and other adults play a small role in the action. There is a lot of humor, a bit of romance, a bit of mystery, and a lot of resourcefulness—all hallmarks of a good YA novel. Like all feisty heroines, Miranda is glib and a bit smart mouthed. She is also capable of change, which makes her a very appealing character to young readers. A teenage blogger wrote a delightful review of the book and gave it an A+--high praise indeed.
I especially appreciated that there was minimal bloodshed and minimal sex, making it appropriate for the younger end of the YA spectrum. A librarian or bookseller could feel confident putting it into the hands of a 12- or 13-year-old girl, yet it was clever enough that an older teenager (or even an old lady like me) could have a good time reading it. I plan to give it to my granddaughters. I think they will like it.
January 13, 2013
Tempestuous is a catty and wit-filled teen novel with hilarious lines and relatable characters. Together these authors create a world that lasts one night, reminiscent of a mystery infused version of The Breakfast Club. Breaking all social boundaries Miranda and the other characters travel the roads of self discovery and find new friends along the way. It is a must read for fans of young adult comedies and fans of John Green.
Miranda is one of those girls that has all of the answers. A born leader, but this leader takes the fall for a cheating scheme in her school and is outcasted and forced to (exhale) get a job! As her life tumbles around her she meets some new and unexpected new associates. This princess begins working in the mall's food court and befriending a gang of unlikely misfits. From there her story just gets better. It is an all around feel good contemporary romance that left me smiling at the direction it took. Everything about this book screams brilliant; from the slew of characters to the drama that plays out. It happens to be a book that for me was unputdownable.
Tempestuous is a Nancy Drew, Clue, Mall Rats combination; filled with teen rivalry and some all around fun. When a winter storm strands mall employees overnight Miranda and her fellow consorts band together against her former friends; all the while evading a robber who is likely hiding out in the mall as well. The book is exciting and includes calculating tactics for revenge; it took me back to high school days and the vengeance I (we all) wished I (we) could've performed on some unsuspecting scum. Taking what they need from stores, with every intent on returning it, they set out to spend the night and in turn have the time of their lives.
The book begins near the end, the prologue highlighting the mess this group creates for themselves. Then goes to the beginning of the crazy night. From the start it builds and builds, keeping me hooked and interested. Fans of Young Adult fiction will swoon over Caleb's character in this PG rated romance, even if Miranda is too blind to see it. My favorite part of the book was the relationship between Caleb and Miranda. Beginning pretty much as enemies, the manipulator Miranda isn't used to someone who doesn't grovel at her feet. Caleb's character was real and authentic, he stood his ground and was overall a really great guy and great for her.
It is a fun and fast read that I really enjoyed. A loose adaptation of The Tempest by William Shakespeare, that many will love! Make sure to add it to your TBR pile!
Miranda is one of those girls that has all of the answers. A born leader, but this leader takes the fall for a cheating scheme in her school and is outcasted and forced to (exhale) get a job! As her life tumbles around her she meets some new and unexpected new associates. This princess begins working in the mall's food court and befriending a gang of unlikely misfits. From there her story just gets better. It is an all around feel good contemporary romance that left me smiling at the direction it took. Everything about this book screams brilliant; from the slew of characters to the drama that plays out. It happens to be a book that for me was unputdownable.
Tempestuous is a Nancy Drew, Clue, Mall Rats combination; filled with teen rivalry and some all around fun. When a winter storm strands mall employees overnight Miranda and her fellow consorts band together against her former friends; all the while evading a robber who is likely hiding out in the mall as well. The book is exciting and includes calculating tactics for revenge; it took me back to high school days and the vengeance I (we all) wished I (we) could've performed on some unsuspecting scum. Taking what they need from stores, with every intent on returning it, they set out to spend the night and in turn have the time of their lives.
The book begins near the end, the prologue highlighting the mess this group creates for themselves. Then goes to the beginning of the crazy night. From the start it builds and builds, keeping me hooked and interested. Fans of Young Adult fiction will swoon over Caleb's character in this PG rated romance, even if Miranda is too blind to see it. My favorite part of the book was the relationship between Caleb and Miranda. Beginning pretty much as enemies, the manipulator Miranda isn't used to someone who doesn't grovel at her feet. Caleb's character was real and authentic, he stood his ground and was overall a really great guy and great for her.
It is a fun and fast read that I really enjoyed. A loose adaptation of The Tempest by William Shakespeare, that many will love! Make sure to add it to your TBR pile!
October 28, 2012
Read this review at Book Junkie Joint.
Definitely a pure delight!
This story involves one cold night, one mall, a couple of minimum-wage earning employees with different strengths, add in the former friends, plus the infidel ex-boyfriend, a mysterious burglar, one very smart mastermind, a glitter bomb blitzkrieg, an impromptu rock concert, not to mention several revenge plots involving guerrilla tactics, and a whole lot of randomly chaotic events which only fall into places at the last minute.
While this story is a modern-day spin-off of Shakespeare's The Tempest, you don't really need to read the play to understand the story. In fact, the story can very well stand on its own, and brilliantly, if I may say so.
In Tempestuous, the authors effectively demonstrated that every person has equal potential to do good or evil. While this idea is very basic, the authors kicked it up a notch by including a very smart protagonist who's still very much unclear about what really matters to her.
The heroine was ultimately kicked down from the social pedestal where she reigned, and was sent to work as a minimum-wage earner in a shopping mall. Ostracized by her former peers and pretty much left with nowhere to go, Miranda had to work with the people she formerly wouldn't even get caught talking to. And in one chaotic night alone, she re-discovers herself and learns to pick up the pieces of her life.
The best part of this story is probably the part about finding common ground with a person you would never thought you'd get along with, and ultimately discovering something you appreciate and love. Second to that is discovering friendship in the most unlikely of circumstances, and finding strengths you thought you never had.
I highly recommend this story for young adults who wish to read something inspiring and empowering, yet still maintain its level of awesomeness without being sappy or melodramatic.
Definitely a pure delight!
This story involves one cold night, one mall, a couple of minimum-wage earning employees with different strengths, add in the former friends, plus the infidel ex-boyfriend, a mysterious burglar, one very smart mastermind, a glitter bomb blitzkrieg, an impromptu rock concert, not to mention several revenge plots involving guerrilla tactics, and a whole lot of randomly chaotic events which only fall into places at the last minute.
While this story is a modern-day spin-off of Shakespeare's The Tempest, you don't really need to read the play to understand the story. In fact, the story can very well stand on its own, and brilliantly, if I may say so.
In Tempestuous, the authors effectively demonstrated that every person has equal potential to do good or evil. While this idea is very basic, the authors kicked it up a notch by including a very smart protagonist who's still very much unclear about what really matters to her.
The heroine was ultimately kicked down from the social pedestal where she reigned, and was sent to work as a minimum-wage earner in a shopping mall. Ostracized by her former peers and pretty much left with nowhere to go, Miranda had to work with the people she formerly wouldn't even get caught talking to. And in one chaotic night alone, she re-discovers herself and learns to pick up the pieces of her life.
The best part of this story is probably the part about finding common ground with a person you would never thought you'd get along with, and ultimately discovering something you appreciate and love. Second to that is discovering friendship in the most unlikely of circumstances, and finding strengths you thought you never had.
I highly recommend this story for young adults who wish to read something inspiring and empowering, yet still maintain its level of awesomeness without being sappy or melodramatic.
October 31, 2012
"The ability for anyone in our generation to self-amuse has sadly been bred out of our species".
One of the funniest lines I've ever read in a YA book.
I had absolutely no idea what to expect when I started reading this novel. I had already forgotten the abstract and the title and cover didn't do much to revive my memory. I will most definitely purchase this book for my library when it comes out. It is one of the funniest, wittiest YA books I've ever read.
Miranda is a smart, sassy, conniving (in a good way) jilted teen. She was busted as the head of a website where she helped jocks and popular kids hook up with brainy kids for tutoring and study help. She had no idea it would morph into brainy kids being paid to take the SAT and do other questionable tasks. She was thrown under the bus, blamed for all the illegal stuff, and now has to work a part time job to pay back the school her commission in the whole operation. She's been at her job in the food court of the local mall for about a month and on this particular day, she and a bunch of co-workers and some of her former friends were snowed in at the mall.
The chaos that ensues is awesome. Miranda is one of my new favorite YA characters and I really hope Askew & Helmes write more about her. Her acidic tongue combined with her sharp mind make for intriguing conversations and interactions with both her new friends and co-workers and her old friends. I rooted for her from the get go. Her relationship with Ariel warms even Miranda's sometimes icy heart.
I don't want to give too much away, but if you're looking for a light-hearted read with awesome twists, you need to check this book out. I don't have enough adjectives to say how funny and refreshing this book is, but trust me when I say you will enjoy it. I will recommend this book to students who enjoy romance, comedies, and who don't know exactly what they want to read.
One of the funniest lines I've ever read in a YA book.
I had absolutely no idea what to expect when I started reading this novel. I had already forgotten the abstract and the title and cover didn't do much to revive my memory. I will most definitely purchase this book for my library when it comes out. It is one of the funniest, wittiest YA books I've ever read.
Miranda is a smart, sassy, conniving (in a good way) jilted teen. She was busted as the head of a website where she helped jocks and popular kids hook up with brainy kids for tutoring and study help. She had no idea it would morph into brainy kids being paid to take the SAT and do other questionable tasks. She was thrown under the bus, blamed for all the illegal stuff, and now has to work a part time job to pay back the school her commission in the whole operation. She's been at her job in the food court of the local mall for about a month and on this particular day, she and a bunch of co-workers and some of her former friends were snowed in at the mall.
The chaos that ensues is awesome. Miranda is one of my new favorite YA characters and I really hope Askew & Helmes write more about her. Her acidic tongue combined with her sharp mind make for intriguing conversations and interactions with both her new friends and co-workers and her old friends. I rooted for her from the get go. Her relationship with Ariel warms even Miranda's sometimes icy heart.
I don't want to give too much away, but if you're looking for a light-hearted read with awesome twists, you need to check this book out. I don't have enough adjectives to say how funny and refreshing this book is, but trust me when I say you will enjoy it. I will recommend this book to students who enjoy romance, comedies, and who don't know exactly what they want to read.
December 19, 2012
Miranda Prospero, a once upon a time very popular teen, is working in a corn dog fast food stand to pay off her punishment fine. What’s the deal? It turns out Miranda was the dupe of a shyster teen who put together a group of geeks who would write essays for other students and in another incident arrange to have others take the SAT. Fake IDs, etc. were eventually discovered and the scam turned into a criminal event, with Miranda taking the heat for all of it.
So here she is in a greasy dump which turns into an all-nighter because she and her teen friends (and enemies) are snowed in and then locked in. However, as Miranda is known as the “Teflon teen,” she’s initially annoyed but then decides to make the best of it. She’s planning a 17th birthday party for her fellow worker, Ariel. There aren’t too many customers around and teens being teens, Miranda and her friends decide to hearty-party all night long.
The first problem arises when it turns out that one of the mall kiosks has been robbed; and since the mall is locked down, that means the robber is also still hidden among them. Add to that the scene in which Miranda gets handcuffed to a guy, Craig, whom she’s not too crazy about. No, they can’t find a key, so imagine being cuffed all night. How will she figure out a visit to the lady’s room?
The night gets even crazier with plots and counter-plots, misunderstandings and confessions that might be real and might be plotted for worse scenarios. Will the criminal be found? Miranda refuses to give in to fear and it is her wacky plans that save the day – or at least hope to!
Tempestuous, a novel again having Shakespearean allusions toward The Tempest, is a funny read that again highlights a Twisted Lit series worth the attention of all teens and young adults! Nicely done!
So here she is in a greasy dump which turns into an all-nighter because she and her teen friends (and enemies) are snowed in and then locked in. However, as Miranda is known as the “Teflon teen,” she’s initially annoyed but then decides to make the best of it. She’s planning a 17th birthday party for her fellow worker, Ariel. There aren’t too many customers around and teens being teens, Miranda and her friends decide to hearty-party all night long.
The first problem arises when it turns out that one of the mall kiosks has been robbed; and since the mall is locked down, that means the robber is also still hidden among them. Add to that the scene in which Miranda gets handcuffed to a guy, Craig, whom she’s not too crazy about. No, they can’t find a key, so imagine being cuffed all night. How will she figure out a visit to the lady’s room?
The night gets even crazier with plots and counter-plots, misunderstandings and confessions that might be real and might be plotted for worse scenarios. Will the criminal be found? Miranda refuses to give in to fear and it is her wacky plans that save the day – or at least hope to!
Tempestuous, a novel again having Shakespearean allusions toward The Tempest, is a funny read that again highlights a Twisted Lit series worth the attention of all teens and young adults! Nicely done!
December 9, 2012
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Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.
Tempestuous had all of the key elements of a good romantic comedy--meaning that it was really cute and all, but it would never happen in real life. The ending was a bit too perfect, and the characters were a bit too cliche. But in spite of that, I still enjoyed it.
It was a good read, because it took my mind away from all the books I've been reading lately--all dealing with rough issues and hard lives. But this cut me a break from all that--sort of. There were a few tense moments in this book--most notably, being snowed in for the night. Which would suck. And all of the delightful instances that again, would never, ever, ever happen. Ever.
As I said before, the characters were a bit cliche. Especially Ariel, because it's like, the law of young adult literature for the protagonist to have a quirky best friend that's completely innocent and naive. I did think that Miranda was an pretty good character, despite being cliched, and that Caleb pretty much avoided cliche completely, but they could've had a bit more character development.
This is one of those books that are good fluff, but you don't actually remember much about it after reading. All in all, this book is exactly what it claims to be. A fresh take on Shakespeare's The Tempest. And if you've ever read the Bard's work, you'll know that he liked being dramatic. And that character quality was not one of his best qualities.
Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.
Tempestuous had all of the key elements of a good romantic comedy--meaning that it was really cute and all, but it would never happen in real life. The ending was a bit too perfect, and the characters were a bit too cliche. But in spite of that, I still enjoyed it.
It was a good read, because it took my mind away from all the books I've been reading lately--all dealing with rough issues and hard lives. But this cut me a break from all that--sort of. There were a few tense moments in this book--most notably, being snowed in for the night. Which would suck. And all of the delightful instances that again, would never, ever, ever happen. Ever.
As I said before, the characters were a bit cliche. Especially Ariel, because it's like, the law of young adult literature for the protagonist to have a quirky best friend that's completely innocent and naive. I did think that Miranda was an pretty good character, despite being cliched, and that Caleb pretty much avoided cliche completely, but they could've had a bit more character development.
This is one of those books that are good fluff, but you don't actually remember much about it after reading. All in all, this book is exactly what it claims to be. A fresh take on Shakespeare's The Tempest. And if you've ever read the Bard's work, you'll know that he liked being dramatic. And that character quality was not one of his best qualities.
June 23, 2015
As all of you can tell, this book is a modern re-telling of Shakespeare's play called the Tempest. If you haven't read it before it's actually fine, since I didn't read it and I understood it quite perfectly. Though it wouldn't be too bad if you had some insight of the play before you start reading it.
I really did enjoy reading this book! I like the flow of the story since it's easy to follow and went in a good pace. There's romance, drama, action, and even some mystery - actually everything there is for a good book. At some parts it was highly predictable (won't say spoilers), but I already figure everything out in the beginning.
But it was fun to read in the end of the book to see if what I predicted would become true (which it did). In the end it's good chick-lit to enjoy!
I seriously love all the characters! And when I mean all, I mean ALL of them, which is a first honestly. Especially Miranda's ex-BFF. I really like how the relationship between Miranda and Caleb is starting to unfold, not too fast nor too slow. Oh, and did I mention that I love happy endings! (so not spoiler, ha!)
Overall it's a fun, witty, and highly entertaining book that will make you wish you were stuck in a blizzard inside a mall with all the freaking teenagers, including your worst enemies.
***ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for my 100% honest opinion.
I really did enjoy reading this book! I like the flow of the story since it's easy to follow and went in a good pace. There's romance, drama, action, and even some mystery - actually everything there is for a good book. At some parts it was highly predictable (won't say spoilers), but I already figure everything out in the beginning.
But it was fun to read in the end of the book to see if what I predicted would become true (which it did). In the end it's good chick-lit to enjoy!
I seriously love all the characters! And when I mean all, I mean ALL of them, which is a first honestly. Especially Miranda's ex-BFF. I really like how the relationship between Miranda and Caleb is starting to unfold, not too fast nor too slow. Oh, and did I mention that I love happy endings! (so not spoiler, ha!)
Overall it's a fun, witty, and highly entertaining book that will make you wish you were stuck in a blizzard inside a mall with all the freaking teenagers, including your worst enemies.
***ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for my 100% honest opinion.
December 22, 2014
Tempestuous is about a girl named Miranda who works at mall food court selling hot dogs. She is in this position due to her being caught in a SAT school scam and has to pay all the damage she has done. One day she, her coworkers, other mall employees, and some mall customers get snowed in and is trapped in the mall overnight. And that is when chaos begins.
I really REALLY love this book. I thought the main character was witty, spontaneous and rebellious. It's kind of funny that a lot of characters in the book misjudged Miranda thinking that she was selfish due to all the things she has done. But in reality she was just trying to follow her heart and I find her very relatable.
I also adored the romance between Miranda and Caleb in the book. The book is only about 220 pages so I was impressed on how well the relationship was so well developed.
The side characters Arial, Chad, Grady, etc. were also very well developed and each character was great in their own way.
I really love the events that happened, the characters and the setting. Everything was just perfect and well written. I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the books that these authors has to offer.
I really REALLY love this book. I thought the main character was witty, spontaneous and rebellious. It's kind of funny that a lot of characters in the book misjudged Miranda thinking that she was selfish due to all the things she has done. But in reality she was just trying to follow her heart and I find her very relatable.
I also adored the romance between Miranda and Caleb in the book. The book is only about 220 pages so I was impressed on how well the relationship was so well developed.
The side characters Arial, Chad, Grady, etc. were also very well developed and each character was great in their own way.
I really love the events that happened, the characters and the setting. Everything was just perfect and well written. I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the books that these authors has to offer.
April 25, 2013
I haven't actually read The Tempest, so I can't compare its story line to this one. I can say that this was a very fun read! I was cracking up quite a bit. The authors have a great writing style.
I loved the group of characters, including all the supporting ones. I could connect to some of them and the others reminded me of some people I've known. I would say that Caleb was my favorite though. He seemed very sure of himself and wasn't easily swayed by the whims of others. I liked Miranda too. She is still figuring where she fits in after being demoted in her high school's hierarchy, but eventually she gets there.
My only negative comment about this was the amount of language. There weren't any major swear words, but there was a lot of mild ones and repeatedly. I would have rated it much higher without the language; probably 4.5 stars. Such a disappointment as this would have been a great recommendation to my teenage nephews and nieces.
Content: A lot of mild language.
Source: Received a copy from the authors for review, which did not affect my review in any way.
I loved the group of characters, including all the supporting ones. I could connect to some of them and the others reminded me of some people I've known. I would say that Caleb was my favorite though. He seemed very sure of himself and wasn't easily swayed by the whims of others. I liked Miranda too. She is still figuring where she fits in after being demoted in her high school's hierarchy, but eventually she gets there.
My only negative comment about this was the amount of language. There weren't any major swear words, but there was a lot of mild ones and repeatedly. I would have rated it much higher without the language; probably 4.5 stars. Such a disappointment as this would have been a great recommendation to my teenage nephews and nieces.
Content: A lot of mild language.
Source: Received a copy from the authors for review, which did not affect my review in any way.
October 27, 2015
I was provided with a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.
I delighted in this story. I'm a huge Shakespeare fan, and often I'm skeptical of imitations and retellings of Shakespeare; however, this story was very successful. There was enough similarity between this story and The Tempest that I could see the plot wending its way through, but there was enough difference that I was still left wondering exactly how things were going to play out.
The story was told with a cast of high school characters and took place in a mall. The students were confined in the mall by a snowstorm and drama ensues. Miranda Prospero is the main character who has been ostracizd by the "in crowd" at her ritzy private school and she is now condemned to work in the food court at the mall with the public school kids in order to pay restitution for a crime she didn't commit.
I delighted in this story. I'm a huge Shakespeare fan, and often I'm skeptical of imitations and retellings of Shakespeare; however, this story was very successful. There was enough similarity between this story and The Tempest that I could see the plot wending its way through, but there was enough difference that I was still left wondering exactly how things were going to play out.
The story was told with a cast of high school characters and took place in a mall. The students were confined in the mall by a snowstorm and drama ensues. Miranda Prospero is the main character who has been ostracizd by the "in crowd" at her ritzy private school and she is now condemned to work in the food court at the mall with the public school kids in order to pay restitution for a crime she didn't commit.
February 13, 2016
Short Review:
Let's just say, the first part was awesome, the second part was absolutely horrendous and boring.
I loved the idea: kids stranded in a mall? With a snowstorm going on? Wow, awesome. Can't wait to see how that develops.
Instead, we get teen drama, breaking a mall (yes they do considerable damage to the mall) and some lame mystery going on (I knew for the start that that person would be the criminal).
Our main character was at times nice, but a lot of time she was just annoying, childish and thinking she was so high and mighty all the time. I didn't like how she treated people around her. Thinking they are her lackeys and all men fall for her (she even rejected one thinking he was there for her). She changes a little at the end, but it is so little.
I did like Ariel, she was a nice character, though a bit too hyper at times.
Would I recommend this book? No.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Let's just say, the first part was awesome, the second part was absolutely horrendous and boring.
I loved the idea: kids stranded in a mall? With a snowstorm going on? Wow, awesome. Can't wait to see how that develops.
Instead, we get teen drama, breaking a mall (yes they do considerable damage to the mall) and some lame mystery going on (I knew for the start that that person would be the criminal).
Our main character was at times nice, but a lot of time she was just annoying, childish and thinking she was so high and mighty all the time. I didn't like how she treated people around her. Thinking they are her lackeys and all men fall for her (she even rejected one thinking he was there for her). She changes a little at the end, but it is so little.
I did like Ariel, she was a nice character, though a bit too hyper at times.
Would I recommend this book? No.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
December 26, 2012
Surprisingly this book wasn't as boring as I thought. It started off slow. To be honest I didn't know too much about Shakespeare's Tempest. However, after reading this book it makes me want to read it now.
The book starts off rather slow in my opinion, however as the plot unravels with Miranda n her gang stuck in the mall, things start to grab my attention. The mystery was intriguing and made me want to solve the mystery before Miranda did. The characters were nicely developed and displayed the quality of the society. I love how Miranda didn't choose to go back to Brian. This showed that she changes from who she used to he. I loved the way the story developed to the climax and the ending.
The book starts off rather slow in my opinion, however as the plot unravels with Miranda n her gang stuck in the mall, things start to grab my attention. The mystery was intriguing and made me want to solve the mystery before Miranda did. The characters were nicely developed and displayed the quality of the society. I love how Miranda didn't choose to go back to Brian. This showed that she changes from who she used to he. I loved the way the story developed to the climax and the ending.
July 24, 2016
Honesty, I haven't read the play " The Tempest" by William Shakespeare, a romantic and comedy play. I truthfully think that everyone can understand this intriguing novel. What a dramatic book, all this dilemma started with the school SAT scam, quadruple romance, mystery thief, school arch enemies, and the ignorant ex-boyfriend who betrayed Miranda Prospero. They come together in a lunatic night. All begun with Miranda best friend and co-worker, Ariel. Her surprise birthday party and a tremendous blizzard snowstorm turns to a crazy twist.The clever Miranda needs to solve the adventures schemes and face the social dispersion. Poor girl.
June 20, 2013
Solid 3.5, funny, smart, if a little predictable (I knew who the culprit was 1/2 through), but very much worth the read. I loved Miranda and her subjects.
September 3, 2013
a little overrated :-(
March 2, 2019
The dialogue in this book is damn funny! This may not be a new story by far, but the updated version is definitely worth a read. This book had me laughing out loud at parts.
November 9, 2021
I'd like to start this off by apologizing to my 2-4th grade drama teacher. We preformed the tempest, and yet here I was reading this book having no idea who the heck was supposed to be who. With that being said, let's get into it.u
Plot
So like I said before, I don't remember, and if we're being honest never truly learned the plot of The Tempest by Mr. Shakespeare. So I'll be judging and talking about the plot like a regular, non-retelling book.
Miranda, who used to be the part of the "it-crowd" in high school, gets snowed in at her job at the mall with aforementioned high school "it-crowd" and the other public school kids of her town. To add some spice, we also have an ongoing string of robberies occurring while these kids are locked in. As you would expect, mild chaos ensues between the two clashing groups of private and public students, with Miranda caught between the two.
I would say that this book is mostly a mystery rom-com (ish), humorous book that really great if you want a quick, funny read. There's nothing too suspenseful, or too romantic that would make me shove it in one genre or the other.
Characters
Miranda is a pretty good MC. She's at least somewhat self aware of her past bitchiness, which is always nice, and at the same time it wasn't a complete 180 change in attitude. She was still herself, just a less snobby one. We didn't get the "I finally realize my wrongs, now everyone must like me" bs which I really liked. It made this not as absurd to imagine actual high schoolers going through.
Being completely honest with you, the other side characters weren't too memorable, but with a book like this it was kinda nice. We really focused on the plot and moving the story along instead of pages and pages of character building. We didn't get three dimensional characters, but they weren't full flat either, a nice balance for a book that only spans 18 hours.
We got the home school chirpy best friend, the jock that's more than a football player, and the somewhat grumpy musician. Everyone who knows the Tempest could probably guess who's who. I can't.
Overall Thoughts
For me right now, I would say that this is a good book. As I'm trying to move away from fully blown romance novels, this book had enough elements of romance tied into the mystery that it kept me captivated. This isn't a super heavy read, and it could maybe help you with a reading slump, but definitely help you after a bad book hangover.
I would say it's a low young adult, maybe even high middle grade, just because of the easy writing style. I'll try out the next books in this series before maybe delving into some original classics.
Plot
So like I said before, I don't remember, and if we're being honest never truly learned the plot of The Tempest by Mr. Shakespeare. So I'll be judging and talking about the plot like a regular, non-retelling book.
Miranda, who used to be the part of the "it-crowd" in high school, gets snowed in at her job at the mall with aforementioned high school "it-crowd" and the other public school kids of her town. To add some spice, we also have an ongoing string of robberies occurring while these kids are locked in. As you would expect, mild chaos ensues between the two clashing groups of private and public students, with Miranda caught between the two.
I would say that this book is mostly a mystery rom-com (ish), humorous book that really great if you want a quick, funny read. There's nothing too suspenseful, or too romantic that would make me shove it in one genre or the other.
Characters
Miranda is a pretty good MC. She's at least somewhat self aware of her past bitchiness, which is always nice, and at the same time it wasn't a complete 180 change in attitude. She was still herself, just a less snobby one. We didn't get the "I finally realize my wrongs, now everyone must like me" bs which I really liked. It made this not as absurd to imagine actual high schoolers going through.
Being completely honest with you, the other side characters weren't too memorable, but with a book like this it was kinda nice. We really focused on the plot and moving the story along instead of pages and pages of character building. We didn't get three dimensional characters, but they weren't full flat either, a nice balance for a book that only spans 18 hours.
We got the home school chirpy best friend, the jock that's more than a football player, and the somewhat grumpy musician. Everyone who knows the Tempest could probably guess who's who. I can't.
Overall Thoughts
For me right now, I would say that this is a good book. As I'm trying to move away from fully blown romance novels, this book had enough elements of romance tied into the mystery that it kept me captivated. This isn't a super heavy read, and it could maybe help you with a reading slump, but definitely help you after a bad book hangover.
I would say it's a low young adult, maybe even high middle grade, just because of the easy writing style. I'll try out the next books in this series before maybe delving into some original classics.
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