Wondrous Strange (Wondrous Strange (Quality)) and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more

Kindle Edition
Read the Kindle edition on Kindle, iPhone, iPad, Android, BlackBerry, PC and Mac.
 
   
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Wondrous Strange
 
 
Share your own customer images
Search inside this book
Start reading Wondrous Strange (Wondrous Strange (Quality)) on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Wondrous Strange [Hardcover]

Lesley Livingston (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (91 customer reviews) |

Available from these sellers.


Formats

 Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition --   $6.99 --
Hardcover --   -- --
Paperback $8.99   -- --
Mass Market Paperback --   -- --
Audible Audio Edition, Unabridged $17.95 or Free with Audible 30-day free trial

Book Description

Publication Date: December 23, 2008 | Series: Wondrous Strange

Since the dawn of time, the Faerie have taken. . . .

For seventeen-year-old actress Kelley Winslow, faeries are just something from childhood stories. Then she meets Sonny Flannery, whose steel-gray eyes mask an equally steely determination to protect her.

Sonny guards the Samhain Gate, which connects the mortal realm with the Faerie's enchanted, dangerous Otherworld. Usually kept shut by order of icy King Auberon, the Gate stands open but once a year.

This year, as the time approaches when the Samhain Gate will swing wide and nightmarish Fae will fight their way into an unsuspecting human world, something different is happening . . . something wondrous and strange. And Kelley's eyes are opening not just to the Faerie that surround her but to the heritage that awaits her.

Now Kelley must navigate deadly Faerie treachery—and her growing feelings for Sonny—in this dazzling page-turner filled with luminous romance.

Wondrous Strange is a richly layered tale of love between faerie and mortal, betrayal between kings and queens, and magic . . . between author and reader.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7–10—When Kelley moves to New York to pursue her dreams of theatrical success, she expects that her only encounters with mythical beings will be confined to the stage, in the Avalon Grande Theatre's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. All of that changes when she meets Sonny Flannery, who introduces Kelley to a world she never knew existed. A member of Auberon's Janus Guard, he patrols the portal (in Central Park) between the human and faerie worlds on the few dangerous nights when it opens and members of the Unseelie Court can pass into the mortal realm. He is strangely drawn to Kelley, and as he gets to know her, he begins to suspect that there is more to her history than either of them know. Through encounters with sirens, hellhounds, and kelpies, Kelley and Sonny are drawn irrevocably into a battle among the Fey. Despite the budding attraction between them, forces they can hardly understand seek to keep them apart. Set against the backdrop of present-day New York City, this enchanting first novel weaves together the worlds of theater and magic in a way that is sure to please fans of both. Readers will revel in the hints of Shakespeare within the text as they are introduced to faerie creatures both familiar and "wondrous strange."—Misti Tidman, Boyd County Public Library, Ashland, KY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

This addition to the bevy of books about teenage girls turned faerie princesses stands out with a balanced mix of faerie lore and authorial invention. Kelley, 17, gets her big break when the woman playing Titania in an off-off-Broadway production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is injured. But the world of Faerie becomes too real after Kelley rescues what she thinks is a drowning horse in Central Park Lake only to have it appear later on her balcony and station itself in her bathtub. Suddenly she’s caught the eye of Sonny Flannery, a human changeling who guards the Gate between Faerie and Manhattan, and the longer he watches, the more certain he is that she is Auberon’s stolen daughter. Kelley is appealingly feisty and stubborn, and her romance with Sonny develops quickly but believably. Some of Livingston’s plot twists strain credibility, but the big reveal of Kelley’s parentage is well played. With an ending that promises a sequel, this book will capture readers eager for romance, magic, and suspense. Grades 7-10. --Krista Hutley
See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

  • Reading level: Ages 13 and up
  • Hardcover: 336 pages
  • Publisher: HarperTeen (December 23, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0061575372
  • ISBN-13: 978-0061575372
  • Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6 x 1.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (91 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #806,355 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

More About the Author

› Visit Amazon's Lesley Livingston Page
Lesley Livingston
Lesley Livingston is a writer and actress living in Toronto. She has a master's degree in English from the University of Toronto, where she specialized in Arthurian Literature and Shakespeare. She frequently performs with the Tempest Theatre Group, of which she is a co-founder. She is also the author of WONDROUS STRANGE and DARKLIGHT.
You can visit Lesley online at www.lesleylivingston.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Now I'm not great at expressing my view on things very effectively but I will try my best.

Good - description, characters, unpredictable most of the times, an ending that wasn't sad or happily ever after and "closed"
Bad - the middle dragged a little, ended with questions in my head (but this is OK since there are at least two more books in the series), and the name Sonny (I like the name itself but to me it didn't really suit the character).
__________________________

The book basically had me hooked from beginning to end and only had me putting it down once to get a drink. The character of Kelley (protagonist) is both funny and lovable. She is 17 year old actress living in Manhattan working in an off, off, off, off Broadway production of A Midsummer's Night Dream with a bunch of kooky yet lovable actors and a crazy director.

Sonny Flannery is a changeling (a mortal child taken by the faeries and raised by them) who guards the Samhain Gate in Central Park with 12 other changelings. Though they aren't technically faeries this has made them immortal.

The story switches POV between Kelley and Sonny giving you an effective view of both Kelley's world and the world of faeries.

Like I said before there was good description throughout the book, the switching of POVs carries the story along smoothly and there are many lovable characters. For me my favourites were Kelley, her roomate, Maddox, Jack ( actor) and Bob (another actor). I also liked how the author kept true to the dark and tricky nature of faeries and their uncanny ability to deceive very effectively when they cannot lie.

There was however a point in the middle of the story were I felt the plot (right term?) dragging and my mind kept drifting away or I was debating whether I should skip over. The scene I suppose is necessary but I think it should have been shorter. Also the name Sonny kept me from really liking the character despite his actual characterization which is loyal, noble and sweet but also very strong. I don't know the name just kept me from seeing him as a capable strong young man and more of a boy or immature (but he isn't!)

There were also a couple of surprises that I did not see coming especially in the climax and before then.

The ending I liked and disliked for the same reason. It wasn't a happy ending but it also wasn't a complete conclusion (you'll see).

But I also accept it because this book is the first in a series of three Cheesy.

Hope I explained myself well. Overall this is a really good book filled with a lot faery creatures and folklore and lovable characters and surprises. And I most definitely will be reading the second book.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
28 of 34 people found the following review helpful
Feisty and Obvious January 20, 2009
Format:Hardcover
So many things were right and wrong with this novel. First off the premise, the girl with the mysterious heritage, a horse in her bathtub, Oberon/Auberon. Those are the things right with the book. The inside look at a working theater was great too.

But the story's potential was only hinted at.

The guys especially are oddly emasculated.

Sonny is sorta mysterious. He's handsome and has an irresistible need to protect the girl. His friend Maddox feels wrong too.

Then there's Mabh, oh, I don't even want to go there, it makes me want to reconsider the three stars I gave this book.

The heroine's Aunt, well, I'm paraphrasing here, but anyway this is how it went in the book; "Auntie dear, was I like, adopted?" gasps Kelley.

"Um, oh my golly gee, I didn't want you to know . . .but, yes. Yes you were, sorta . . ."says Auntie.

"Ohhhh, well, let's never talk about this again, cause it will drag the story down, alright?" says Kelley.

"Sure honey," says Auntie.

Okay, so I shortened the scene a bit, but really, not by much.

I was so excited to read this book. I love stories that involve the Fae (Stormborn, The Pillars of the Earth Series and Eragon) but this wasn't as fun or interesting as I thought it would be.

All in all, I did finish the book, if a book is bad I give it just 80 pages and then set it aside. I guess it's a buyer beware situation. I'm not saying don't read Woundrous Strange. I am saying that there are so many great series out, that I personally would save money for them and borrow this one from a friend or the library.
Was this review helpful to you?
16 of 19 people found the following review helpful
By Catt
Format:Hardcover
There is definitely magic between author and reader, props to you Lesley! Can I just say how much I absolutely LOVE this book?! The awesome Lesley Livingston has woven an incredible story including fairies and memorable cast of characters. Not to mention embedding humor and romance onto every page.

Even though the story is told in third person, Lesley has described everything vividly. I was absolutely dazzled by how amazing this debut book is. Every once in awhile, there's a special book that is absolutely a gem. This is it. For me, this is one of the best books I have ever read!

The characters come to life and you feel like you've known them all your life. You'll feel their emotions like they were your own. Kelley has become one of my favorite characters and so has Sonny and practically everyone in the book.

Wondrous Strange includes the excitement of theater and the magical elements of the Celtic myths. The whole experience leaves you breathless and hungry for more even though the last page satisfies you... but only for a little while. Luckily for me and all the readers that want to read this book, there will be a sequel!!

I cannot use enough words to express how much I LOVE this book! It'll appeal to teens as well as adults too, so I strongly suggest it as a Christmas present. Trust me, the person you give it to will love it!
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Fresh take on the Faerie genre with a really great main character
Wondrous Strange is the story of Kelley, an actress at a very off-Broadway Shakespearean theatre who is currently playing Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Merin
Chapter by Chapter Wonderous Strange Review
Since we are still in the reading phase of a few books, we decided to dig up an oldy, but a goody!
I was so addicted to this trilogy! Read more
Published 5 months ago by MaryAnn
Super! Loved It!
Wondrous Strange was simply an Awesome story of a modern day magical version of Romeo and Juliet. Sonny and Kelley have become two of my all time favorite characters and they took... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Gimme The Scoop
Compelling story, beautifully written
Kelley is your average seventeen year old. Well, with the exception that she graduated high school early, dropped out of her theater program, and moved to NYC to try to make it as... Read more
Published 6 months ago by ReadingCorner
Excellent story!
I'll admit, the reason I ended up picking up Wondrous Strange was the covers. But the blurb sounded interesting so I decided to give it a try (without checking out any reviews... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Katherine L. Vinson
Excellent read!!!
Awesome! This an impulse five dollar buy at Books-a-million and I am sooooo glad I stumbled on this series. Oh the conniving Faerie! They make for fun, entertaining tales! Read more
Published 7 months ago by PracticalPorche
wondrous and strange
First, I love the cover of this book! I had to say it, I love book covers and yes I know the rule(never judge a book by its cover). Read more
Published 8 months ago by cici
A beautifully written YA fantasy
I finished this book last week and fell in love with this new author, Lesley Livingston. I don't usually read a lot of young adult books. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Diana (@Offbeat Vagabond)
Great
LOVED IT. It took me a while to actually start reading it, but when I did I was kind of mad it took me so long. It was a great book. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Ara
Review from The Book Monsters
Review in 75 Words or Less: Wondrous Strange is novel that I wanted to love... but didn't. I will admit going into the novel I had pretty high expectations. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Kate B.
Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews
Front Cover | Front Flap | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:
Inside This Book (learn more)
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
roan horse, handsome stranger, king stag, mortal realm
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Wild Hunt, Fair Folk, Central Park, Queen Mabh, Sonny Flannery, Black Shuck, New York, Janus Guard, Darkling Queen, Samhain Gate, Storm Hags, Lost Fae, Fennrys Wolf, Avalon Grande, Unseelie Court, Animal Control, Kelley Winslow, Aunt Emma, Lucky Charms, The Greenman, Horned One, War Horn
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Front Flap | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?

› Explore similar items

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(22)
(19)
(16)
(16)
(13)
(11)
(11)
(7)
(3)
(3)
Agree with these tags?
See all 34 tags...

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
Sequel??? 5 Aug 12, 2009
› See all discussions...  
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
   
Related forums


Look for Similar Items by Category

Look for Similar Items by Subject

Search Books by subject:















i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...