Caragh Reviews - Anyone But You by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes

Published - 18th January 2014
Publisher - Merit Press
Format - Kindle
Synopsis - (At the time of writing, no synopsis is available)

My review of Exposure

My review of Tempestuous

I read this book quite a long time ago now after receiving an email from the lovely Kim and Amy informing me that it was now available to review! I absolutely adore the Twisted Lit series and so I immediately read it on the spot.

Anyone But You is the 3rd Twisted Lit novel and this time Askew & Helmes take on Romeo and Juliet. Many years ago I did a research project on R&J and in the process I discovered a lot of different 'spins' regarding the Star Cross'd Lovers and so I was a little nervous that i'd already know what was going on but that totally wasn't the case. At all.
From the start I was intrigued by the characters and wow, there are a LOT! One of the things I most enjoy about the Twisted Lit series is guessing which character is 'supposed' to be whom from the original tale because despite similarities, each character really does have their own personalities and sometimes it can be a little tricky!

For a long time I wasn't really sure where the story was going. I couldn't figure out how Anyone But You was going to be Romeo & Juliet - but that's what is so beautiful about these books. They are the essence of Shakespeare but they are truly something else. The story swapped and changed between two times/eras, and many different scenarios and characters and so it was never boring and Askew & Helmes offered up something new with almost every page. I found myself really rushing through the whole book because I just couldn't wait to find out what was happening - and with who! I really loved the way that the modern day drama and the family feud drama of the past worked so well together before culminating in the final showdown where everything is revealed. The story flowed slowly as everything naturally happened but there was never any slow moments - I hope that makes sense! Everything was relevant and pushed the plot forward without feeling like it was forced.

I was really happy to find that there was a good balance between romance and family feuding in Anyone But You. I know that sounds obvious due to it being R&J based but with a lot of adaptations i've found that the romance always wins out in the main story and I don't think that was the case this time. It's really difficult to find new, GOOD & modern Shakespeare material because it's been so popular for so many years but yet again Askew & Helmes rocked it and the only problem I have now is waiting to find out what & when the next one is!

Guest Blog from Amy Helmes & Kim Askew! Get a Twisted Lit Character Named After YOU!

In honor of William Shakespeare’s birthday (celebrated on April 23), authors Kim Askew and Amy Helmes, have dropped by with a guest blog post to announce a special contest!

Get A “Twisted Lit” Character Named After You!

We reimagined William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” and “Macbeth,” with our “compulsively readable” YA books, Tempestuous and Exposure. Ever since the novels were published a few months ago through Merit Press we’ve encountered a frequent question: Which of Shakespeare’s plays will inspire your next books in the Twisted Lit series?

While we’re currently hard at work putting our own spin on the Bard’s “Romeo and Juliet” we thought we’d look to you, the readers, to help us pick the fourth Shakespeare play that will inspire our next book in the series. Got a hankering for a new spin on “Hamlet?” Love to see “King Lear” get a YA update? Would you make much ado over our take on “Much Ado About Nothing?”

Go to our Facebook page (Facebook.com/Twistedlitnovels) and write on our wall to weigh in on which Shakespeare play you’d like us to revamp next. In doing so, you’ll be entered to have your very own name mentioned in one of our upcoming books (either as a character or some other fun reference). If you’ve always wanted to see your name in print — in a YA novel, no less — now’s your chance! The winner will also receive autographed copies of our first two novels, Tempestuous and Exposure.

We’re looking forward to hearing your suggestions! (And don’t forget to follow us on twitter at @kaskew and @amyhelmes.)

* Winner will not be compensated for use of his or her name, and publication is not guaranteed. Details of plot and character used in connection with the name as it appears in the book are up to the sole discretion of the authors. Contest ends June 1.

Kim & Amy