Book source ~ Purchased and Tour

Lavender Seelie is the reason that Tales have been transplanted into the Ordinary world and there are many who are, let’s say, pretty peeved about it. Even though it’s been a very long time there are those who still haven’t adjusted and it makes them a tad cranky. Blaming herself (rightly so) she becomes an alcoholic, drowning herself in booze and self-loathing. Until one day, Tess “Red” Little tells her to pull up her big girl panties and get on with life. Maybe not exactly like that, but same difference. Lavender stops drinking and comes back to life. Only to piss off Prince Charming and have to relocate where he can’t easily exact his revenge. That’s how she ends up at The Refuge and falls straight into Self Wolf’s arms. A fairy and the Big Bad Wolf. Let’s hope this has a happy ending.

I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy a book about the person who caused so much pain to so many people, but Lavender is a compelling character, full of flaws, but ready to do something with herself. What, she has no idea. When she gets to The Refuge though, murders start happening and she decides she (and Seth) need to figure out what in the hell is going on. But it’s dangerous. There is something going on in the shadows that remains hidden, her magic is all wonky, and Seth is a hot sexy man/wolf with plenty of his own baggage. But the heart wants what it wants and they muddle through while trying to avoid being killed.

The plot moves along at a good clip and I was not expecting where it went. The romance between Seth and Lavender is believable and swoon-worthy. I love the characters and the world. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series. ( )

Loooooved it! Review to come. ( )

Within seconds of sitting down to read this book, I knew I had found a new favorite. The Better to See You is a merry romp through fiction and fables, and it's a fresh contribution to the world of paranormal romance.

Kate SeRine's wry and witty voice is an instant grab, catching your attention from the start and never letting up until it's over. Also, quite amusing. Imagine Stephanie Plum coating herself in pixie dust and sitting down to tea with Jane Eyre and the Grimm Brothers. You'll get magic, you'll certainly get humor, and you'll get a wonderful love story that makes you believe in fairytales again.

The Better to See You is the second book in the Transplanted Tales series, which starts off with the novel Red. I received TBtSY from the publisher via NetGalley for review and was not familiar with the series or the author. But after reading just the prologue of The Better to See You I was so in love with the writing that I immediately backtracked and purchased Red. I knew this was going to be a good one, and I wanted to experience the series from the beginning. Gotta love the instant gratification of ebooks, huh?

I'll take a moment now to mention how much I enjoyed Red. It was lively, imaginative, and very, very good. I was quite gleeful, knowing the second book was waiting for me. I finished Red within a day and instantly hopped over to The Better to See You.

If you've read the first book (and you should if you haven't), then you've already met our character leads. Lavender Seelie is the fairy godmother -- yes, that fairy godmother -- responsible for bringing literature's greatest characters into the Here and Now by a display of magic gone terribly wrong. And Seth Wolf is none other than the Big Bad Wolf, himself. If anyone can appreciate Lavender's struggle as a social outcast, it's everyone's favorite, occasionally furry villain. But can Lavender trust him with her heart? Or will their pasts continue to haunt them?

Seth and Lavender must learn to believe in each other and themselves if they hope to share a life together. But a string of deaths and disappearances threaten their happily-ever-after. It will take every bit of faith and magic they possess -- plus a little help from some old friends -- to see things through.

All things said, I enjoyed this one even more than the first book. There seems to be more depth and emotion to it. It's a touching, sweet story -- heart warming and wrenching both. It had me in a teary state more than once, I don't mind saying. I dare you to read this and not fall in love with Seth and Lavender.

Also, the premise of the series is quite a hoot 'n' holler. Characters from all walks of literature are present, and one never knows who will pop up next. My nerdish joy was fueled by all the name-dropping going on. It was almost like a game of trivia or a personal challenge -- how many of the stories have you read? And even better was SeRine's treatment of the many tales. Ever wonder what kind of husband Prince Charming would really make?

Yes, from the first page of Red to the last word of The Better to See You, Kate SeRine has proven that she's an author to watch.

Alas, I must now wait. Book three, Along Came a Spider, won't be out until this August. That one will be Trish and Nicky's story, and I greatly look forward to it.

This book was received courtesy of NetGalley and eKensington Books in exchange for an honest review. ( )

The Better To See You is the second story in the Transplanted Tale series, and it does not fail to keep up the romance, the action and the fun from the first book Red.
Many of the Tales from Make Believe were transported to the Here and Now during a battle during a fairy godmother and a genie, and the fairy godmother’s magic went awry. The Better To See You is the story of Lavender Seelie, the fairy godmother in question. Cut off from her family and her powers limited, Lavender settled in to continuing on as Cinderella’s fairy godmother in the here and now. Lavender has had it and during a fight with James AKA Prince Charming, not only did she shrink his manhood, but lost control of her magic again and burned down their castle. In order to keep Lavender safe, her friend Red sent her across the country to the Refuge where other tales were making a life of their own.
Seth Wolf, also known as the Big Bad Wolf, has been living on the outskirts of the Refuge and trying his best to fit in. The last thing he needs is a fairy godmother with magic gone awry, but when he saves her from a hellhound not far from his cabin, their lives become entwined and then their hearts. But the hellhound was just the tip of the iceberg. Something is very wrong in the Refuge.
Transplanted Tales is becoming one of my favorite series ever. With a touch of the show Once Upon a Time and the darkness from Grimm and a lot of originality, this series is a win. The main characters are likable and work through their conflicts in a believable way, there is a good mix of grey area characters who are bit good and a bit bad and her villains are just as dark as can be.
This series isn’t to be missed.
This book was purchased by me. ( )

I enjoyed this as much as Red.

This is such an original and refreshing storyline. I am starting to really get invested in the characters. I did take a little longer to warm up to Violet, but by the end I was completely bespelled by her.

Seth was great, he really came into his own,I had been a little worried about him being a bit of a woe is me type, but he came through surprisingly well.

Loved the glimpses of Red an Nate. It was nice catching up with them. The books are well written and have some good laugh out loud moments. This author is rapidly becoming a favorite.