Virginia Kantra

I suspect many Louisa May Alcott aficionados get nervous every time they hear about a remake of Little Women, or a "contemporary retelling," like Virginia Kantra's Meg & Jo. I know I do, and I almost didn't pick up this book because I was concerned about the damage it would do to my favorite book. I need not have worried. On the contrary, Kantra got it just right. I can easily imagine that this is the book Louisa May Alcott would have written if she lived in the 21st century.

Which means, of show more course, that it's a really good book, in addition to preserving the spirit of Little Women. The characters, their struggles and triumphs, and their family bond (since this is still the March family) spring off the page. I felt so connected to the characters that I was a little bereft when the book ended, and I was thrilled to see that Kantra has a sequel, Beth & Amy, coming soon.

I would recommend Meg & Jo to anyone who was looking for a good story, whether or not they've read Little Women. Many kudos to Kantra for this wonderful book. Jo March (the original) would be proud. show less

In the world of Little Women adaptations, many authors/screenwriters get caught in what I'm going to start calling the "Beth trap". In the original, Beth is the "good" sister, which often means she's seen as the "boring" sister, so adapters try to make her more "interesting" (usually while still having her die). Kantra does not avoid the Beth trap, but in her sure hands, Beth is able to be a full character, and a full member of the sisterly quartet (and she doesn't die, either). I shouldn't show more have doubted Kantra, whose first book, Meg & Jo, was was far and away the best written adaptation I've come across.

Once again, Kantra has embodied the spirit of the original, while bringing the March sisters into the modern era. In this book, Beth and Amy share the spotlight, and we even get some insight into the question of how Jo, Amy, and Laurie (in this book, Trey) all manage to reconcile their erstwhile love triangle. Once again, Kantra handles this deftly and elegantly; everyone's feelings are respected and the reader gets a satisfying resolution too.

Once again, Kantra has given us a good book and a good adaptation, although this one perhaps stands less on its own without Little Women than did Meg & Jo. Certainly, one should read Meg & Jo first. But Little Women fans will enjoy this book alongside readers who have no familiarity with the original. It's sweet, and light without being too light, and generally wonderful. show less

During a recent book buying binge, I picked up Sea Witch on a whim. After reading it, I'm glad I did. Sea Witch is the best Paranormal Romance I've read this year. Virginia Kantra has taken a paranormal element not often written about and brought it to life in this book.

Margred is a seven hundred year old selkie. After loosing her mate years ago she has lived alone in the ocean, the way that most all selkie's do. Her need for physical release (sex) brings her ashore to World's End, Maine show more where she spies a cop who she is drawn to. The cop, Caleb, is to Margred the perfect specimen of a man to use for a release.

Caleb is a veteran soldier, he's done years in Iraq where he was injured. Still haunted by dreams of war, he has come back to his home town of World's End to live a quiet life as the towns only law enforcement. On a routine patrol, Caleb comes across a very beautiful and alluring woman, Margred. She wants him to have sex with her and isn't shy about asking for it. Despite her beauty, Caleb is wary of her intentions. They end up leaving each other unfulfilled until the next night when they are drawn back together and act on their attraction.

After she gets her release, Margred leaves Caleb and goes back to the sea. Weeks pass and she's not able to forget her night with Caleb so she ventures back to World's End. Upon arriving she is attacked, her pelt is stolen from her and destroyed. Without their pelt, selkie's are unable to shift to their seal form, this Margred is trapped in human form.

Caleb was left with more questions than he had answers to when Margred deserted him on the beach after an explosive night together. He has written the interlude off as nothing more than a one night stand, but still holds out hope that the mysterious woman will show up again. The mystery woman is brought back into Caleb's life when he saves her from an unknown attacker. Caleb takes Margred in and works her case. While he tries to figure his way through a case with no leads, Margred is stuck in the small sea side town of World's End where she must learn how to live as a human.

They both struggle with the burgeoning feelings they have for each other. Margred because she's not familiar with the strange emotions she feels for Caleb, and Caleb because while he's falling for Margred, he's not completely sure of who she is. While Caleb and Margred are working through feelings there is an evil at play, bent on destroying the innocent, and sure to destroy them both if they don't get to it first.

I really, really enjoyed Sea Witch. Caleb was such a good guy. He was steady and loving, the perfect hero. He cared about his family, which was clearly shown in his interactions with his sister. He's had a lot of ups and downs in life. Being abandoned by his mother at a young age, having his father turn into a drunk, suffering an injury in Iraq that left him with a limp. I rooted for him from the start and just wanted him to have some happiness. Margred is great character as well. She's a free spirit used to living alone, called to the ocean and Caleb at the same time. She struggles with wanting to return to the sea and wanting to remain with Caleb. Both, very believable obstacles that she must face head on to find true happiness.

The world building is both simplistic and intricate. There are no big info dumps to commit to memory, or overcomplicated paranormal elements that leave the reader confused. The paranormal aspects flowed easily into the story. The secondary characters are also weaved in seamlessly. Caleb's sister Lucy, Regina, a single mother and restaurateur, and the towns people all held a place in the story while never becoming overwhelming. There was just enough info given on the characters of Lucy and Regina to pique interest and give the promise for a future story without over doing it.

For anyone looking for a good paranormal romance, I highly recommend Virginia Kantra's Sea Witch. show less

I love Little Women and I doubly-loved this NYC/North Carolina reinvention in Meg and Jo. This story focuses on the older March girls, with Beth and Amy appearing like guest stars. Jo is a food blogger and prep cook in New York, while Meg is a stay-at-home mom to adorable twins in North Carolina. Amy's doing a fashion internship in Paris, and Beth is a country singer in Branson, MO??? (What now? The rest of these are so on-target that I'm trying to reserve judgement on this one until I read show more Beth And Amy).

This review is going to have spoilers, because it's almost impossible to discuss this book without mentioning ways in which it followed and deviated from the original. Anyway, Little Women came out in 1868, which makes it a 151-year-old spoiler.

I just loved the sisters' relationship here, and I absolutely believed that not just that they were really sisters, but the girls took wildly different paths and still called each other every day. I thought Jo's blog was a perfect updating. In Alcott's life, magazine serials were considered pop culture, and sometimes minimalized as lowbrow and easy. just like blogs today. I loved Jo and Eric's relationship, too.

My only concern was a moment where Jo and Eric decide that it doesn't matter whether they live in NYC or North Carolina, as long as they're together. Nope. Speaking as someone who moved from Brooklyn to Chapel Hill when my Southern boyfriend proposed, OMG, IT MATTERS A LOT. Jo, you deserve better than extra-slow conversations about traffic and college basketball, don't move to North Carolina!

Meg and John's story was believable and engaging, but a bit Romance 101. The basic premise is that Meg is running herself ragged being a supermom when her problems could be solved if only she could learn to ask for help from John, as if assigning the husband chores isn't just more mental load for the wife. I realize that grown men sometimes need to be told to take out the trash and buy milk and whatever, but it doesn't make for an appealing romantic hero. I always thought the modest, hardworking John Brooke was more appealing than selfish Laurie, so I really wanted him to be a great husband too.

Finally, I was just as sad as the March sisters when Marmee and Father's marital problems are revealed! The modern Mr. March is consistently and realistically inconsiderate towards his wife, leaving her with all the responsibility while he does Important Work, just like in the original story, but modern Mrs. March isn't having it. Plus, Bronson Alcott was off doing charitable works while his family struggled, making this a sick 151-year-old burn.

I loved this retelling, and I'm already looking forward to seeing the rest of the story in Beth and Amy. show less