Seen at Scott Reads It 
 Who doesn't love a well-done fairy tale retelling? Recently I became a huge fan of this genre because of books like Cinder and Scarlet. In my effort to read more retellings, I had requested Strands Of Bronze and Gold from NetGalley. I would like to thank Knopf for sending me an e-Galley of this book in exchange for a honest review. Strands Of Bronze And Gold was truly a pleasant surprise! 
 Strands Of Bronze And Gold is a retelling of Bluebeard that takes place in good ole Mississippi before the civil war. Jane Nickerson deftly uses the setting to her advantage and creates such an atmospheric gothic retelling. I loved the Southern feel of this novel and using the South as the setting for this book was an extremely effective tactic. 
 If you would have told me that I would love a Southern retelling of Bluebeard this much a couple of weeks ago, I probably would have laughed at you. Despite my uncertainty, I really really enjoyed reading Strands. This book definitely started off a little bit slow as it helped establish the plot and setting. I actually stayed up until 1 or 2ish in the morning so I could find out what happened in this book. I couldn't bear to stop reading because Strands Of Bronze And Gold was that fantastic and addicting. I can't honestly remember the last time a book kept me up this late turning the pages like Strands did. 
 Strands Of Bronze And Gold is a fantastic Gothic retelling of Blue Beard because it maintains the same creepy, gothic tone that was evident in the original fairy tale. Even though I knew how the story was going to pan out, I still couldn't stop reading this book. Nickerson definitely knows how to write a compelling tale that readers of all ages will love. There's nothing like a Southern Gothic, no sirree. 
 I really enjoyed reading about the characters Jane Nickerson created and I really hope Sophia makes some sort of cameo in The Mirk And Midnight Hour. It would be so cool if all 3 companion books were connected in a way besides the fact that they take place in the same universe. The 2nd book, The Mirk And Midnight Hour comes out in March 2014, I don't know how I will be able to wait that long! 
 Another one of my favorite things about Strands is the writing style. Strands Of Bronze And Golden is written in such a hauntingly beautiful way that immerses the reader in the world of the South. Nickerson's descriptions were a delight and vividly painted a picture of the Southern world of Strands. An author's writing style can really make or break a book, in this case Nickerson's writing style makes Strands an even more enjoyable read. 
 Jane Nickerson is a definitely an author to watch out for! Strands Of Bronze And Gold is definitely a debut you won't want to miss out on reading. I am super excited to read the sequel and I have got my fingers crossed that I get an ARC. I'd highly recommend reading Strands, you can thank me later!