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Because You Love to Hate Me by Amerie blog tour, celebrating the villains in books! I had the opportunity to review this incredible anthology and interview Susan Dennard and Sasha Alsberg. Keep reading to learn more!
Title: Because You Love to Hate Me: 13 Tales of VillainyAuthor: Amerie (editor), Susan Dennard, Sasha Alsberg
Also by this author: Truthwitch
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction
Publication Date: July 11, 2017
Rating:
Leave it to the heroes to save the world--villains just want to rule the world.
In this unique YA anthology, thirteen acclaimed, bestselling authors team up with thirteen influential BookTubers to reimagine fairy tales from the oft-misunderstood villains' points of view.
These fractured, unconventional spins on classics like "Medusa," Sherlock Holmes, and "Jack and the Beanstalk" provide a behind-the-curtain look at villains' acts of vengeance, defiance, and rage--and the pain, heartbreak, and sorrow that spurned them on. No fairy tale will ever seem quite the same again!
Featuring writing from . . .
Authors: Renée Ahdieh, Ameriie, Soman Chainani, Susan Dennard, Sarah Enni, Marissa Meyer, Cindy Pon, Victoria Schwab, Samantha Shannon, Adam Silvera, Andrew Smith, April Genevieve Tucholke, and Nicola Yoon
BookTubers: Benjamin Alderson (Benjaminoftomes), Sasha Alsberg (abookutopia), Whitney Atkinson (WhittyNovels), Tina Burke (ChristinaReadsYA blog and TheLushables), Catriona Feeney (LittleBookOwl), Jesse George (JessetheReader), Zoë Herdt (readbyzoe), Samantha Lane (Thoughts on Tomes), Sophia Lee (thebookbasement), Raeleen Lemay (padfootandprongs07), Regan Perusse (PeruseProject), Christine Riccio (polandbananasBOOKS), and Steph Sinclair & Kat Kennedy (Cuddlebuggery blog and channel).
❃ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ❃
Review: Because You Love to Hate Me, Amerie
Because You Love to Hate Me by Amerie is such an original anthology! This book is a collection of short stories celebrating the villains of YA. I personally love villains, and having an entire book dedicated to them is so satisfying. What I really enjoyed is the fact that the fantasy stories retold aren’t ones that are too common, such as Medusa. I also found the booktuber-author pairings to be interesting, since I have never seen this before.
❀ Sherlock Retelling is a Favourite
One of my favourite stories in this collection is Susan Dennard’s, which is a Sherlock retelling. In the story, Sherlock is actually female, which is a very unique twist. It also takes place in a boarding school, a setting that I always seem to enjoy. I also loved Marissa Meyer’s Little Mermaid retelling and Victoria Schwab’s story, which personifies death. There is really something for everyone in this anthology, and I would definitely recommend it to those who are fascinated by villains.
Interviews with Susan Dennard and Sasha Alsberg:
Susan Dennard, Shirley and Jim:
1. I love the fact that Shirley and Jim is a Sherlock retelling! Are you a Sherlockian? Who is your favourite Sherlock Holmes character?
I don’t know if I qualify as a Sherlockian, but I have followed many iterations of Sherlock Holmes. My grandparents first got me hooked when I was a kid, giving me an abridged version of the mysteries, as well as letting me watch many an episode of the 1980s Sherlock Holmes TV show with them. (My favorite tale was always “The Adventure of the Speckled Band.”)
When the BBC show came along a few years ago, it reminded me of that childhood love for mysteries and problem solving. Plus, Sherlock-love aside, it’s just an awesome show. And Andrew Scott on there is handsdown my favorite portrayal of Moriarty EVER.
2. Jim is described as a rebel in your story, while Shirley seems to be a do-gooder. Which character do you relate to more?
Shirley. Ha! I’m such a goody-goody. Growing up, I was always that kid who followed the rules and did her best in class. Deep down, though, I wanted to be a rebel, and I did give it a try in college. Eye-liner, studded belts, punk music. But let’s face it: that’s not who I really am, and the persona didn’t stick for long.
3. Another aspect of Shirley and Jim that is so exciting are the chess games that take place. Is chess a game that you enjoy and play often?
I wouldn’t say I play often, but I do enjoy it when I get the chance to play. I taught myself how in college, and for a while there, I was pretty addicted (what a rebel!). I would play with anyone who knew how, but more often than not, I got my butt whooped by the computer. It was awesome fun, and I still carry that love for strategy games to this day.
Sasha Alsberg, Dear Sasha, the 411 for Villains:
1. Do you ever find yourself empathizing with the villain when you are reading or watching tv?
All the time! I used to think that was weird when I was younger but then I learned how villains come in various forms and not all them think what they’re doing is bad. But, some villains I cannot empathize with at all. It’s the ones I can empathize with that are the ones that stick with me long after the book ends!
2. Who is your favourite fictional villain?
I think that Black Jack Randall from Outlander is truly a horrific person. I absolutely hate him with everything I can muster up within me. That’s why he’s my favorite, because he makes my blood literally boil!
3. You mention online façades in Dear Sasha, the 411 for Villains. Do you think that most people hide behind some sort of mask when they are online?
100% yes. Lots of people hide behind the screen and either they use that to be bold and good, or rude and awful. Someone can express themselves fully online because they can find a community they feel is unlike anything they have in the real world. Like the book community! READERS ARE OUT THERE! But then there are the trolls and haters who use their computer screens to hide behind because they love to feed negativity into the world. Cowards. So share love not hate! Use the screen to be positive and unite with people like you.
About Sasha Alsberg
Sasha Alsberg is the #1 NYT Bestselling Co-Author of ZENITH: The Androma Saga.
When Sasha is not writing or obsessing over Scotland she is making YouTube videos on her channel Abookutopia. She lives in Massachusetts with her dogs, Fraser and Fiona
For her writing, she is represented by Joanna Volpe at New Leaf Literary.
About Susan Dennard
Susan Dennard has come a long way from small-town Georgia. With a masters degree in marine biology, she got to travel the world—six out of seven continents, to be exact (she’ll get to Asia one of these days!)—before she settled down as a full-time novelist and writing instructor.
She is the author of the New York Times bestselling Witchlands as well as the Something Strange & Deadly series. When not writing, she can be found slaying darkspawn on her Xbox or earning bruises at the dojo.
Make sure to follow along the Because You Love to Hate Me blog tour!
About The Candid Cover
Olivia ❀ Canadian YA book blogger, Starbucks lover, & professional bibliophile.
This book sounds so fun! I can’t wait to read it!
I’ve been hearing so much about this book. I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
Great post 🙂
I’m so excited to read this book, and I’m so happy for you for being part of the blog tour!! The interviews were tasteful and not spoiler-y, I can’t wait to read this book!
I hope that you love it! It really is hard not to spoil a short story in an interview, for sure! 🙂
I’m really interested in this one, but I’ll admit I’m a bit skeptical. I do like the process by which the stories were crafted, so I think I’ll give this a try sometime. I also love a good story of villainy!
Villains always draw me in! I hope that it is one you enjoy. 🙂
I’m not a big anthology person, but this sounds too interesting to,pass up!
Villains of YA short stories–sounds like fun!
This book is finally out and I am so ready to read it the moment I receive this masterpiece! Thank you to all authors, booktubers, blog tour hosts and ameriie for this beautiful work!
I haven’t bought an anthology like this in ages but I just have to get my hands on this one. It has some of my favorite authors and just gotta love villains! ♥
Right?! There are so many of my favourite authors in this one! I hope that you love it, too. 🙂
Great Post! I’m so excited to read this book! 🙂
Now that a twist that Sherlock is a female. I can’t wait to read the rest 😀😀😀
Thanks for the giveaway; I like it when authors write a book together. 😉
Yay! I’m so happy for this book to come out! I’ve been waiting for AGES! Congrats to all the authors, booktubers, and editors! Thank you all so much!
A Sherlock retelling? Oh my gosh, I can’t wait for this! I’m really glad you enjoyed it. I’m going to have to grab a copy of this whenever I get the chance. And that cover? Gorgeous!
Enjoy! I think that the cover is perfect, too! 🙂
Who’s your favourite villain??
Lol! I am thinking of tv, of course and I am going to go with Captain Hook from OUAT. 🙂
Thank you for the opportunity 🙂
I’m so dying to read this book! It looks absolutely amazing 🙂
You just totally amped up my expectations for this book!! Great interviews!
This book features amazing talent! I love the idea of retellings through villains’ eyes. This book will be so much fun to read.
I’m so excited for this book! I don’t usually read anthologies but this looks so good! 😀
This sounds awesome! Who wouldn’t want to read a villain’s POV now and then? While I haven’t read any of Susan Dennard’s books, I enjoyed the interview. And I agree about Black Jack Randall – gah, what a monster! Thanks for hosting!
I loved this book. Great review.
This sounds like a good story. Great cover!