Paper Cranes

A Fairytale Twist Novel

Young Adult - Romance
344 Pages
Reviewed on 10/26/2019
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Jordan Ford loves to write clean teen romance novels. Filled with high school angst, mystery, danger and young love, these books offer a fun escape.

"Paper Cranes was a real passion project for me. Rapunzel has always been my favorite fairytale and I wanted to do something modern and different with it. I LOVED working on this book."

    Book Review

Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite

Paper Cranes by Jordan Ford is a Fairytale Twist Novel, a romantic tale of loss and love. Tristan has barely emotionally survived his parents' divorce and makes the decision to stay with his dad, moving across the country. He shuts everyone out until the day he meets a girl in a tower. Helena Thompson is unlike anyone that Tristan has ever met. She’s a little bit weird and she spends her time locked away in an imaginary world, her way of coping with how her paranoid mother makes her live. Tristan can’t help himself; intrigued by Helena, he keeps going back to her but their friendship must be a secret. Inevitably, Helena’s mother finds out and makes life hard for both Tristan and Helena. Can Tristan win through? Has he got what it takes to fight for Helena or will her mother keep them apart?

Paper Cranes (A Fairytale Twist Novel) by Jordan Ford is a wonderful novel based on the popular fairytale of Rapunzel told from Tristan’s point of view. It’s captivating, compelling reading as we follow Tristan trying to mend the hurt in his heart. The characters are deep, multi-faceted, and those different facets shine through in each chapter. You will find yourself holding your breath at many points during the story and you won't be able to stop the tears as you read this magical, heartwarming tale of young love. Jordan Ford has touched on many different issues here, including divorce, mental health issues, bullying and more. The story takes you on a steady journey that will have you reading until the very end. Whether it will be the happy-ever-after of classic fairy tales can only be discovered in one way ... by reading to the very end. You won’t be disappointed and I guarantee this wonderful modern-day fairy tale will have you looking deep into your own heart.

Paz Vivanco

I couldn't give less than 5 stars to this wonderful book.

It got me in since I started reading it, and then I just fell in love with Helena and her sweetness and kindness personality, and how much Tristan enjoyed been with her.

Their friendship starts when Tristan throwed a baseball ball of kid and it landed inside the window of a tower of the house next door, so to get it back he had to climb to the window. After that first encounter they got to keep seeing each other again.

I found so cute the way they fell in love through the paper cranes, poems and books. They both helped each other in a way; Tristan started to get better grades, and Helena made a friend and have a little bit of a "normal" life.

But this book isn't just about the romance. It has so much more, like the divorce of Tristan's parents and how much this affected his life and relationship with them. There's also Helena's mother, who after her husbands death she never let her daughter to go outside and have a normal life because of how afraid she was of Helena getting hurt.

The twist (which I won't say what is) was very unpredictable. And for a moment I really thought that was going to be the end of the story. Tears were everywhere, so please keep in mind to have some tissues near you.

If you'd like to read a fairytale inspired novel with a twist, then I highly recommend to read this one. Jordan Ford never disappoints with her books.

Sophie Koufes

Paper Cranes is a enchanting retelling of the classic fairytale Rapunzel. A modern day fairytale with a twist that is magical. I love the reference to Paper Cranes & poetic quotes throughout the novel. A bewitching tale with a well interwoven plot twist & ravishing characters that will keep you spellbinded. A sweet tale sure to tug at your heart that you will need a tissue box. Perfect afternoon read with tea. I highly recommend reading it.

Nana Pickrell

This was definitely a departure from Ms. Ford's other books. Here we have Tristan and Helena in a twisted tale of Rapunzel. While I did have a somewhat hard time getting into the book, it didn't take me long to love Tristan. As I was reading this I was thinking back on another book like this, A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole. While it was a great book, I hated the ending and it seemed to me this one was heading in the same direction. I was so glad it didn't. Tristan needed his HEA. Overall a good book, just don't forget the Kleenex when you read.

A wonderful story

This book was different from others I've read by this author. The way it started I had reservations, I love this author's work but thought oh what if I can't get into it. The story soon evolved and my heart was captured.
Poor Tristan is a teen boy who is barely surviving his parent's divorce. New school, haunted house next door and no friends..he's a moody boy but what teen isn't.
A modern day twist on Rapunzel. Who is that girl in the tower? Why doesn't she come outside? I thought she was a ghost until the story unfolded. With this girls mother I just couldn't see a happy ending. The angst of young love then the tragedy just about ripped my heart out. It can't end like this....I didn't see that ending coming at all. I truly love this author's work and this story was a brilliant tale of 'feels'.

Jennifer G

Jordan Ford captured magic in Paper Cranes. This is a departure from her normal books, but you won't be disappointed. It's a captivating retelling of Rapunzel.

Tristan is in a deep depression following his parent's divorce. He is disillusioned and cynical about love after his mother cheated with her boss. Now he's living with his father acting the role of the adult while his father wallows and drinks his nights away. One afternoon after throwing his neighbor's baseball into the open attic window of the 'haunted' house next door and climbing the trellis to enter the attic, he makes a surprising discovery. The attic is not full of odds and ends but is a magical room. Even more surprising instead of encountering the 'ghost' he has discovered Helena, a beautiful 15-year-old girl, unlike anyone he's ever met before. Helena's mother has had a psychotic break after a family tragedy and has become convinced that the world is a dark, dangerous place. She and Helena have not been outside in years. Helena has existed in her imagination and in the pages of books. She is pure and innocent, untouched by society. Her inner beauty, kindness, imagination, her every view were astonishing. Tristan is drawn to her strangeness but soon finds himself completely enchanted. She teaches him how to lessen his burdens and treasure his joys. The beauty, innocence, and simplicity of their relationship take sweetness to a new level.

Their relationship is difficult, yet their love is true. Their relationship ends all too soon due to yet another tragedy. These two have had a rough adolescence. Their parting is as poignant as their love is pure. It's hard to accept that this is the end of Tristan and Helena. But when you hold another's heart, can it really be over? Aren't they always with you? Does true love really die?

This was truly a touching book. It brought tears to my eyes so many times; sweet tears, sad tears. There were so many important messages. Savor every moment. Enjoy the little things. Hug. The paper cranes will become a part of my own life if I can figure out how to make them. I've never been good at origami, but I feel it's important to have a reminder from Helena for myself. Jordan Ford has shown her range with this book. It's poetic, magical, romantic; a modern-day fairy tale. One you will enjoy disappearing into.